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A drive through Altadena one year after the Eaton Canyon wildfires

On January 7, 2024, the Eaton Canyon and Pacific Palisades wildfires left 12,500 families with no home, no possessions, and a neighborhood that would be forever changed. Now, the community has begun to turn the page and start anew.


As I was biking through Altadena about a month ago, the rubble that had taken over the town was still evident, but there was progress made on the cleanup effort too. I found a resilient community of rebuilders that emanated optimism. In these sites of destruction, plants had overgrown the empty lots, squirrels were climbing trees as if they had never left, and the city seemed to have taken on a vibrancy. Though lots of work will still be needed to bring back the old Altadena, progress has been made. Signs were mounted on buildings that had survived, encouraging the community by using their motto, “Altadena Strong.” It made me hopeful for the future of this once smoky, bleak neighborhood. So, take a drive through the town that has changed so much over the past year.


All photos by Ellie Cole-Calderon


Signs are hung up on the main streets that encourage people to have hope for the future. People stroll on the sidewalks and ride their bikes through the neighborhood as if all is back to normal, even when it's not. I think the first step of rebuilding is to acknowledge that things may be different for a long time before they can get better. It's so important to have a community backing you up when a catastrophe strikes, but Altadena is strong and can withstand the punches thrown its way. Below is a list of resources to help those affected by the Eaton Canyon and Pacific Palisades wildfires.


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