Amateur climate scientist behind popular Altadena weather accounts hailed hero during Eaton Fire
"You know I don't overhype things, you know that if I'm saying it, it's serious," he said.
ALTADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- A 24-year-old in Altadena with a passion for all things weather and climate has grown a massive following on social media, and it all came into play in a big way when the Eaton Fire first broke out.
If you follow his popular Altadena Weather and Climate Facebook group, you're likely familiar with Edgar McGregor.
When the fire first erupted, the amateur climate scientist didn't hesitate to grab his phone and start recording.
"Don't wait for an official evacuation notice! If you think you should leave, get out!" he said in a 31-second video he shot in the dark as the smoke billowed up in the background.
Well, that 31-second video may have saved lives as many people evacuated immediately.
"I know this was coming," he said. "The signs were all there. The canyon was full of brush."
McGregor runs the Altadena Weather and Climate Facebook group and a Patreon account where he publishes hyper-local forecasts every 48 hours.
Many users who follow him call him a local hero.
"The place I evacuated to did not have cable, so I couldn't connect to the news, maybe a little on Twitter, but Edgar was the most up to date," said Paula Velosa, who follows McGregor.
You might remember McGregor from his cleanup efforts six years ago. In 2019, he made it his mission to pick up trash every day - rain or shine - at his local park in Eaton Canyon.
READ MORE: Young activist helps heal environment with nearly 1,000 days of trash cleanups
Now, he's surveying the Eaton Fire burn areas and of course, updating his followers with videos.
"Altadena and Pasadena generally live in an area where we don't see a lot of Santa Ana windstorms, but every now and again, we do get hit hard and I mean harder than even some communities that typically get hit hard in those areas," he said. "We can see wind gusts in the city of Altadena and Pasadena 70, 80, and even 90 miles an hour, about once every two decades or so."
He emphasizes the need to avoid alarmist language, so when he does give a strong warning, people know it's serious.
"You know I don't overhype things, you know that if I'm saying it, it's serious, and you need to take it serious, and you need to get out," he said.
McGregor said this is all a part of the life cycle for local natural areas and hopes communities around the country are reminded of the need to prepare.
