ALTADENA, Calif. — The deadly Eaton Fire in the Pasadena and Altadena areas is almost fully contained Wednesday, and fears of flooding or debris flows from weekend rains are easing as the storm system moved off to the east.

The Eaton Fire has burned 14,021 acres in Altadena and Pasadena since Jan. 7, leaving at least 17 people dead, according to Cal Fire. Nine firefighters were injured battling the blaze. It has destroyed 9,418 structures and damaged another 1,073.

It was 100% contained Friday.

There were 75 personnel assigned to the firefighting effort as of Sunday evening, according to the Angeles National Forest.

Evacuations

All evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted.

See the map below and click "view full screen" to expand and see the fire's burn scar.

Evacuation centers

An evacuation center remained open at the Pasadena Convention Center at 300 E. Green St. Cal Fire officials said "repopulation efforts have been completed," though the agency said there were 571 evacuees in six shelters as of Saturday.

Small animals were being taken at the Pasadena Humane Society at 361 S. Raymond Ave., and large animals were being taken at Industry Hills Expo, 16200 Temple Ave., and Pico Rivera Sports Arena, 11003 Sports Arena Drive.

Recovering a pet

For pet owners in the Eaton Fire area, Pasadena Humane has a hotline at 626-577-3752 for people to report lost animals, animals left behind in an evacuated home or property, or found animals, including pets, livestock, exotic animals and wildlife.

Animal control calls unrelated to the fire can contact Pasadena Humane at 626-792-7151, ext. 970. Found pets that are being sheltered at Pasadena Humane can be viewed online at 24petconnect.com/psdn.

More information is available online at pasadenahumane.org/fireinfo.

Curfew

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said that curfew is still in effect for fire areas. 

It takes effect nightly at 6 p.m., continuing until 6 a.m. the following morning. Luna said anyone caught in the affected areas without authorization will be arrested and could be facing a misdemeanor conviction resulting in jail time and/or a fine of up to $1,000.

He said nobody arrested for a curfew violation will be cited and released, "they're going to get booked. We're not screwing around with this."

Newsom said he's deploying an additional 1,000 California National Guard members to Los Angeles County to support safety and security efforts in the wildfire areas, bringing the total deployment to approximately 2,500.

On Wednesday night, Newsom also deployed additional California Highway Patrol Special Response Teams to provide ongoing law enforcement capacity to further protect fire damaged communities in Los Angeles.

Parking restrictions

Parking will be restricted "on posted narrow and/or winding roads within Pasadena's urban-wildland interface areas," a city statement said. "Vehicles on restricted roads will be cited and towed. Additional information, including the complete list of streets with restricted parking, is available at CityOfPasadena.net/Fire/Red-Flag-Parking-Restrictions."

Service outages

Southern California Edison reported that service has been restored to 12,422 structures, with 6,961 remaining without power.

SoCalGas officials temporarily shut off natural gas service to thousands of customers in the Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre communities as a safety measure. As of Tuesday, the utility had restored service to 7,188 of them. The Gas Co. has established an information booth for residents at the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center at 540 W. Woodbury Road in Altadena.

To check a power outage status or if your area is under a power shutoff due to heightened wildfire risk, visit the SoCal Edison website.

Injuries and fatalities

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office on Wednesday reported 16 deaths tied to the Eaton Fire. The office on Tuesday had reported 17 deaths, but a further investigation of remains being examined in one of those cases determined they were not human.

One of the victims was identified as 66-year-old Victor Shaw of Altadena, who died in his residence after suffering from smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, according to the County Medical Examiner's Office.

One of the people who died was identified by his daughter as Rodney Nickerson, 82, of Altadena. His daughter Kimiko told a local news station that her father died in his bed while he was home alone at 352 Alta Pine Drive. She said her father bought the house in 1968 and she was raised there.

She described her dad as “funny, the life of the party,” adding that he “loved sports, people, (and was a) very intelligent man. He loved to read.”

Relatives identified two other Eaton Fire victims as Anthony Mitchell, 67, and Victor Shaw, 66.

Missing persons

The LA County Sheriff's Department announced that family assistance centers were available for people looking for missing loved ones.

