At a Glance
- Jim Cragg used $15 sprinklers on his roof to stop the January 2025 Palisades Fire from jumping to nearby houses
- His nonstop watering saved more than a dozen homes while 6,800+ structures burned
- He now leads the Palisades Long Term Recovery Group helping 10,460 families rebuild
- Why it matters: Simple, low-cost actions can protect entire neighborhoods during California’s worsening wildfire seasons
A 30-year military veteran turned community commander turned a bargain buy into a firewall that held back one of California’s most destructive blazes.
The $15 Defense
As flames tore through Pacific Palisades, Jim Cragg mounted cheap lawn sprinklers on his roof and let them run for hours.
> “If I hadn’t had an hour or two of water just puddling, nothing would have stopped it,”
he told News Of Los Angeles.
He sprayed his yard and the one behind nonstop, stopping the fire from leaping house-to-house.
After the Flames
Driving through ash and smoke, Cragg reached the American Legion building just as power returned.
> “The lights came on-there was our flag, singed and toasted brown, but still red, white and blue,”
he recalled.
That moment spurred him to found the Palisades Long Term Recovery Group, now guiding over 10,000 families toward rebuilding.
| Focus Area | Current Need |
|---|---|
| Psychological help | Thousands overwhelmed, unable to engage |
| Financial aid | Secondary to emotional support |
| Outreach goal | Reach every one of 10,460 families |
A Child’s Wish
Cragg’s daughter Charley wrote to Santa:
> “Will you bring my town back to me? This has been the hardest year of my life.”
Her father is determined to answer that plea by rallying neighbors and resources to speed recovery.
Key Takeaways
- $15 sprinklers and garden hoses saved 12+ homes amid 6,800+ losses
- Cragg channels military ethos: “Never leave one of yours behind”
- Community’s biggest hurdle is psychological recovery, not just financial
With relentless outreach, Cragg aims to restore not just buildings but spirit across the fire-ravaged Palisades.
