On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at approximately 6:15 PM, a fire broke out in Eaton Canyon, a popular hiking trail near the border of Altadena and Pasadena. Fueled by a powerful event of Santa Ana winds, where Los Angeles County suffered from near-hurricane force winds, and incredibly dry conditions, the fire quickly grew to over two thousands acres in size by Wednesday morning. The entirety of Altadena, along with portions of La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, La Crescenta, Glendale, Sierra Madre, and Arcadia all faced immediate evacuation orders due to the immediate danger the fire posed to them. Schools throughout the San Gabriel Valley, including our own, were cancelled for the rest of the week, and many students left their homes in San Marino and the surrounding communities.
Quickly, the fire spread out of Eaton Canyon, and powered by the Northeastern winds, blew towards the community of Altadena, decimating the area. Entire blocks of homes were burnt down, with only a handful surviving. “I never imagined the winds would result in all this damage,” said Rossetti Rackham, 11. Truly, it was an unfathomable event. Never in the history of the San Gabriel Valley has there been a fire that ravaged through a community like the Eaton Fire did. As of January 17, 2025, about 7,500 structures have been destroyed throughout Altadena, with several structures also being destroyed in Pasadena, Arcadia, and Sierra Madre. Some of the significant buildings destroyed include Altadena Town & Country Club, Bunny Museum, Eaton Canyon Nature Center, Farnsworth Park, and Pasadena Waldorf School.
Tragically, as of January 17, seventeen people have lost their lives in this disaster, and twenty-four people remain missing. Over 100,000 people were evacuated from their homes, and many still cannot return to their homes due to the presence of the National Guard in Altadena. For many of these evacuees, they remain hopeful that they have a home to return, but many remain in uncertainty over the survival of their residences.
The fire spread as far west as Lincoln Ave in Pasadena, and as far east as Monrovia. It also reached New York Drive in Pasadena and Altadena to the South, and Mt. Wilson to the North, where nearly every major television and radio station in Los Angeles broadcasts from. If the fire were to reach and burn down the towers, Los Angeles would have been left with no local news and television stations to cover these fires. Luckily, firefighters were able to stop the Northern spread and redirect the fire away from Mt. Wilson.
As of this current moment, the cause of the fire is still unknown, although Pasadena Now obtained footage of the fire beginning near an electrical tower inside of Eaton Canyon in the midst of the intense Santa Ana winds. Many are threatening legal action against Southern California Edison if this in fact was the cause, as in those heavy winds, it is recommended that Edison shut off power to prevent fires like the Eaton Fire from occurring.
In the midst of this incredible adversity though, we have seen an incredible showing of community and support throughout the San Gabriel Valley. Donation centers at Pasadena City College, the Santa Anita Mall in Arcadia, and the Pasadena Convention Center all quickly reached capacity, and many local small businesses organized their own donation drives. “The support throughout our community has been excellent, and in the face of this tragedy, it’s been nice to see some unity,” said Jeremy Karkafi, 12.
Today, the fire is 65% contained, and luckily is nearly completely put out. The Eaton Fire has terrorized the San Gabriel Valley community for about a week and a half now, but it appears we are nearing the light at the end of the tunnel.
