Wednesday, January 7, 2026

One Year After the Eaton Fire, Altadena and Pasadena Mark Loss, Recovery, and the Work Still Ahead

One year after the Eaton Fire, politicians, pundits and local residents continue to push forward in the wake of the fire which left Altadena devastated

By ANDRÉ COLEMAN, MANAGING EDITOR

It was like a bomb going off, no other way to describe it,” Governor Gavin Newsom said. “And I was there just a few hours after the fire, and was there physically in the midst of the firefighting as I went up into the foothills and experienced firsthand what our first responders were dealing with.”

In the days that followed, entire blocks were transformed. Homes were reduced to foundations and chimneys. Vehicles were left burned in driveways. Power lines sagged. The smell of smoke lingered long after the flames were out, seeping into clothing, furniture, and the routines of daily life.

Within hours of the fire’s advance, community response filled the gaps left by the emergency. Churches, schools, and nonprofit centers opened as informal shelters.

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

The Deadly Fires: By The Numbers

CITY NEWS SERVICE

As the Los Angeles region Wednesday marks the anniversary of last year’s deadly wildfires, city and county officials are reviewing building applications and issuing permits, while insurers have paid more than $22.4 billion to reconstruct fire-impacted areas in Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena and Pasadena.

That’s just one of the many statistics that help quantify the historic disaster that began one year ago Wednesday.

On Jan. 7, 2025, fires erupted in the Los Angeles region, fueled by dry conditions and extreme Santa Ana winds. The two largest fires displaced thousands of people in Pacific Palisades and Altadena.

The Palisades Fire killed 12 people in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Topanga areas, while the Eaton Fire, in Altadena, killed 19. Firefighters fully contained the dual blazes on Jan. 31, 2025.

The Palisades Fire razed a majority of the coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades. Similarly, homes, schools, places of worship, restaurants and community focal points were lost in Altadena as a result of the Eaton Fire.

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Newsom Proclaims Wednesday as Day of Remembrance for Los Angeles Fires

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued a proclamation declaring Wednesday’s anniversary of the Palisades and Eaton fires as a day of remembrance and ordering flags at all state buildings to be flown at half- staff.

“As we mourn the victims of the Los Angeles fires, we also honor the first responders, community leaders and public servants who ran toward danger and went above and beyond to protect Angelenos,” the proclamation, announced Tuesday, reads.

“We recognize the resilience of survivors who continue to rebuild, often carrying grief alongside hope.”

“And we affirm a solemn commitment: California will not turn away. We will stand with these communities until recovery is complete, homes are rebuilt and lives are restored as fully possible,” the proclamation read.

On Jan. 7, 2025, fires erupted in the Los Angeles region fueled by dry conditions and extreme Santa Ana winds. The two largest fires destroyed and displaced thousands of people in Pacific Palisades and Altadena.

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Reporter’s Notebook | One Year Later, the Fire Has Left, but Its Shape Remains

Few homes are rebuilt as a new year begins with nearly-equal parts hope and desperation

Story and photos by EDDIE RIVERA

On the evening of  January 7, 2025, sparks in the San Gabriel Mountains above Altadena powered by hot, fast, dry winds quickly turned the ensuing brush fire into a jet that swept down through the Eaton Canyon Wash, climbed the hillside up to Altadena Drive, up and over Crescent Drive, and then blew east to west across the town, down into Pasadena, swallowing nearly everything it touched.

The Eaton Fire turned familiar streets in Altadena and Pasadena into corridors of flame. Photographs from that night and morning show buildings lit from the inside, windows glowing orange as fire climbed through rafters and pushed against roofs. Trees, stripped of color, stand as silhouettes against a smoke-thick sky. Speed limit signs  appear almost absurdly calm in the midst of the swirling fire.

One year later, on January 8, 2026,

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Guest Opinion: Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger | A Year Later in Altadena: Rebuilding Must Be Fair

The first week of a new year is often a time for reflection—on what we’ve endured, what we’ve learned, and what still lies ahead. As we enter this new year, that reflection carries particular weight for the Altadena community. Nearly one year after the Eaton Fire, the path to recovery remains deeply personal and far from complete.

We are not “past” this disaster. Recovery is still unfolding, one decision, one permit, one insurance claim at a time. While progress is visible, the impacts of the fire remain very present for families who are still displaced or struggling to begin rebuilding.

Anyone driving through the burn area today sees new home framing rising where ash and debris once settled. Those skeletal outlines, peppered throughout Altadena, are powerful signs of forward movement. But they also reveal a difficult truth: the ability to rebuild is not determined by determination alone. It is shaped by access to capital—insurance coverage, savings, credit, and financial flexibility. The starting line is not the same for everyone.

