ALTADENA, Calif. (KABC) — Time stopped on Jan. 7, 2025, in the town of Altadena, California.
That evening, hurricane-force winds propelled the Eaton Fire through the 42,000-person town in Los Angeles County, leaving little but rubble in its wake. A thick gray smoke lingered in the air for days. And for many residents, it never really left.
When you drive through Altadena now, you’ll see holiday string lights still wrapped around the town’s famous cedars on Christmas Tree Lane. Where houses once stood, you’ll find lone chimneys and an occasional, half-melted lawn sign declaring support for candidates from last year’s presidential election.
Thursday, April 17 marked 100 days since the Eaton Fire, the second-most destructive wildfire in California history. Nearly 6,000 homes were destroyed in Altadena, along with 80-plus commercial buildings and dozens of schools. The death toll stands at 18 people, and at least five people are still missing.
The Altadena that residents once knew is unrecognizable. Locals rely on street signs to orient themselves on the roads they’ve driven for decades. And, if they can, they avoid passing through the worst of the damage to save themselves the grief.
