Lifelong Palisadian Phil Pecsok Details His Experience Fighting Flames on January 7
By CAMILLE CORNELL | Intern
Lifelong Palisadian Phil Pecsok did not hesitate to swiftly react when flames surged over the ridge and onto the upper part of Bienvenida, where his home is located.
On January 7, Pecsok worked across his property and his neighbors’—pulling multiple hoses onto roofs, clearing burning brush and putting out embers to protect homes that were in imminent danger.
“I go up on my roof,” Pecsok said. “I then go to my neighbors’, and for five hours, until 6 p.m., I’m just going to the neighbors’, the roof and backyard.”
Pecsok recalled the details of the day, that he concentrated on fences, any wooden surfaces and a backyard gazebo, which would have been most likely ignited the fastest and spread the fire.
He rotated without breaking from house to house to keep hot spots from reigniting. At one point, three water-dropping planes passed over his street, he described, without providing aid to suppress the flames.
Pecsok said he was the only source of defense for several homes. As conditions worsened and water pressure started decreasing, after hours of efforts to prevent the flames from overcoming his neighborhood, he made the difficult decision to evacuate.
Through heavy smoke, exhaustion and maneuvering fallen trees and debris, Pecsok was able to reach safety. In the following days upon his return to the Palisades, Pecsok discovered he had ultimately been successful in defending his home from the fires and in keeping the fire from spreading to other structures nearby.
As a deep-rooted Palisadian, Pecsok has a long history of being a resident in the town he loves and identifies so closely with. Since 1970, he has been an active member of the community, starting with attending Marquez Elementary Charter and Paul Revere Charter Middle schools.
He said his lifelong involvement in local sports shaped his belief in community, service for others and leadership roles he still carries with him today. As a teenager, he became head of the umpire program at the park, worked at Palisades Recreation Center and volunteered, coaching younger athletes in AYSO soccer, baseball, football and girls volleyball—roles he continued well into adulthood.
Pecsok later helped support improvements to a variety of recreational facilities throughout the Palisades, including Revere’s fields and Calvary Christian School, in the Highlands and at Palisades-Malibu YMCA.
Professionally, Pecsok is the founder of Anacapa Advisors, an equity/hedge fund investment firm headquartered in the Palisades. Just four days before the fire, Anacapa opened a newly built office at 881 Alma Real Drive. The space was destroyed, but the firm continued operating without interruptions while supporting its staff and clients through the transition.
With over 25 years of experience and a background on the Pacific Stock Exchange, he has developed an approach that combines data and disciplined risk management to inform investment decisions. Anacapa’s strategies have garnered national industry recognition from hedge fund and quantitative finance industry groups. The firm emphasizes an investor-friendly approach when working with its clients.
Pecsok called the loss of the office “material,” but said the safety of residents and the future of the Palisades are his main focus.
“Recovery remains ongoing for many families across the Pacific Palisades,” Pecsok said, adding that due to his experience, it has reinforced his appreciation for the community he has always called home.
“This is where I grew up,” he said. “The Palisades has always stepped up for each other. We’ll rebuild the right way.”