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Altadenans to Gather for First Anniversary of Eaton Fire Wednesday Evening

Community Coalition for Altadena Recovery at Grocery Outlet on Lake Avenue will be a time for honoring the dead, and supporting each other

One year after the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena and Pasadena, killing 19 people and destroying more than 9,400 structures, residents will gather Tuesday evening for a community commemoration that will include a moment of silence at 6:18 p.m. — the time the blaze reportedly ignited in Eaton Canyon.

The event, organized by the Community Coalition for Altadena Recovery (known as CCAR) and scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at 2270 Lake Ave. in Altadena, will feature speeches, light snacks, and the reading of the names of the 19 people officially declared dead by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

The event is expected to begin around 5:00 p.m.  The focus will be on shared presence, rather than activities, one official said.

“We wanted to create an opportunity for the community to come together to heal, support,

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Supervisor Barger Issues Statement on Eaton Fire Anniversary, Recovery, Aid and Accountability

On the one-year anniversary of the Eaton Fire, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger released a statement addressed to survivors, acknowledging their pain, outlining county relief efforts centered in Altadena, and reaffirming her commitment to recovery and accountability. The statement reflects on the past year of recovery in Altadena, details financial assistance delivered to fire-impacted households, workers and businesses, and commits to pressing for stronger emergency notification systems and federal resources to prevent housing instability.

In the statement, Barger said anniversaries of the fire can reopen wounds for those still navigating insurance disputes, contamination cleanup and the slow, exhausting process of rebuilding. She described it as her responsibility to ensure survivors are not facing those challenges alone.

Barger pointed to Altadena’s recovery over the past year, saying Los Angeles County has delivered more than $21 million in household relief grants for Altadena families, nearly $8.5 million for Eaton Fire–impacted small businesses and nonprofits, and more than $2.2 million to workers who lost wages because of the fire.

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Newsom Announces $107 Million for Affordable Rental Homes to Aid LA Fire Survivors

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Approximately $107.3 million in state money will fund the creation of 673 affordable rental homes that will be offered first to those affected or displaced by last January’s wildfires, officials said Tuesday.

On the eve of the first anniversary of the twin fires that devastated Altadena and Pacific Palisades, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced the new investments in affordable housing across Los Angeles County to help survivors rebuild their lives.

Newsom’s office said the goal is to keep current residents housed and prevent further displacement without changing local zoning rules or neighborhood character.

“We are rebuilding stronger, fairer communities in Los Angeles without displacing the people who call these neighborhoods home. More affordable homes across the county means survivors can stay near their schools, jobs and support systems, and all Angelenos are better able to afford housing in these vibrant communities,” Newsom said in a statement.

The funding comes from a Multifamily Finance Super NOFA,

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Supervisor Barger to Attend Multiple Events Marking the One-Year Anniversary of the Eaton Fire

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger will be in the Altadena region this week to mark the one-year anniversary of the Eaton Fire, attending a series of survivor-led commemorations, faith-based remembrances and community tribute events, according to an announcement from her office.

Barger’s remembrance schedule begins Tuesday, Jan. 6, with a 6 p.m. commemoration at the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, held at 1434 N. Altadena Drive in Pasadena.

Barger will attend events on the anniversary date, Wednesday, Jan. 7, starting with a Survivor-Led One-Year Anniversary Gathering and press conference hosted by the Eaton Fire Survivors Network from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at The Collaboratory, 540 West Woodbury Road in Altadena.

A 3 p.m. Barger will attend an Eaton Fire Tribute will take place at John Muir High School Early College Magnet, 1905 Lincoln Ave. in Pasadena.

Finally at 5 p.m., Barger is scheduled to attend The Community Coalition for Altadena Recovery’s First Anniversary Commemoration of the Eaton Fire at 5 p.m.

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Sacred Heart Church, Saved From Flames by Deacon’s Intervention, Will Host Healing Mass on Eaton Fire Anniversary

One year after Deacon José Luis Díaz and three parishioners extinguished flames threatening Sacred Heart Catholic Church with a garden hose and in spite of minimal water pressure, the Altadena parish will host a Healing Mass on Wednesday evening to mark the anniversary of the Eaton Fire.

The Mass, scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on January 7, 2026, at 2889 North Lincoln Avenue, comes as the parish continues to reckon with the fire’s toll on its congregation.

Fr. Gilbert Guzmán, the pastor, has said Sacred Heart lost nearly half its parishioners to evacuation and displacement after the January 2025 blaze.

Sacred Heart narrowly survived. On the morning of January 8, 2025, Díaz left the Pasadena Convention Center evacuation shelter after his wife, Maria Esther, told him the church was burning. He arrived around 7:30 a.m. to find two parishioners already fighting flames near the boiler room.

“We almost didn’t have water pressure in the hose,” Díaz recounted. “So, we had to do everything we could to put it out.”