The Eaton Fire

I think we hoped to not start 2025 with destruction, something that seems to be an emerging theme over the past few years. The National Weather Service had forecasted a ‘life-threatening, destructive windstorm’ to blast through Southern California this week. Admittedly, I’ve grown weary of sensationalist, clickbaity headlines, so I like many, pretty well disregarded the news warnings. Until yesterday morning as I went outside for break. The wind started picking up after an eerie stillness in the slightly chilled air. Then at lunch, I stepped off campus to run an errand in Pasadena. I hopped in the Subie and turned on KFI, a local talk and news station. The hosts, Gary and Shannon were talking through the evacuation efforts underway in Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood extending from the hills between Topanga and Temescal Canyons to the Pacific Ocean. A favorite day trip of ours for shopping and a stop at Erewhon. But on that Tuesday, a disaster as the Santa Ana winds whipped embers, setting the hills on fire, and creating a literal traffic nightmare as residents and visitors had to evacuate.

While my prayers were going out to those in the Palisades, especially as lifetimes of work and memories were put into homes that were being leveled, the severity of the looming situation still did not hit. Nevertheless, remembering the 2011 windstorm that tore through the San Gabriel Valley, I decided that it would be best to bring Ollie home with me for the night. We were just back at school from the break, and I was probably overreacting, but it is better safe than sorry. I’d hate to leave him alone at school if the power were to go out and the thermostat stopped working.

Then the evening approached. As the sun got lower in the sky, the winds picked up. Even in San Gabriel, about five miles down from the mountains, the winds were strong. As gusts started moving objects in our backyard, we rushed to clear off the patio of scout gear we’d been working to organize. A colleague later told me that his weather gauge clocked gusts of 42 miles per hour- pretty significant. And it would get much worse in the hills above us.

Jacob called close to 7 pm. He was leaving PCC early. There was fire in the hills above Pasadena; he was watching it. Sure enough, a fire had broken out in Eaton Canyon, one of our favorite hiking spots. It was also the place from where Ollie was rescued. What was more concerning though was how quickly the fire progressed. It was ten acres then 200. Then people had to evacuate and it was over 2000 acres. In that time, I was on the phone with my superintendent, and making calls to my board colleagues. We made the tough decision to close schools Wednesday, January 8, as did all of the districts around us.

As the sun rose, we think- it was covered by thick grey smoke- there was more bad news. There were two reported fatalities as a result of the Eaton Fire. This number would grow to five as the day progressed. Many structures burned, including homes and businesses. Some of those were homes belonging to school staff and friends. There was very little time to evacuate and so much devastation. Emily texted me; if she had stayed at the place in Pasadena we were renting up until two weeks ago, she would have had to evacuate with her bunny too. Fortunately she is safe in Europe again. But so many people have been impacted by this disaster. And it may be a while before this fire sees any containment. There is plenty of fuel thanks to the dry ‘rainy’ season. Also, the terrain is rough. I love hiking in the area around Eaton Saddle because there is variety in the trails. But it does pose challenges for firefighting. This all around is a terrible situation.

Some things to consider:

At time of writing, there are four wildfires burning in So Cal, with the two largest being the Palisades and Eaton fires. The Eaton fire is over 10600 acres, with evacuations spanning from La Canada along the foothill cities east to Monrovia. The hardest hit areas seem to be Altadena and the northern part of Pasadena known as Hastings Ranch.

Evacuation areas can change rapidly. For the latest information on evacuation zones, check local news sources. You may also visit the CalFire website. Also, be sure to heed the warnings of law enforcement and other officials.

Sami and I drove to Pasadena to run a few errands. Most of the traffic lights were working, however there were several spots where there was debris or even whole trees in the roadway. From what I could see, the cities have been doing a good job moving debris to the side of the road or onto meridians, however, caution is needed if you decide to venture out.

The other possible concern is keeping roadways clear for emergency vehicles. Our usual PetSmart in Hastings is in a shopping plaza that is being used as a staging area for utility and emergency vehicles. We also saw the switching out of fire trucks at the fire station on Lake Avenue while we were driving. We made sure to pay attention to traffic and have patience when getting around. The fire and emergency personnel have a really important, tough job.

The air quality in the San Gabriel Valley is really unhealthy at this time. The smoke is pretty heavy, even where we are. Limit outdoor activities and if possible, wear a mask.

I received an alert from Pasadena Water and Power, since Emily is technically still one of their customers. The areas under evacuation are under a do-not-drink order. Particles from the fires is making water unsafe to drink. Filtering or boiling won’t help. The city is recommending bottled water for drinking and brushing teeth.

For school closures, check your specific district website or parent communication app. It’s been reported that Pasadena Unified, which serves Pasadena and Altadena will be closed through Friday, January 10.

Disasters bring out the worst in some people; we’ve heard reports of looting from our LA County DA. This is just absolutely reprehensible. But it can also bring out the best in humanity. There is video of a firefighter comforting a lost pup as they’re literally hosing down a structure. There are many who have brought donations to the Pasadena Civic, one of the major evacuation centers for the Eaton Fire. If you would like to help with relief efforts, you may give to the American Red Cross. Specifically for the Eaton Fire, the Pasadena Humane Society is assisting with the rescue and relief efforts. The Pasadena Civic Center evacuation site allows pets, and Pasadena Humane is on site to assist. Their veterinary services are busy with the rescue side. There are animals coming in who have significant injuries, and Pasadena Humane is on it. While they are accepting donations of blankets, food bowls, and food, the greatest need at this time is financial. If you’d like to give, you may visit the Pasadena Humane Society site.

We are south of the evacuation zones, and are not in the direct path of the fires. Even so, I felt it appropriate to write about the fire. The fires are burning in spots I frequent and have often written about. We know people who have been directly affected and devastated by this horrible fire. We are very thankful for the efforts of fire and emergency personnel. They have been working around the clock in the worst circumstances to get containment which at this time is unfortunately zero percent. Positive thoughts and prayers are appreciated. Be safe, with love from the Cranky Camper.

Please note: There are more resources available in the Los Angeles Area at this time. At time of writing, AirBnB has partnered with 211 to provide one week of lodging for families affected by the fires. There is also general resource information. Just visit 211la.org. The phone number is 800-339-6993.

If you are struggling, please reach out to your clergy, counselor, or even a trusted friend. Honest talk over coffee can be a huge help when with the right person. There are also mental health resources available. The Los Angeles County Access Center can be a starting point for other resources. The phone number is 800-854-7771. I also have a list of resources posted here. Please take care of yourself. Be well.