Embedded Files
A project of Perspectives: A Journal of Historical Inquiry
In January 2025, fires swept across Los Angeles, destroying thousands of homes and leaving Angelenos across the LA basin wondering if their homes, schools, workplaces, and centers of community would go up in flames next. Many members of the Cal State LA community and our own History Department were affected by the Eaton and Palisades fires.
As history students, we decided to document this event and create a record of the experiences of our communities during and after the crisis. We hope this project honors the legacies of Altadena and Pacific Palisades. The goal of this community archive is to preserve the memories of the affected communities and of the fires’ impact on people across Los Angeles.
Cal State LA’s Perspectives student history journal collected testimonials, memories, photos, and videos related to the LA fires of January 2025. Submissions will become part of a permanent online collection at the Cal State LA Special Collections and Archives.
Read on for photos and reflections submitted by a wide array of community members from Cal State LA and beyond. Submissions in their entirety will be available online through the Cal State LA Special Collections later this year.
The Eaton Fire broke out in Eaton Canyon, Altadena, on January 7, 2025, and ultimately burned over 14,000 acres.
Top: View of the Eaton Fire from Sierra Madre. This picture was taken at 7:44 p.m. on January 7, 2025, about 90 minutes after the Eaton Fire ignited, looking northwest from the southern edge of Sierra Madre toward Eaton Canyon and the mountains behind it.
Bottom: The Eaton Fire as seen from a hotel in Monrovia at 11:54 p.m. on January 7, 2025. The photo was taken about six miles away from where the fire began in Eaton Canyon. In the lower left, you can see cars on the Foothill Freeway (Interstate 210). All night long fire engines could be seen heading west to fight the fire. Photos & commentary contributed by Paul Hunt.
Left: Driving along Eaton Canyon at 6:29 p.m. on January 7, very shortly after the fire broke out. Video by Ken Ryan, contributed by Amy Cannon.
“I am not going to complain about the city’s response or the community’s. I watched the fire in Eaton Canyon on its onset with winds blowing at 90 MPH. In minutes the fire engines were screaming up Altadena Drive but the wind was against them completely. If not for the change in wind direction, the resident streets would have probably burned instead of the singeing that took place.”
—Anne Bishop
The Eaton Fire as seen from Rosemead on January 8, 2025. Photo by Diana Bali.
The Palisades Fire began on January 7, 2025. It destroyed over 6,000 structures and burned over 23,000 acres.
Videos of the Palisades fire contributed by Jessica Kratzert.
“My daughter’s and grandchildren’s home in Pacific Palisades was burned down.”
—Regina O’Melveny
“The air quality was horrible making it difficult to breathe let alone attended classes. In addition my older brother with asthma had a difficult time breathing and had to stay inside during the fires.”
—Melanie Silva
“The fires... did affect my uncle who lived in Pasadena. He ended up moving his stuff from his apartment over to my grandfather’s place but he was ok.”
—Matthew Ramirez
“I have lived in the Sierra Madre/Pasadena/Arcadia area for almost my entire life. We have had bad windstorms before but never one this strong when something caught on fire. When we reached the hotel a few miles away, the wind was still blowing so hard I almost fell over on the ground. I hope I never see something like this again but I fear that I will because the climate is becoming hotter and drier with each passing year.”
—Paul Hunt
Photo by Christine Blackman
“I had to evacuate when the Sunset fire erupted (in Runyon Canyon). Luckily it was only for one night, but like most of LA, I was in waiting at any moment to have to evacuate again.”
—Sylvia Walker
“I think the city came together and did as much as possible at the time for those affected by the fires and keeping them safe. There was a huge response from the community to help those in-need and we came together to supply people with not only their needs but with their wants as well, such as providing things that may not seem essential but help people feel normal again.”
—Itzel Martinez
“I attended a protest that nobody seemed to know who organized it. This was held on Saturday, February 8 at Veterans Park because Lario Park lacks side walk safe for protesting. There was about two dozen of us with our signs and frustration. It wasn’t until two comrades from the LA branch of PSL (Party for Socialism and Liberation!) who came in solidarity and helped us with chants! ‘Hey Hey, Ho Ho, the EPA has Got to GO’”
Photos and commentary contributed by Haley Castello.
Photos by Christine Blackman.
