Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Town Council to Convene First Meeting Since Fire Destroyed Much of Altadena

In its first public gathering since the catastrophic Eaton wildfire devastated much of Altadena, the Altadena Town Council will convene virtually Tuesday evening to address community health and safety and the path toward recovery.

The meeting will come as firefighters have reached 89 percent containment of the blaze that erupted on January 7 above Eaton Canyon, destroying more than 7,000 structures and claiming at least 17 civilian lives.

The Council encouraged residents to join via Zoom or watch on Pasadena Media’s YouTube channel.

The meeting is scheduled to open at 7 p.m. with updates on Council activities and initiatives from Chairperson Victoria Knapp.

Public safety reports will follow, with Captain Jabari Williams from the Altadena Sheriff’s Station providing updates. Los Angeles County Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Pat Sprengel will also speak.

Special presentations will include Los Angeles County Board Supervisor Kathryn Barger discussing County initiatives to support and help Altadena rebuild.

Pasadena Public Works Director Mark Pestrella will discuss ongoing and upcoming infrastructure projects.  

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Newsom Issues Order to Help Protect Fire-Affected Areas During Rain

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Monday to expedite debris removal and prevent debris flows in wildfire-affected areas ahead of expected rainfall.

The firestorms have left debris and burn scars across Los Angeles’ landscape, posing a safety concern in light of rainfall that forecasts show is on the way. As burn scars do not absorb water at normal rates, they create a risk for mudslides, landslides, flash floods and debris flows.

The order will help mitigate the risk and protect communities by hastening efforts to remove debris, bolster flood defenses and stabilize hillsides in affected areas, Newsom said.

“As work continues to fight fires across Los Angeles County, the state is already working to prepare for the damage that can happen when winter rainstorms hit burn scars, causing landslides and flooding,” the governor said in a statement. “This order helps keep our emergency response focused on protecting communities, not permits and paperwork.”

Among other items,

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

District Eschewed Online Learning Due to Uncertainty Over Devices

By André Coleman, Managing Editor

The District did not revert to online learning after the Eaton Fire destroyed thousands of homes and several schools in Altadena because District officials do not know how many devices were destroyed in the fire, according to Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco.

“We don’t know how many teachers and students lost devices,” Blanco said in a virtual meeting.

The District announced a phased reopening of local schools beginning with the 10 schools furthest away from ground zero of the fire.

Blanco said that in order to revert to distance learning, the employees working to reopen schools would have to be used to get online learning up and running.

“That would have to divert their attention to gear up for online learning and it might create complete chaos because of the loss of devices,” she said.

The District has ordered 5,000 Chromebooks to make up for devices lost in the blaze. The fire has burned 14,000 acres and left thousands of students and teachers displaced.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

The Armenian Community Responds to the Eaton Wildfire

By EDDIE RIVERA

Given the sheer number of homes, families and lives affected by the Eaton Fire, which is now close to containment, the Eaton Fire has drawn a community response clearly as strong as the fire itself.

In the Southern California Armenian community, the second-largest in the world, response to those in need has been overwhelming, as more than 100 Armenian families lost their homes.

The Sahag-Mesrob Armenian Christian School in Altadena was completely destroyed on the first night of the fire, except for its khachkar / cross stone. In fact, the feeling is strong within the Armenian community that the same type of khachkar / cross stone at the Tekeyan Cultural Association (TCA) Beshgeturian Center—which was dedicated in June—protected that building.

The Sahag-Mesrob school  has relocated temporarily to the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) in Pasadena.

“About 16 of our families have lost their homes,” said Sahag-Mesrob Principal Maral Aroyan-Boyadjian. “A lot of them are still evacuated.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Gas Prices Rise

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County dropped one-tenth of a cent Tuesday to $4.496, a day after rising three-tenths of a cent.

The average price is 4.9 cents more than one week ago and 11.6 cents more than one month ago, but 6.9 cents less than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It has dropped $1.998 since rising to a record $6.494 on Oct. 5, 2022.

The national average price rose one-tenth of a cent to $3.126, a day after rising a half-cent. It rose for the seventh time in eight days and is 5.5 cents more than one week ago, 8 cents more than one month ago, and 4.8 cents more than one year ago.

The national average price has dropped $1.89 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Eaton Fire 89% Contained as All Areas Opened for Returns

CITY NEWS SERVICE

With containment of the Eaton Fire at 89%, Los Angeles County announced that all Altadena communities are now open for residents to return while a new wind event was moving into the Southland that could further challenge firefighters or spark new blazes Tuesday.

