Victims of Eaton Fire Share Their Stories

FEATURING DAISY TREJO, PAUL LIVINGSTONE - It’s a miracle that Sonali Kolhatkar is broadcasting this week’s show. Her home, where her studio is located, is based in north Pasadena, just two blocks from the border with Altadena where the ferocious Eaton Fire burned through 14,000 acres, killing more than a dozen people and destroying thousands of homes. 

The fires came within three blocks of Kolhatkar’s home and studio. Along with thousands of other residents of this Southern California region, she evacuated with her family on January 7–just hours after recording that week’s show. Her elderly parents, two children, husband and cat, fled the hurricane force winds that night to squeeze into a room at a local hotel. The next day they didn’t know if their home of 26 years had been destroyed or not. 

Kolhatkar has been reporting from the front lines of this major disaster, considered one of the deadliest wildfires in California history. She personally knows more than two dozen families who lost their homes in the fires. Her children’s former school has also burned down. 

There are National Guard soldiers deployed two blocks from her home, barring entry into Altadena. Community members have organized donation centers to help the thousands of people who have suddenly become homeless. 

Here are the stories of two people who lost their homes. First we’ll hear from Daisy Trejo, a Mexican American resident of north Pasadena who lost her multigenerational family home where she ran her small business from. Then, we’ll hear from Paul Livingstone, a life-long resident of Altadena, a musician and community activist, who also lost his home and recording studio but helped save his neighbor’s home.