“I visited some parts of Pasadena to go on a hike. It was a ghost town and you can easily see where some areas were heavily hit by the fires. I saw many homes destroyed with only the rusted frames of cars or chimneys being the only remaining structures. I saw lots of large trucks and trailers parked that all said ‘Emergency Fire Response.’ No one was walking around and all the businesses were closed.”
—AJ Llama
Before and after the Eaton Fire
Before and after the Eaton Fire
Bonnie Buratti’s home in Altadena the year before (about June 2024) and after (January 10, 2025) the Eaton fire.
Photos contributed by Bonnie Buratti.
“My family lost our home of 40 years and all our possessions.
We do not have a home; we are living in a very small apartment—this will go on for years. There is irreparable trauma from losing all our possessions, and the losses also represent a huge financial hit. We will never recover from the loss and sorrow.
LA County was terrible. It was clear they didn’t have a plan—no command and control in place—to put out this fire when it first started.”
—Bonnie Buratti
“My family and I are Eaton Fire Survivors, and I have put together a few photos from the aftermath of the fire and what’s left of our home, that were taken in January, February, and the one with my grandma was taken just last week.
We are thankful to be here as my family, pets and I barely made it out of the house in time before the fire hit and destroyed our home of 20 years, and we received no warning.”
—Roxanne Rene Pacheco
“Lost my home.
We are working on rebuilding, contractors, architects. We are working with insurance to receive payments. Our rent and mortgage is costly. We are trying to acclimate to our new normal, neighborhood, life.”
—Michaela M. Block
Concerns
“Our health in the central region of the SGV (Duarte, Irwindale, Baldwin Park, Azusa) due to the debris that was transported and tested for toxin levels here. I am concerned our location will be used again for something like this. I am concerned about our water supply, is it safe to drink? Who is keeping the EPA accountable? I am concerned about our lungs as those toxins have been in the air for many weeks. My asthma got worse and I now use my inhaler more. I am concerned about continued price gouging of rents and homeownership for the working class. My heart goes out to those affected by the fires who lost their homes. I have a second job at Pasadena City College where I work with high school students in the region. Some of the kids and staff at PCC lost their homes. I am concerned about their wellbeing.”
—Haley Castello
“How it affects wildlife, people, and the environment in the long run.”
—Andres R. Bravo
“That Altadena will lose its historic character, especially regarding the number of Black and brown families who have called this area home for generations.”
—Amy Cannon
“Whether we will be able to afford to rebuild, and who will be able to come back, and what Altadena will look like, and whether it will be healthy and safe to live there. And whether we will ever get over this tremendous loss.”
—Kelly Gerner
“I was issued a stand-by evacuation notification. The day after the fires started, ash covered all the cars in my neighborhood.”
—Sal Macias
Right: Ash in the bathtub of a home in Rosemead. Photo contributed by Diana Bali.
“Saw the fire along the hillside before I got any notice of evacuations, walked outside and saw the mountains ablaze, ran inside and began evacuating. Fire burned nearby. Returned the following day after the fire started to protect our home as long as we could as we were worried the fires would destroy our home as well. When we returned that day, we saw the devastation and how little help there was from firefighters. It was our community that kept it from spreading those first 24-48 hours. Due to smoke and ash, our family was out of the house for two months while we awaited remediation.”
—Alexandra Kershner
“The fear of losing everything is horrible. I never want to pick and choose what family albums to keep and grab my pets again.”
—Kareem Ali
“I was evacuated and spent a month away to return to soot and smoke in my house.”
—Catherine
Photo by Christine Blackman.
“I lost my home and all meaningful belongings in the Eaton Fire. I am disappointed with the city’s response to the Fires as my family and I received no evacuation warning and barely survived the fires. I am thankful for any support we have received from our Neighbors and other community members.”
—Roxanne Rene Pacheco
“How will Altadena feel after we rebuild? My neighbors are gone, a lot of people are selling... it’s scary.”
—Celeste Rodriguez
Submit your own story to the LA Fires Community Archive here. The complete collection will be available through Cal State LA’s Special Collections and Archives later this year.
Special thanks to Azalea Camacho and the Pasadena Village for their support of this project, and to all who contributed their stories, photos, and videos.
All photos not otherwise credited were taken by Sal Macias. Some quotes were edited for clarity.
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