Aerial video: Aftermath of the deadly Eaton fire in Altadena, California
Drone footage captures some of the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, which destroyed a home in Altadena, California.
“Survivors are failing to rebuild.”
That’s what Joy Chen said at a press conference in Altadena on Wednesday, Jan. 7, to mark the one-year anniversary of the Eaton fire, where fire victims and elected officials offered insight into the dire rebuilding process, including delays in insurance payments, fire victims at risk of homelessness, and the need for federal funding.
“Whether a family can return home or be permanently evacuated comes down to money,” Chen said.
Mr. Chen is the executive director of the Eaton Fire Survivors Network. The organization was born out of a pickleball chat and is now helping fire victims. Southern California Edison, insurance companies and the federal government all owe “tens of billions of dollars” to survivors, Chen said, and was the subject of a press conference on the first anniversary.
Advocates have previously called on Southern California Edison to provide housing relief to Eaton Fire victims, and they echoed that sentiment Wednesday. Ada Hernandez, who lost her home in a fire in late January, said her husband, two young children and their dog could be at risk living in their car.
Edison said in December that “SCE equipment may have been involved in igniting (the Eaton Fire)” and that “idle line guidance remains a likely explanation.”
The Eaton Fire burned more than 14,000 acres and destroyed more than 9,400 structures, including homes. The fire killed 19 people, including Zaire Calvin’s sister Evelyn McClendon.
Calvin and his mother have lived in Altadena for years, he all his life and she since the 1960s, he told the USA TODAY Network. His mother said she recently received an eviction notice. That’s what he’s dealing with on the anniversary of the Eaton fire, rather than just processing what happened.
“I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe until I get my home back,” Calvin said.
‘We’re not where we should be’: Los Angeles County supervisors request federal aid
Christy Zamani with the Eaton Fire Collaborative Leadership Council said some of the fire victims were moved from 10 to 15 Airbnbs, from hotels to motels and trailers to cars. She recalled a 16-year-old boy who came to her looking for a job to help his mother.
“It’s been a year and we’re not where we should be,” Zamani said.
The Eaton Fire started on January 7, 2025 and was not contained until the end of the month.
“Now think to yourself, ‘How can someone finish their paperwork, think about rebuilding, take care of their kids, continue to work, and not even know where they’re going to sleep tonight?'” Zamani said. “Can you do that? How much can you do?”
Casti Fortich told USA TODAY Network that she has lived in Altadena for 22 years and raised her two daughters there. His home was destroyed in the Eaton Fire.
“What most people don’t realize is that after a fire, the operating hours of the nonprofits, SBA, and disaster centers that we respond to are during our working hours,” Fortich said. “That means phone calls, conference calls, and Zoom calls are happening during work hours.”
Fortich, 62, is grateful that her job gives her time to deal with personal matters during work hours. If he didn’t have that flexibility, the rebuilding process would have been significantly delayed.
In the first month after his home was destroyed by fire, he lived in six different locations and lived on donations for a month, he recalled. He said he’s still waiting for some insurance money that will be key in his bid to rebuild in Altadena.
“As others have said, so many are facing a lack of ability to rebuild,” Los Angeles County Superintendent Kathryn Berger said. “It is our duty to demand fairness and accountability in insurance practices.”
She also asked for help in Washington, D.C.
“The resources that counties and states are already providing are dwarfed by the scale of the need,” Berger said. “If you listen, I look forward to working with my colleagues in Washington, D.C., to bring additional disaster relief to Los Angeles County.”
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. please contact her pbarraza@usatodayco.com.
