Fifteen months after the Eaton and Palisades fires tore through communities across Los Angeles County, a new survey finds that most fire survivors remain displaced as insurance support and savings are running out.
One attendee at a recent fire remembrance procession in Altadena told organizers it was the first time they had been able to cry since losing their house – an experience that felt like “a welcoming back home” after months of displacement. Another described the gathering as a rare source of “joy and hope” in a recovery landscape dominated by information sessions and protests, but offering few spaces for collective grief.
More than a year after Mena Liu fled her Pasadena apartment building as the Eaton Fire bore down, she knows she’s not fully recovered. She’s sad. She’s anxious. She still avoids driving past burned out lots in her neighborhood.
Hundreds of Altadena residents — many still displaced by the Eaton Fire — gathered recently at the town’s third annual Earth Day to reconnect, reflect and recommit to rebuilding their community with intention.
The massive fire map takes up an entire wall of the Malibu Community Long Term Recovery Group. It tells the story of the sprawling Palisades Fire in a way that is both visceral and clear. It has become a focal point and an inspiration for fire survivors to share their stories.
Older adults who lost homes, possessions and stability in the 2025 Eaton Fire are receiving critical support, thanks to a partnership between the California Community Foundation (CCF) and Pasadena Village.