On Wednesday morning, Luna said missing person cases stand at 22 in the Palisades and Eaton fires. 

In an update last week, Luna had said the sheriff's department was working with the county medical examiner, and investigators will eventually make a more thorough search of the Eaton Fire and other fire areas.

He also noted that some of the burn areas "look like a bomb was dropped on them."

Firefighter injuries

Eight firefighters have been injured battling the blaze.

More than 3,200 personnel were assigned to the firefighting effort, with the U.S. Forest Service, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Pasadena Fire Department, Arcadia Fire Department, Sierra Madre Fire Department, Pasadena Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department working under a unified command.

Schools reopening

On Monday, the Pasadena Unified School District, which includes schools in Altadena, reopened Field Elementary School, Washington Elementary STEM Magnet, Madison Elementary, Norma Coombs Elementary and the Children's Center on the Jefferson campus. Some schools reopened last week, and the district is setting a goal of returning all students to in-person learning by Thursday.

The PUSD included a link to a safety fact sheet in their statement on X.

"All Pasadena Unified School District sites will be cleaned, sanitized, and pass environmental tests before reopening,'' it reads. "This includes PUSD schools, offices, and the service center, as well as campuses to be occupied by charter schools. In addition to PUSD Maintenance and Operations staff, a specialized contractor undertook the cleaning involving more than 1,500 workers. To date, 122 tons of debris have been removed from district
sites. On return to school, masks will be distributed to students and staff.''

The full safety fact sheet can be found here: https://www.pusd.us/fire-relief/safety.

Health notices

Pasadena Water and Power lifted the do-not-drink water notice for the remaining areas in its service territory Friday, while the Foothill Municipal Water District was re-pressurizing its water system, which will be followed by as much as two weeks of testing before its do-not-drink order can be lifted.

Air quality

"Today, the incident (team) will continue infrastructure assessments, ensuring safety of personnel and equipment working in the area," Cal Fire officials said Saturday. "The Hazmat response will remain active, providing decontamination to personnel and equipment as needed. Air Operations will continue to assist firefighters in extinguishing hot spots that are inaccessible by ground. Containment continues to grow, with a total of 60 miles of control lines established around the fire's perimeter, including 8 miles of hand lines. As repopulation efforts progress, the focus remains on ensuring that people are brought back into a safe and secure environment."

Authorities were warning residents near the fire areas that air quality continues to be highly unhealthy. People were urged to suspend the use of leaf blowers, to stay inside with doors and windows closed as much as possible, and to wear masks if they do go outside.

With wildfires posing a serious health concern for older adults, pregnant women, children and people with respiratory illnesses such as asthma, the department encouraged residents to take precautionary actions, according to Lisa Derderian, Pasadena's public information officer.

Some of the steps to assist with preventing smoke and ash inhalation include:

• Shutting all windows
• Turning off vents to the outdoors
• Using portable air cleansers or purifiers indoors
• Reducing physical activity
• Wearing a well-fitted respiratory mask, gloves, long-sleeve shirts, and long pants while cleaning up ash
• Avoid skin contact with ash and immediately wash it off if it comes into contact with your skin, with caution that some wet ash can cause chemical burns
• Monitoring children and young adults and not allowing them to play with ash or be within proximity of ash-covered materials
• Cleaning ash off pets

Seek immediate medical assistance if you are experiencing chest pain, tightness, or shortness of breath.

According to Derderian, the smoke from wildfires contains fine particles that irritate the lungs and heart when deeply inhaled, and emphasized that a high concentration of these particles can result in a persistent cough, runny nose, phlegm, wheezing, labored breathing, and eye irritation.

Derderian said that individuals with lung or heart complications should consult a physician before using a respirator, as wearing one can sometimes cause difficulty breathing.

Additional information is available by calling the City Service Center at 626-744-7311 during business hours weekdays.

Leaf blower ban

The city of Pasadena has temporarily prohibited the use of air propelling devices (such as leaf blowers) to help limit the negative health impacts of ash and smoke from the Eaton Fire, officials said in a news release.

"The fires, coupled with strong winds, have severely degraded air quality by releasing hazardous smoke and particulate matter, posing immediate and long-term risks to public health," the statement read.

