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January 2025

A Tale of Three Fires

A Tale of Three Fires

What can a person say when you’re living through one of the biggest disasters your city has ever witnessed? How are you supposed to feel? What are you supposed to say?

The Palisades Fire
On Saturday, January 4th, my fiance and I went on a hike to Temescal Canyon. It was incredibly fun and incredibly arduous, and we had 14,000 steps by the end of the day! I’ve always enjoyed the views of the hills surrounded by the ocean. We passed busloads of tourists, tons of families, but couldn’t help to notice how dry everything was.

And now it’s all burned. Within four days of that hike, the whole city was just gone.

The Eaton Fire
On Wednesday, January 8th, I heard that there was a fire in Eaton Canyon.I don’t know how to describe the sheer horror that was felt when I fully understood the destruction that this fire had caused. Growing up in Southern California, fires have always been a thing, but this one felt like a whole different beast. While working for Pasadena Village, I had become attached to the city of Altadena as well. The warm interactions at Altadenan homes also had an extra charm and joie de vivre. Just look at how amazing their Christmas Tree Lane lighting is! I don’t think I will ever fully get over this feeling, but just because many homes are lost, doesn’t mean the spirit of Altadena is.

The Kenneth Fire
On Thursday, January 9th, after leaving Alhambra due to the poor air quality, Bryan and I ventured to the San Fernando Valley where our parents live. We got there in the early afternoon, and by 3 pm, Watch Duty alerted us to the fact that a fire had broken out near our parent’s homes. With a weary understanding, we sprang into action, packing belongings and sorting through items, helping our parents in case of the worst. That fire was contained, thankfully, but it was through sheer luck that the wind blew in the opposite direction.

What can we do through all of this? I find it helpful to just do something, anything. The Pasadena Village team was kind enough to let me volunteer to be part of their phone tree to check in with old friends and new. And I was lucky enough to take a day off and volunteer in the city, clearing debris and making care bags. It was deeply moving to see how many others had the same idea.

We are always stronger together, and united, we can rebuild our wonderful communities.

Priyanka Kumar

*To See More Experiences With The Fire, Click on #LAFires