Saturday, February 1, 2025

Eaton Fire Reaches Full Containment After Devastating Altadena and Portions of Pasadena

The Eaton Fire was declared 100% contained by fire officials late Friday night. The wildfire, which started on January 7 above Eaton Canyon near Altadena Drive at Midwick Drive, consumed 14,021 acres. As it burned, it claimed at least 17 lives, destroyed over 9,400 structures, and changed Altadena and Pasadena forever.

“I am incredibly grateful to the courageous firefighters, first responders, and emergency personnel who worked tirelessly to contain the Eaton Fire,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger, who represents both Altadena and Pasadena. “Their hard work and perseverance is world class.”

Investigators continue to examine the cause of the blaze, with current suspicions focused on an electrical tower owned by Southern California Edison.

Massive recovery efforts by federal, state, county and local agencies are now underway. A flood of donations of money, food, and supplies has poured into the area to help those who lost their homes and possessions.

Insurance companies have paid out hundreds of millions to Eaton Fire victims so far.

Friday, January 31, 2025

Thousands More Students Return to Pasadena Unified Campuses on Thursday

By EDDIE RIVERA

As many as 7,111 TK-12th grade students, in addition to students in children’s centers, returned to Pasadena public school campuses on Thursday following closures caused by the Eaton Fire.

Pasadena Unified School District Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco, Ed.D., Board President Jennifer Hall Lee, and other officials welcomed students, families, and staff from Eliot Arts Magnet Academy – one of the District’s schools lost to the Eaton Fire – to the McKinley School campus.

Elsewhere students returned to Altadena Arts Magnet at Allendale; Jackson STEM Elementary, Longfellow Magnet Elementary, Webster Elementary Elementary, John Muir Early College Magnet High School; Marshall Fundamental, Octavia E Butler, Magnet Middle School, and Pasadena High School.

“I’m so excited to see all the students returning to McKinley,” said a beaming Jennifer Hall Lee, PUSD Board President.

“They are the ‘Tiger Nation,’” she said. “These kids are wonderful, and it was just lovely to hear their principal engaging with them.”

Echoing Lee,

Friday, January 31, 2025

PUSD Reports Over 10,000 Students Impacted by Eaton Fire, Nearly 1,000 Lost Homes

District scrambles to relocate multiple school communities as recovery efforts continue amid unprecedented crisis

At a lengthy and emotional Pasadena Unified School District Board Special Regular Meeting on Thursday night, District officials revealed that approximately 10,000 of the District’s 14,000 students were affected by the Eaton Canyon Fire, with staff members and families losing their homes in the devastating blaze that struck on January 7 and 8.

“Our community has suffered a tremendous loss and I believe that the purpose of this resolution is to make a commitment to our overall desire for Pasadena Unified School District to restore, recommit, and to rise after this devastation,” said Board Member Patrice Marshall McKenzie, as the Board voted 6-1 to approve Resolution 2800 committing to rebuild Eliot Arts Magnet.

The District has undertaken a massive reorganization of school facilities to deal with changes wrought by the fire.

Elliot Arts Magnet is now co-located with McKinley, Altadena Arts Magnet has moved to the Allendale campus,

Friday, January 31, 2025

Hazardous Waste Removal Efforts Intensify

CITY NEWS SERVICE

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency crews continue working Friday to identify and remove hazardous waste from properties ravaged in this month’s wildfires, as many residents return to sift through the rubble of what used to be their homes.

Questions continued to linger about exactly how long it would take for residents to begin the rebuilding process, but county and federal officials said Wednesday the process was being expedited as much as possible. The first phase of the cleanup effort — the removal of hazardous materials from properties in the burn area — was underway, with the EPA under demand to complete the work in the Palisades and Eaton fire zones within 30 days.

Status updates on the EPA’s work, including an interactive map of individual fire-affected properties, are available online at https://www.epa.gov/ca/2025-california-wildfires.

As that process continued, officials urged affected residents to fill out “Right of Entry” forms to either opt in or out of a free debris-clearance program offered by the U.S.

Friday, January 31, 2025

Many Homeowners Underinsured For Rebuild

By André Coleman, Managing Editor

According to a longtime insurance agent, about 10% to 15% of homeowners are underinsured.

Underinsured homeowners have policies with coverage limits that are too low to fully cover the cost of rebuilding their home in the event of a major damage event like the Eaton Fire, which decimated homes in Altadena.

“Lately we see a lot of people that are underinsured,” said the agent, who has been in the industry for nearly 30 years and did not wish to use his name.

Underinsured homeowners could end up responsible for a significant portion of the rebuilding costs out of pocket.

Key factors that can lead to being underinsured include choosing a policy based on market value instead of replacement cost and not considering the potential costs of rebuilding to current building codes.

According to residential designer and Altadena resident Steve Lamb, that is going to be a problem.