Use of power air blowers stir up particulate matter into the air, worsening air quality and increasing health risks for everyone.

Structure damage

Officials have completed inspections of 98% of the structures in the fire area, and so far 9,418 have been confirmed destroyed, with another 1,071 damaged.

Cal Fire reported that detailed damage inspection maps for properties within the Eaton Fire footprint showing damaged or destroyed homes — as well as homes that are not damaged or destroyed — can be found at fire.ca.gov/incidents/2025/1/7/eaton-fire.

Los Angeles County officials said its damage assessments can be viewed at recovery.lacounty.gov/eaton-fire.

They will be updated daily in real-time.

Among the structures destroyed in the fire was the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center.

The LA County Department of Parks and Recreation reported that the Eaton Canyon Nature Center, Farnsworth Park’s Davies Community Center, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Altadena Golf Course Club House and adjacent buildings were destroyed.

Also destroyed in the blaze was The Bunny Museum in Altadena.

“Open 26 years. The world’s only museum about everything bunny,” museum officials posted on Facebook. “Guinness World Record certified — 1999, 2011, 2023. Saved only a few bunny items. Saved the cats and bunnies. The museum was the last building to burn around us...”

Aid

LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the county has set up an online portal to provide relief for those impacted by the fires. Barger called it a one-stop funding site for fire victims to apply for relief.

Newsom on Thursday suspended penalties and interest on late property tax payments for a year, effectively extending the state property tax deadline, for those living in communities impacted by the LA firestorms.

FEMA

Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be present at the following Los Angeles County libraries between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday and Monday to assist residents impacted by the wildfires:

• La Cañada Flintridge Library: 4545 N. Oakwood Ave., 818-790-3330
• La Crescenta Library: 2809 Foothill Blvd., 818-248-5313
• Live Oak Library: 22 W. Live Oak Ave., Arcadia, 626-446-8803
• San Fernando Library: 217 N. Maclay Ave., 818-365-6928
• San Gabriel Library: 500 S. Del Mar Ave., 626-287-0761
• Temple City Library: 5939 Golden West Ave., 626-285-2136
• West Hollywood Library: 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., 310-652-5340
• Alhambra Civic Center Library, 101 S. First St.

Residents affected by any of the fires may apply for disaster assistance by visiting disasterassistance.gov. A full list of FEMA resources is available at FEMA.gov/disaster/4856.

As he did earlier with the Palisades Fire, Newsom announced the state had secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover costs of battling the Eaton Fire.

If you are a first responder or someone affected by the fires, visit this link to learn of free or discounted services being offered by businesses. 

To learn how to help those affected by the fires, visit this link.

Fire background

The Eaton Fire was reported at about 6:20 p.m. on Jan. 7 in the area of Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive in the hills above Altadena amid hurricane-force Santa Ana winds, according to Cal Fire.

Initially dubbed the Close Fire but later changed to the Eaton Fire, the blaze quickly exploded in size after it began, driven by the same Santa Ana winds that sparked numerous other wildfires in the LA area. The erratic winds grounded aerial firefighting assets Tuesday night, and ground crews were unable to keep pace with the flames’ advance overnight.

Lisa Brounstein and her husband lost their 100-year-old Altadena home on West Harriet Street. They evacuated on Tuesday night after grabbing a handful of items, including some clothes, their computers and the contents of their safe.

“We left behind so much, including all the tools and materials for my small business. We were sure we were going back this morning when the winds died down and the fire danger was over,” she said. “Instead, early this morning we got a notification from our alarm system that a smoke detector detected fire. Then one by one, all the window monitors went off, letting us know the windows were open. That was when we knew our house was gone. It was later confirmed by two neighbors. ... We loved our little house. It was perfect! It had just turned 100 in 2024. This feels surreal.”

Veronica Osborn, 64, said she lost her Ventura Avenue home in Altadena.

“I’ve been there for 14 years,” she said. “I was fixing up my bathroom, (doing) a renovation, and now it’s all gone. I thought I was going to cry. Now I am going to cry. I’m going to rebuild, but I say to myself am I going to be anxious every time the wind blows?”

Crews from the U.S. Forest Service, Los Angeles County and Pasadena were working to slow the flames.