Jan 24, 2025 Story by: Editor
On the evening of Tuesday, January 7, Kyoko Canizales went to bed at 8 p.m., unaware that by the next morning, the family home in Altadena would be reduced to ashes. By 8 a.m., the once-sturdy structure had been consumed by flames, leaving only a scorched chimney and a metal security door as evidence of its existence.
Canizales and her mother, Kimberly Harris, lost everything in the fire that devastated the diverse community nestled at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Their home, which had been passed down through generations, represented not just a lifetime of memories but also the cornerstone of their family’s generational wealth.
In the days following the fire, Canizales and Harris have been navigating the immense grief and trauma caused by the loss. Despite being a clinical therapist, Canizales described the emotional toll as overwhelming. “I saw my mom’s face change [when we drove up to the house after the fire]. I saw her hurt and just the pain,” she shared.
Recording the aftermath of the fire, Canizales reflected on the deep significance of the home. “I felt so bad, I felt so helpless. That home meant a lot to our family, and I told my mom that this was the one thing that she had in her name … and it was a symbol of my grandmother’s resilience and our legacy,” she said.
A Fight for Recovery
Amid the chaos, Canizales faces the daunting task of appealing a rejected home insurance claim while awaiting a response from FEMA. The absence of a housing provision in their policy, combined with rising insurance costs in the fire-prone region, has left them vulnerable.
“Not many places want to insure homes in Altadena … because our homes are in a fire-risk area,” Canizales explained. Their home’s proximity to the FireLine map, used by insurers to assess wildfire risk, made coverage options limited and premiums steep.
Airbnb has pledged temporary housing for 25,000 people affected by the Los Angeles County fires, but the overwhelming demand has placed Canizales and her mother on a waitlist. If housing doesn’t materialize soon, they may have to temporarily relocate to Nacogdoches, Texas, where their extended family lives.
While Nacogdoches holds historical significance as the place her grandmother migrated from in the 1950s, Canizales is hesitant. Managing her condo and handling matters related to the burnt home make relocation a complicated choice.
A Legacy of Resilience
The family home, purchased by matriarch Quintine Wingo in the 1970s, symbolized generational progress. Wingo, a working-class woman and part of the Great Migration, secured a home in Altadena, a suburb known for its idyllic charm and proximity to Los Angeles. The modest house anchored the family in middle-class stability and provided financial security.
Over the decades, the home’s value grew exponentially. From an initial purchase price of approximately $60,000, its worth skyrocketed, with a neighboring property selling for $1.3 million just weeks before the fire. Now, with the estate destroyed in the “Eaton Fire,” the family’s financial future is uncertain.
The Day Everything Changed
The day of the fire began like many others with brush fire warnings. High winds and dry conditions sparked a small blaze that quickly spread. Canizales, who was monitoring the news from her condo in LaVerne, believed the fire would not reach their Altadena home.
That evening, a fire in Pacific Palisades, 37 miles away, dominated news coverage. Confident the danger was distant, Canizales went to bed. Around midnight, her mother called with an evacuation alert. Strong winds and red flag conditions had made the situation perilous.
Harris, a 70-year-old retiree, gathered important documents and arrived at her daughter’s condo around 2:30 a.m. Frazzled but safe, the two went to sleep.
By morning, Canizales checked her Ring camera and read text updates from neighbors, growing increasingly alarmed as reports confirmed the fire had reached their street. “I started to see [reports from neighbors saying] this block is gone, this block is gone,” Canizales recounted to Ark Republic.
When they finally drove to the property, the devastation was worse than they feared. The home was gone, reduced to charred remains.
Harris’s biggest regret was leaving behind irreplaceable photographs of three generations of women who had held their family together. Over the coming months, it will be this shared resilience and love that help them rebuild their lives.
A Call for Support
Canizales has launched a GoFundMe campaign to aid their recovery. Immediate needs include suitcases to facilitate their temporary moves and housing assistance. The family is awaiting a 16-day Airbnb voucher as they continue their uphill battle to rebuild. Source: ARK Republic
