ALTADENA, CALIF. – Shards of glass. Burnt cans of paint. And melted tire rims. The Eaton Fire tore through Altadena, California late Tuesday night, destroying thousands of structures and forcing thousands of inhabitants fled with only the bare necessities – leaving a blackened charred everywhere behind.
As of Monday, the fire was only 33% contained and had burned more than 14,000 hectares. Fox News Digital traveled to the evacuation zone in Altadena on Saturday to see the devastation caused by one of the largest wildfires in California history.
Roadblocks and checkpoints have been set up in several streets to prevent residents from returning to their homes as officials work to clear roads and repair downed power lines. Police car after police car drove through cordoned off areas to monitor for any unusual activity amid looting concerns. Fire trucks from West Covin, Santa Fe Springs, Pasadena, Downey and Vandenberg were also seen driving up and down the evacuation area.
The Altadena mural can be seen on the side of the building. (Fox News Digital / Ashley Carnahan)
Brake Masters Quick Oil Change Shop at the corner of Alameda Street and Lake Avenue it was all but destroyed except for a sign on the front that boasted “brakes for life” and a single white pole at the back end of the shop. In the front section, rubble and a destroyed garage door stood next to more than a dozen burned-out cars clattering together in the parking lot.
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About two minutes away, a slightly burnt purple and white cross stood atop a rectangular sign structure. That was all that was left of the Lifeline Fellowship Christian Center. The bus that connects to the center was apparently left in the parking lot, covered in dust and ash. “Jesus is your lifeline,” read a sticker on the side.
Altadena True Value Hardware was also a pile of burned debris and twisted metal. More than a half-dozen burned paint cans remained at the bottom of what had once been a multi-tiered shelf, and the sign atop the building hung, melted over the page.
Some homes were completely destroyed by firewith only a brick chimney marking what was left, while they appeared to be unscathed. Carciofi Design, a paper boutique and studio at the corner of East Mariposa Street and Lake Avenue, appeared untouched by the fire. A little further down, the print shop was also showing signs of life, with a simple “closed” sign on the front door.
A mailbox, a water bucket and a child’s tricycle were littered with the facades of several buildings – a reminder of what was before the Eaton fire vaccinated.
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Abandoned cars were turned into metal. Some got so hot that the edges of the tires melted, leaving a silver trail of liquid on the asphalt.
At least 16 people have died in the Eaton fire as of Sunday, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office. LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said Monday that 23 people were reported missing in the wildfires; 17 from the Eaton fire, and six from the Palisades fire.
At the bottom of North Lake Avenue, a crowd of people wearing N95 masks regularly walked across the intersection to donate supplies and hand out bottled water to people affected by the fire.
Damage is estimated at tens of billions of dollars. LA County Supervisor Kathryn Bargerwhose district includes Altadena, told the Los Angeles Times that the community will move forward in light of such devastation.
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“We will build again, she said. “We are ready to move mountains.”
“All levels of government need to help people rebuild, and quickly,” Barger added.
