Year after Eaton Fire, Altadena community gathers for emotional vigil

One year after the wind-fueled Eaton Fire tore through Altadena, residents gathered Wednesday night for an emotional vigil to mourn the lives lost but also to move forward toward a hopeful future.

The vigil included a moment of silence and embraces among neighbors still grappling with loss. “Today is actually the first time that I cried because it's just so hard seeing the fact that our house and two other houses are the only houses for a quarter mile,” said Felipe Carrillo of Altadena.

Lindsay Lewis, who lost her home in the fire, said the anniversary brought mixed emotions. “We are thankful we're together and to be able to come out and be with our community but definitely an emotional day. Wishing we had more progress in that we felt like we could be back in sooner.”

Twelve months after flames destroyed large parts of Altadena, many residents continue to face financial challenges rebuilding their lives. An after-action report from Los Angeles County cited weaknesses in fire response, including outdated policies, inconsistent practices and communication failures. Most victims were in West Altadena, which received no warnings until hours after the fire had engulfed the community.

"You're envisioning what happened to them, what their last breath was, what their last thoughts were, the panic, the fear" said Zaire Calvin, whose sister died in the Eaton Fire.

Amid the chaos, so many residents were desperate for answers. Lisa Troncoso Van Bennekum, another resident who lost her residence in the blaze, called into ABC7 seeking information during the fire. She spoke with anchor David Ono, anxiously wondering about the condition of her home.

A couple who lost their home in the Eaton Fire don't know if they'll be able to return to the neighborhood, but the focus remains on a brighter future.

Reporter Leanne Suter informed Lisa and her husband on live television that their home and other homes on the street were gone.

"I think I was in shock. This isn't happening... Now what? It's gone. It's all gone," Lisa said. "It was just too much all at once."

For some, the pain remains raw, but there are signs of resilience.

“I hope that everybody comes back to our community,” said 11-year-old Alyssa Carrillo. Anthony Lewis, who also lost his home, added, “A year ago was probably the worst day of our lives and now there's hope on the horizon