“Even the houses that were remodeled or redid 10 years ago,”

Friday, January 31, 2025

As LA Fires Burn, SoCal Edison Allowed to Raise Rates for 2017 Blaze

By MALENA CAROLLO, CALMATTERS

State utility regulators on Thursday approved a settlement that will require Southern California Edison customers to foot about $1.7 billion in claims from the 2017 Thomas Fire and the resulting 2018 Montecito Debris Flows.

The company’s equipment, investigators previously found, caused the December 2017 fire, which burned more than 280,000 acres in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, killing two people. Rainfall the following month led to debris flows that killed 23 people.

“It’s an agreement to settle contested claims that would have been litigated with an unknown result if this settlement is not adopted,” Alice Reynolds, president of the California Public Utilities Commission, said after the vote.

The settlement comes as Edison disputes evidence that its power lines may have ignited the Eaton fire in Los Angeles County earlier this month.

The agreement between the utility and ratepayers representative Cal Advocates is about $1 billion less than the utility originally requested be passed to customers.

Friday, January 31, 2025

Grammy Winner The Game Joins Pasadena Credit Union’s Fire Relief Efforts

Local financial institution transforms into hub for emergency aid distribution as wildfires impact community

Grammy-winning rapper The Game visited Pasadena Federal Credit Union’s Lake Ave. Branch Community Center on Wednesday to support residents affected by the recent Eaton Fire disaster.

The artist joined local leaders, business owners, and community members alongside Inglewood Mayor’s Chief of Staff Sharis Rhodes, representatives from radio station 95.5 KLOS, and Altadena Chamber organizers.

During his visit, The Game distributed air purifiers to local businesses and listened to accounts from victims who lost their homes, sharing his experiences growing up in Los Angeles.

According to credit union officials, The Game and his team have actively delivered essential supplies, including food, drinks, and blankets, to firefighters battling blazes on Pasadena’s front lines.

“We are incredibly grateful for The Game’s compassion and for everyone who came together to support those in need,” said James Chang, Pasadena Federal Credit Union’s CEO.

Chang emphasized that the Community Center has become a central distribution point for donations from the Altadena Chamber,

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Per Person Water Use Drops to Lowest in 35 Years in Southern California

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Southern California residents reduced their per person potable water use by 45% since 1990, marking a significant milestone in conservation efforts, a state agency announced Thursday.

The SoCal region used a record-low 114 gallons per capita per day during the 2023-24 fiscal year, down from 209 GPCD in 1990, according to an annual report from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. In part, this achievement was made as a result of more than $750 million the water agency has invested in recycling and groundwater-replenishing projects.

Water officials also noted continued conservation practices that were in place from the last drought as well as winter weather in 2024 contributed to a reduction in water use.

“California has always had variability in how much rain and snow it gets from year to year; that variability is only going to become more extreme with climate change. By becoming more water efficient, we’re less stressed by the drought years,”

Thursday, January 30, 2025

PUSD Board to Vote on Extending Wildfire Emergency Powers

District scrambles to remediate extensive smoke and fire damage as emergency repairs top $2.8 million

The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education is scheduled to vote Thursday on extending emergency measures enacted in response to January wildfires that caused widespread damage across the District. The measures, initially authorized on January 16, allow officials to continue expedited contracting and remediation work without standard competitive bidding requirements. 

The District reported smoke damage at all school sites and facilities, with complete campus losses at Eliot Arts Magnet Academy, Edison Elementary School, Loma Alta Elementary School and Noyes Elementary School. Franklin Elementary School sustained 80 percent damage during what officials termed the “Fire Emergency.” 

Under the emergency authorization, the District has approved contracts totaling $2,883,593.87 for equipment, supplies, and remediation services. Major expenditures include $2.06 million to CTI Group for computer equipment and $282,845 to Staples for equipment under $5,000. Emergency change orders added another $41,785.86. 

The Board must vote by a four-fifths majority to extend the emergency powers at every regularly scheduled meeting until the action is terminated.

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Pasadena Humane Leads Massive Animal Rescue Effort During Eaton Fire

Local animal welfare organization reunites over 1,000 pets with families as emergency continues

Pasadena Humane reports it mounted an extensive emergency response operation, mobilizing to rescue and care for a total of over 400 animals displaced by the Eaton Fire.

The organization’s comprehensive rescue program included field operations and emergency sheltering for a diverse range of animals, including dogs, cats, bunnies, goats, and even more unusual animals like cockatoos and a pony.

“Since the fire began, we have taken in nearly 1,000 animals. Our commitment to reuniting pets with their families has resulted in more than 1,000 successful reunifications, including more than 800 through our Strike Team in the field and fire zone,” the nonprofit shared.

The organization’s emergency response includes a dedicated Eaton Fire Animal Rescue Hotline at 626-577-3752 for reporting found or lost animals. For injured wildlife assistance, residents can contact 626-344-1129.

Pasadena Humane’s efforts have gained recognition from the Pasadena Community Foundation, which selected the organization as one of 20 nonprofits supported in the first round of grants from the Pasadena Community Foundation’s Eaton Fire Fund.