Breaking News
The Oscar nominations were just announced. Here’s the full list
Advertisement
California

A year of Altadena’s recovery following the Eaton fire

Homes located between W. Las Flores and Laurel Drive lay in ruins, save one, less than two weeks after the Eaton Fire devastated the area in January.
W. Las Flores - January 2025
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Lots lay empty at W. Las Flores Dr. as of January 2026.
W. Las Flores - January 2026
(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)
Kelvin Kuo.
By Kelvin Kuo
Photo Editor Follow
Photography by 
Brian van der Brug
, Myung J. Chun
, Robert Gauthier
 and Allen J. Schaben

The Eaton fire, which ignited the same day as the Palisades fire, displaced 6,900 households from Altadena and nearby communities. Los Angeles County has opened one-stop permitting centers for fire victims and waived discretionary hearings and other zoning reviews for those who want to build new houses that are roughly the same size as their burned homes.

Early December marked the first certificate of occupancy for a fully rebuilt home, a significant milestone in the road to recovery from the devastation of the Eaton fire.

Pacific Palisades, CA - January 26: Aerial views of the "alphabet street" Galloway St. recently ravaged by the Palisades fireSunday, Jan. 26, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

California

Images documenting the year of recovery after the Palisades fire 

Monthly photographs of the recovery from the devastating January Palisades fire.

Times photographers have documented the rebuilding process, tracking it from January through December at a few of the sites in Altadena that were devastated by the fires. You can interact with the images by clicking through the months to see the state of the cleanup and rebuilding process.

Advertisement
Drone images of western Altadena of west of Fair Oaks Ave. south of Palm Ave. in January 2025.
2900 N Fair Oaks Ave. - January 2025
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Altadena timelapse photographed at the 2900 block of N Fair Oaks Ave in May 2025
2900 N Fair Oaks Ave. - May 2025
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
900 N Fair Oaks Avenue for Eaton fire timelapse project photographed October 1, 2025.
2900 N Fair Oaks Ave. - October 2025
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
An aerial view of cleared lots and construction around 2900 N Fair Oaks Ave, Altadena, after the Eaton fire destroyed much of it last year in Altadena Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025.
2900 N Fair Oaks Ave. - October 2025
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
2900 N Fair Oaks Avenue in Altadena, CA on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.
2900 N Fair Oaks Ave. - December 2025
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Altadena, CA - January 07, 2026: Aerials of the destruction of the Eaton fire on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026 in Altadena, CA.
2900 N Fair Oaks Ave. - January 2026
(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)
1494493-me-debris-removal-altadena-16-ajs.jpg
1/8
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers clears debris from a house on West Palm Street in Altadena that was destroyed in the Eaton fire. Working with the corps are contract workers Anvil Builders.  (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
1503259-me-eaton-fire-timelapse-04-mjc.jpg
2/8
Cleared lots near West Palm Street and La Corona Avenue on April 22.   (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
1508094-me-eaton-fire-timelapse-may-03-mjc.jpg
3/8
Workers on a cleared lot on West Palm Street on May 27.  (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
1519911-me-eaton-fire-timelapse-100-block-w-palm-mjc.jpg
4/8
Construction is underway at this lot on West Palm Street on Aug. 30.  (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
1519909-me-eaton-fire-timelapse-119-w-palm-mjc.jpg
5/8
The intersection of West Palm Street and La Corona Avenue on Oct. 1.  (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
1519910-me-eaton-fire-timelapse-october-ajs-04.jpg
6/8
The intersection of West Palm Street and La Corona Avenue on Oct. 23.  (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
1532660-me-eaton-december-119-w-palm-st-mjc.jpg
7/8
A rebuilt home nears completion on West Palm Street on Dec. 3.  (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
A rebuilt home nears completion on West Palm Street on Jan. 7.
8/8
A rebuilt home nears completion on West Palm Street on Jan. 7.  (Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)
1491444-la-me-residents-returning-to-altadena-30-brv.jpg
1/8
Entire blocks of homes were destroyed by the Eaton fire, photographed Jan. 19 in Altadena.  (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
1503259-me-eaton-fire-timelapse-01-mjc.jpg
2/8
The 300 block of East Palm Street on April 22.  (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
1508094-me-eaton-fire-timelapse-may-01-mjc.jpg
3/8
The 300 block of E Palm Street in Altadena on May 27.  (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
1519911-me-eaton-fire-timelapse-367-e-palm-mjc.jpg
4/8
The 300 block of East Palm Street on Aug. 30.  (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
1519909-me-eaton-fire-timelapse-367-e-palm-mjc.jpg
5/8
The 300 block of East Palm Street on Oct. 1.  (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
1519910-me-eaton-fire-timelapse-october-ajs-01.jpg
6/8
The 300 block of East Palm Street on Oct. 23.  (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
1532660-me-eaton-december-367-e-palm-st-mjc.jpg
7/8
The 300 block of East Palm Street on Dec. 3.  (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
The 300 block of East Palm Street on Jan. 7.
8/8
The 300 block of East Palm Street on Jan. 7.  (Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

W. Las Flores and Laurel Drives from January to December. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times; Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

More to Read

California

Sign up for Essential California

The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.

By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy.

Kelvin Kuo

Kelvin Kuo is a Sports photo editor at the Los Angeles Times. He finds a passion in inspiring people through photography.

Allen J. Schaben

Los Angeles Times staff photographer Allen J. Schaben is an award-winning journalist capturing a wide range of images over the past 35 years. Before joining The Times, he honed his craft at the Detroit Free Press, Dallas Morning News, Wichita Eagle and Connecticut Post. Schaben earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1993.

Myung J. Chun

Myung J. Chun has been a photographer with the Los Angeles Times since 1999. He started as a still photographer and then moved to videography from 2007 to 2018. Chun won an Emmy in 2011 for his work on a multimedia project about innocent victims of gang violence. He previously worked for the Los Angeles Daily News, a position he started in 1988 while attending Cal State Northridge.

Robert Gauthier

Robert Gauthier has been with the Los Angeles Times since 1994. He was the photographer for a project detailing the failings of an L.A. public hospital that won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for public service. Before The Times, Gauthier worked at the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Escondido Times-Advocate and the Bernardo News in San Diego County, his hometown.

Brian van der Brug

Brian van der Brug was a staff photojournalist at the Los Angeles Times from 1997 to 2025.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Podcasts

Most Read in California

Advertisement