Eaton Fire containment increases to 95% despite persistent winds

Amid lingering red flag wind warnings, firefighters on Thursday achieved 95% containment of the deadly 14,000-acre Eaton Fire, which has destroyed or damaged thousands of structures in Pasadena and Altadena.

Containment of the wildfire has steadily increased, growing to 91% Wednesday, up 2% from the previous day, according to Cal Fire.

“Mop up operations continued throughout the perimeter of the fire,” Cal Fire reported Thursday.

Fire suppression efforts are nearing completion, and efforts to repopulate fire-impacted areas have completed, officials said. A total of 571 evacuees were currently staying in six shelters.

Southern California Gas Co. officials temporarily shut off natural gas service to thousands of customers in Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre as a precaution. As of Wednesday, the utility had restored service to 5,126 customers.

SoCalGas has an information booth for residents at the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center, located in Pasadena City College’s Community Education Center, 3035 E. Foothill Blvd. The booth operates from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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

The Foothill Municipal Water District, which provides water to Altadena, La Crescenta, La Cañada Flintridge and a part of Glendale, will be able to fully pressurize the water system by the weekend, officials said. When pressurization is restored, testing will take up to two weeks before the “do not drink” order can be lifted.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued a “windblown dust and ash advisory” for the fire zone. District officials advised people in the area to wear an N95 mask to reduce the risk of inhaling hazardous substances in the air. 

A red flag warning will remain through early Friday, with briefly gusty northeast winds expected Friday night, according to Cal Fire. This will create critical fire conditions at high elevations. A cold front is expected to bring at least light rain over the weekend, which prompted concerns about possible landslides in scorched terrain.

The city of Pasadena offered sandbags and other resources to residents in an effort to reduce the risk of flooding in burned areas.

Pasadena issued red flag parking restrictions Monday to improve access for fire department vehicles and resident evacuation on narrow or winding roads, city officials said.

Additional information, including a list of streets with restricted parking, is available at CityOfPasadena.net/Fire/Red-Flag-Parking-Restrictions.

The Eaton Fire has destroyed 9,418 structures and damaged 1,073, Cal Fire reported Wednesday.

The fire has burned 14,021 acres in Altadena and Pasadena since Jan. 7, leaving at least at least 17 people dead. Nine firefighters have been injured battling the blaze.

An evacuation center remained open at the Pasadena Convention Center at 300 E. Green St.

Small animals were being taken at the Pasadena Humane Society at 361 S. Raymond Ave., and large animals were being accepted at Industry Hills Expo, 16200 Temple Ave. in Industry.

The Pasadena Unified School District, which includes Altadena, announced 10 schools and programs will reopen Thursday:

• Hamilton Elementary;

• Willard Elementary & Children’s Center;

• Blair Middle and High School;

• San Rafael Elementary;

• McKinley School;

• Rose City High School;

• Center for Independent Study;

• Pasadena Adult Living Skills;

• Twilight Adult School; and

• Aveson Global Leadership Academy.

All of the Angeles National Forest has been closed for public safety and the protection of natural resources through at least Friday.

Personnel fighting the Eaton Fire totaled 1,837 Wednesday, according to Cal Fire.

The Eaton Fire was initially reported around 6:20 p.m. Jan. 7 in the area of Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive in the hills above Altadena during extremely high winds, according to Cal Fire.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Updated Jan. 23, 2025, 10:01 a.m.

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