In a post on social media, the county Monday afternoon said that, while all residents evacuated from the Altadena area my now return, some areas are still under an evacuation order featuring “soft closures” meaning those areas will be open only to residents with valid proof of residence.

Containment of the deadly and destructive blaze climbed to the 89% level Monday with firefighters using water-dropping helicopters to extinguish hot spots in steep, inaccessible canyons near Winters Creek, Mt. Lowe and Mt. Wilson, as a new wind event moved into the region.

Meanwhile, another Santa Ana wind event moved into the area, with high winds expected into Tuesday, creating a high risk for critical fire weather conditions and rapid fire spread of any new fires.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Ten PUSD Schools Scheduled to Reopen Thursday

By André Coleman, Managing Editor

[Updated]  Ten schools in the Pasadena Unified School District are scheduled to reopen on Thursday, Jan. 23  following the devastating Eaton Fire that damaged five campuses and forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 of Pasadena Unified School District’s 14,000 students from their homes.

Students will return to Hamilton Elementary, Willard Elementary and Children’s Center, Blair Middle and High School, San Rafael Elementary, McKinley School, Rose City High School, Center for Independent Study, Pasadena Adult Living Skills, Twilight Adult School, and Aveson Global Leadership Academy.

“To accelerate reopening, campuses located further from the fire’s impact will reopen first, allowing the community to begin its path toward healing,” Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco said as she announced the District’s plans to reopen schools.

The School District plans to reopen campuses in phases over a two-week period, with all students back to school by the end of January.

Many students and their families left the area after the fire destroyed thousands of homes in Altadena.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Winds Challenge Firefighters as Residents Urged to Stay Alert Amid Eaton Fire Efforts

By EDDIE RIVERA

Residents should already be in ‘set’ position for any evacuations

Nearly two weeks after the Eaton Fire erupted in the Angeles National Forest and destroyed much of Altadena, a high wind alert and a rare January red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service have prompted renewed vigilance.

While firefighters have brought it largely under control, as of Monday, the blaze has consumed 14,022 acres and is 87% contained.

However, the incident command station at the Rose Bowl is still busy as officials work to keep the fire within its current perimeter. While containment lines on the southern end of the blaze are secure, three small pockets in the rugged northern terrain still lack complete containment.

“The burning is pretty much in the interior of the fire’s perimeter,” said Daron Wyatt, public information officer for the California Incident Management Team, on Monday.

“There’s no expectation that it will increase in size or move outside its current footprint,

Monday, January 20, 2025

‘Nobody Thought This Could Happen’

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, MANAGING EDITOR

Karina Maturino details the night the fire took everything from her

Like a lot of residents in Altadena, Karina Maturino, 25, has seen fire on the mountain before.

And like many people who have had that experience she assumed the fire would not reach Fair Oaks Avenue and Calevaras Street where she was staying.

The Eaton Fire broke out on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.

Driven by extreme wind, the fire destroyed Altadena, killing at least 16 people and burned more than 7,000 structures and scorched 14,117 acres. Firefighters said they reached 33% containment on Monday.

But the job could get harder as more extreme winds are forecast for the early part of the week.

As local residents of Altadena and Pasadena know Fair Oaks and Calevaras is on the ascent to the mountain, but far enough from Eaton Canyon and the locations of previous fires including the Bobcat Fire to justify her assumption.

Monday, January 20, 2025

Officials Hope to Allow Thousands of Altadena Evacuees to Return Home This Week, Weather Permitting

STAFF REPORT

Authorities balance safety concerns with resident needs

At a community briefing Sunday at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles County officials outlined plans to potentially allow thousands of evacuated residents to return to their Altadena properties by the end of next week, though they emphasized the timeline remains heavily dependent on weather conditions and the outcomes of comprehensive safety assessments.

Officials announced Eaton Fire’s burn area was re-calculated to be less acreage and is now listed as 14,021 acres. It was 81% contained, but officials face new challenges with an incoming severe wind event starting Monday.

“The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning beginning tomorrow morning at eight o’clock and continuing through 10 o’clock on Tuesday evening,” said meteorologist Dennis Burns, adding that “particularly dangerous” conditions are expected with valley winds of 20-30 mph and potential gusts up to 80-100 mph in higher elevations.

Seventeen residents have died in the fire,