Ten days after an unprecedented firestorm began in Los Angeles, the Eaton and Palisades fires have destroyed nearly 40,000 acres of homes, businesses and landmarks in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, killing at least 20 people.
Both fires currently rank among the 10 most destructive fires in California history, making them the costliest fires in U.S. history. Firefighters have not yet been able to completely extinguish the fire. As of Wednesday evening, the Eaton Fire was 45% contained. The Palisades fire is 21% contained.
According to CalFire, aerial surveys estimate that more than 7,000 structures were destroyed in the Eaton Fire and more than 5,000 structures were destroyed in the Palisades Fire.
On the ground, dozens of teams are surveying the damage building by building and house by house. Anything larger than 120 square feet will be included in the report. So far, about 50% of buildings within the Eaton fire perimeter and 35% of buildings within the Palisades have been inspected.
These maps track structures that have been classified as destroyed or damaged so far. These will be updated regularly as personnel complete their work.
Most of the damaged buildings were single-family homes. In Altadena, community facilities including the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church were destroyed. The Reel Inn and Cholada Thai, landmarks along the Palisades and Malibu coasts, were consumed by flames. The school was destroyed.
eaton fire
Charles S.
Farnsworth
park
Charles S.
Farnsworth
park
Charles S.
Farnsworth Park
Charles S.
Farnsworth Park
los angeles times
On the evening of January 7, residents of Altadena and Pasadena saw flames in the distance in Eaton Canyon, known for horseback riding, hiking trails, streams, and wildlife. Initial reports said the fire was small, but hurricane-force wind conditions caused it to swell and spread into nearby areas, eventually engulfing more than 14,000 acres and destroying thousands of buildings. At least 16 people lost their lives.
Due to the power outage, most of the area was pitch black. Tens of thousands of residents were ordered to evacuate. As strong winds picked up, some people remained to fight the flames from their roofs, while others fled their homes without operating traffic lights as debris flew. Residents of the nursing home were quickly evacuated.
By 3 a.m., the fire had moved from east to west. Embers rained down as more residents fled as the streets burned.
The next morning, many people returned to their homes to find their homes either collapsed or on fire. In desperation, as fire trucks were sparse, they sprayed flames with hoses to try to prevent the embers from spreading again. Those lucky enough to have their homes left endured survivor’s guilt, unsure why their homes survived while others did not.
In Altadena, 60-year-old Maral Nazarian watched in tears as the remains of his home burned. She grew up in a simple town. This disaster was incomprehensible.
“We didn’t expect this. We thought we were far enough from the hill,” she said incredulously.
Altadena is located above Pasadena and at the base of Mt. However, this is not considered a traditional mountain town.
The fire shocked longtime residents that the fire had reached this far south, leaving many who live and work in the area without their homes or income. The predominantly working-class region is home to approximately 42,000 people.
This destroyed the area’s first major business district on North Lake Avenue, demolishing longtime establishments such as Altadena Hardware and the Fox. Steve’s Pets and Rancho. An Aldi grocery store, a nearby school and a church were destroyed. Further north, the historic Charles S. Farnsworth Park buildings were gone.
st mark’s
episcopal
church
Altadena
community
center
montesedro
retirement
community
st mark’s
episcopal
church
Altadena
community
center
montesedro
retirement
community
Just because a building is gray does not necessarily mean it is free of damage. It may be awaiting evaluation. About half of the buildings in the Eaton fire area have been inspected. These maps will be updated regularly as personnel complete their work.
los angeles times
Less than three miles west on North Fair Oaks Avenue, the fire destroyed more Altadena staples, including the popular Little Hen Coffee Shop and recent neighborhood favorite Pizza of Venice.
Charles S.
Farnsworth
park
Charles S.
Farnsworth
park
los angeles times
Further east, the historic Pasadena synagogue was left destroyed and abandoned.
Meanwhile, and throughout the surrounding area, fires left the aftermath of the disaster. In certain areas, entire blocks of neighborhoods were wiped out.
share
Share by closing additional sharing options
Gonzalo M., 53, drove from Arizona for three days to see the Altadena home where he grew up and where his mother still lives. The mother was evacuated safely by a neighbor. However, the home he had known all his life was destroyed along with other homes on the street.
A fire hydrant had been placed on the corner of his block because of the recent increase in wildfires in California. Gonzalo doesn’t know if it was used or if the water ran out.
“It’s devastating,” he said. “You’re working so hard on all this stuff. It’s terrible.”
