Los Angeles fires thousands of structures have been destroyed January 7. North of Pasadena, in Altadena, the Eaton fire damages or destroys 7,000 structures.
One of the structures destroyed by the fire was the home where Erion and Stephan Taylor lived with their three children. They say they had only 20 minutes to evacuate on January 7.
The Taylor family faces an uncertain future after losing their home in the California wildfires.
ABC News
“My heart dropped, I saw the flames and I said, ‘Honey, come here for a second,’ and he looked out the door and his whole demeanor changed,” Erion Taylor told ABC News.
The Taylors quickly packed their most prized possessions — wedding photos, loved ones’ ashes, stuffed animals and soccer cleats — into the car. They fled to Stephan’s mother’s house — Peggy Taylor lives a 7-minute drive down the hill.
However, the fire immediately threatened his house as well and the family fled. Since then, they have been living in a hotel room.
“Kids need a yard. They need a familiar space,” Erion said. “They need a kitchen table or a room to go to and close the door if they want to be alone for a while.”
Erion said they are hurting for what they lost, but his focus remains on what they still have: each other.
“I don’t care about things at all. Everything can be replaced,” he said. “There are things I would like. I really have everything I need here. I have everything I need here.”
When the Taylors were able to return to the Altadena neighborhood, they found the house in ruins. It is a situation that many people in the area are experiencing, and it leaves families with an uncertain future.
The Eaton Fire destroyed the Taylor family home in Altadena.
ABC News
Black families began moving to the area in the 30s, during the Great Migration, and Altadena became a multicultural haven in the 60s. This was a result of Blacks being able to get mortgages and Altadena being without “red”. — a practice that saw federally insured mortgages, loans and private home insurance being attached to non-white homeowners.
Peggy Taylor, known as Mrs. Peggy, went there when she was 17 years old. The house he bought in the 60s has taken in his boys and their families at one time or another, making it a haven for their family. Miraculously, the fire saved that house.
“To see them standing up and not having any additional wind damage, it doesn’t look like they’ve been robbed, makes me feel a lot better,” Ms Peggy told ABC News.
Officials are opening up areas of the evacuation zone, allowing homes that are still standing to return. In one of these areas is Mrs. Peggy’s house, so the family may be able to move there soon.
People are already coming together to help rebuild what was lost in Altadena, an effort that is giving Taylor hope.
“We create, not destroy, and we will create our neighborhoods,” said Erion. “And we are in front of a sign that says ‘Altadena is not for sale’, because every person here wants to make sure that people will be taken care of.”
