$100,000 raised for Arcadia Unified wildfire victims

By Ryan Foran

Described by many as a war zone, the Eaton Fire was one of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in the history of California. In addition to torching more than 14,000 acres in and around the foothills of Altadena, the fire completely destroyed more than 9,000 structures, mostly residential homes and killed 17 people. A lifetime of sacrificing, saving and dedicating everything to finally acquire the American dream, and in an instant, it was a nightmare for thousands of people. 

“I always knew people were good, but I never knew how good and how many,” said Karina Herrera, a school psychologist/behavior analyst for the Arcadia Unified School District.

Herrera was just one of nearly 30 Arcadia Unified staff, students and families who were among the thousands of victims who lost everything. She described the long road to recovery as another full-time job — and then some.

Karina Herrera visits what’s left of her Altadena home for the first time. | Photo courtesy of Ryan Foran

“You’re up first thing in the morning on the phone making calls, talking with your insurance, trying to find housing. There’s so much to do and you’re still on the phone at 10 p.m. You do that same routine day after day, while still trying to keep up with your actual full-time job,” Herrera explained. 

While the flames were still burning and the lingering smoke still a constant reminder of the devastation, humanity started to shine a light. GoFundMe pages were created, and donation drives were in full swing. Many at home, watching the heartbreak unfold on their televisions, wondered how they could help.

The Downtown Arcadia Improvement Association teamed up with the Arcadia Educational Foundation to promptly raise funds for all the staff and families in Arcadia Unified who lost their homes. The culminating event was the Downtown Arcadia Lunar New Year Festival on Feb. 2, in which a check for $100,000 was presented to Arcadia Unified Superintendent David Vannasdall. 

More than $100,000 has been raised thus far for the Arcadia Unified community. | Photo courtesy of Ryan Foran

“The word grateful feels inadequate to describe how we feel. You’ve shown so many, including my son, that even in the darkest times, we are surrounded by a community that cares deeply and acts with extraordinary kindness. Your actions have turned our loss into a powerful lesson about the strength of community and the impact of empathy. This is the very essence of what makes Arcadia so special,” said Kelsey Brown, principal of Baldwin Stocker Elementary School. 

Brown and her son Calder, a fifth grade student at Longley Way Elementary School, have been sharing a small room at her sister’s home after their house was a total loss in the fire. 

“From the clothing that has kept us warm on these cold nights, to the thoughtful cards that lifted our spirits, to the everyday essentials that helped us keep our routines, and the generous financial donations that gave us hope — you wrapped your arms around us when we needed it most,” Brown shared in an email to friends and colleagues. 

Community members rally in droves at  Santa Anita Park to volunteer and donate essential supplies. | Photo courtesy of Santa Anita Park

Only four other fires in California history have been more deadly than the Eaton Fire and the 17 lives lost. The Camp Fire in Butte County in November of 2018 remains atop the unenviable list with 85 casualties. Second to the Camp Fire, is the Griffith Park tragedy in October of 1933, also in Los Angeles County and just a dozen miles from Altadena, where only 47 acres burned, but 29 people died. All casualties were to firefighters working to extinguish the fire. 

Complicating matters and consuming much-needed resources was the Palisades Fire, less than 40 miles away, and also in Los Angeles County. The infamous Santa Ana winds fueled both infernos with gusts near 100 miles per hour throughout some locations in Southern California. The Palisades Fire burned nearly 24,000 acres, another 6,835 structures were destroyed in and around the Santa Monica Mountains and 12 people died. The Eaton and Palisades fires rank as the second and third most destructive wildfires in California history with an estimated economic loss of $250 billion according to the Los Angeles Times.

It took a heroic effort by first responders and nearly a month before both fires were fully extinguished. It will now take years before both communities rebuild. In November 2023, five years after the Camp Fire, only 21% of the homes lost in the town of Paradise had been rebuilt, according to a report from KCRA. 

While the road to recovery for the victims will be long, winding and with inevitable bumps, knowing a community is along for the ride makes all the difference. 

“Because of you we are beginning to heal and meet each new day, drawing deeper breaths, with a new resolve; a new focus, and a new level of resilience for this unexpected and long road forward,” Brown explained. 

The donation drive for Arcadia Unified staff and families is open until Feb. 28. Once all the donations have been gathered, they will be distributed evenly among Arcadia Unified staff and families. You can donate directly through the Arcadia Educational Foundation’s website at aefk12.org. 

Ryan Foran is the chief communications officer for the Arcadia Unified School District.

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