By January 9, much of the area was barricaded. National Guard troops and law enforcement were stationed at most entrances to the area, where downed power lines, trees, debris and ash filled the streets.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire. The area surrounding Southern California’s Edison transmission towers in Eaton Canyon is the focus of the investigation.
Altadena Community Church was destroyed by the Eaton Fire.
(Allen J. Scherben/Los Angeles Times)
Thousands remained under evacuation orders.
Residents found shelter inside the Pasadena Convention Center, in hotels and on the couches of friends and family. But they are still evacuated, unsure if or when they will be able to return to see their homes, sort out what is left of their land, and confirm their worst fears: their homes are gone. did.
palisades
The Palisades Fire broke out at 10:30 a.m. on January 7th. Within two days, the fire grew to more than 17,000 acres due to strong Santa Ana winds, consuming much of the Pacific Palisades, a largely wealthy community with more than 21,000 people. — and the Pacific Coast Highway between Santa Monica and Malibu.
Authorities are investigating whether the fire at Skull Rock north of Sunset Boulevard in the Pacific Palisades was started by a flare-up of a New Year’s Eve fire that started with fireworks.
los angeles times
Tatiana Prophet, who lives in an apartment on Sunset Boulevard with her 10-year-old son Everest, was alerted by a friend to a fire on Palisades Drive between her home and Everest’s school, not far from the coast. I received an email.
The Prophet was acutely aware of the history of fires at the Palisades and was immediately concerned. Then came an even more ominous warning. The landline phone rang. A recorded message telling you to evacuate.
In a panic, the Prophet slammed the door behind him without his keys, cell phone or Everest’s favorite iPad.
The area’s main evacuation routes quickly became congested as the entire Palisades neighborhood scrambled to evacuate.
Prophet was horribly slow on his way to PCH and ended up stuck at an intersection just a quarter-mile from the school.
“Then I saw fire,” said the prophet. “They were huge and burning out of control.”
The fire burned from the hills almost to the coast, right along the evacuation route. The Prophet drove his car into oncoming traffic and parked it on the side of the road.
“I didn’t even grab my wallet,” she said. “I just started running.”
A view of the area destroyed by the Palisades fire on January 9th.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
The fire spread quickly through flammable invasive brush in the Santa Monica Mountains. The fire quickly began to engulf the coastline and Pacific Coast Highway in both directions.
The next day, the fire engulfed much of the road from Will Rogers State Beach to Carbon Beach in eastern Malibu. Burning telephone poles blocked lanes of traffic, and black soot was blown across the sidewalks by the howling wind. Fire officials told Malibu residents that a large fuel outage left behind by December’s Franklin Fire helped stop the fire’s progress westward.
But most of the homes and restaurants along the highway were already gone.
share
Share by closing additional sharing options
Landmarks such as Will Rogers’ Western-style Palisades mansion and Theater Palisades were destroyed in the flames. Iconic restaurants like Reel Inn, Cholada Thai, and Moonshadows were also on the path of destruction.
“It’s sad,” said one lifelong PCH resident who used to frequent the Reel Inn and Cholada Thai and snuck into the evacuation zone on Wednesday to survey the damage. “You feel lonely, don’t you?”
Religious facilities were leveled, including Pacific Palisades Community United Methodist Church, Corpus Christi Church, Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church, and St. Matthew Parish School. Palisades Charter High School was also burned.
The ends of Castellan Mare and Sunset Boulevard and Palisades Drive are some of the only areas where the Palisades Fire did not reach the coast. The nearby Getty Villa took extensive measures to prevent the fire, including clearing large areas of brush, sending emergency personnel to the site to fight the fire, and providing assistance from aerial firefighters.
Sunset Boulevard and Palisades Drive, key evacuation routes, were heavily mobilized by police and fire departments on January 8th and 9th.
palisades charter
Elem. school
palisades
charter
Elem. school
los angeles times
Palisades Village, an outdoor mall owned by billionaire Rick Caruso, still stands in the wreckage. The YMCA, Palisades Charter Elementary School, and Marquez Charter Elementary School were gutted.
The Prophet’s community along Sunset was one of the hardest hit areas. Although her house was still decorated with a Christmas tree, it did not survive.
Now she sees the irony in the local saying about the area. “You know, they always say, ‘Rich people live in Beverly Hills, famous people live in Malibu, lucky people live in the Palisades,'” she said.
Source link