JOINED THE FIGHT AGAINST THE
EATON FIRE.
ONE DEVASTATED AREA IS THE
CLOSE-KNIT ALTADENA COMMUNITY.
THE SHEER DEPTH IS MIND
BOGGLING.
REALLY IT’S A SERIES OF PAINFUL,
INTIMATE LOSSES SUFFERED BY
FAMILY AFTER FAMILY.
HERE’S GADI SCHWARTZ.
>> Reporter: THE FIRE SWEPT IN
LIKE A HURRICANE TUESDAY NIGHT,
FLAMES WHIPPING THROUGH ALTADENA
AT A RELENTLESS PACE.
YOU CAN SEE SO MANY HOMES OVER
HERE HAVE BEEN DESTROYED.
AND THAT FIRE CONTINUES TO BURN
ALL AROUND US.
WE’RE HEARING THE SOUND OF
EXPLOSIONS.
WATCH OUT.
THERE’S A DOWNED POWER LINE OVER
HERE, SO I THINK THIS IS AS FAR
AS WE’RE GOING TO GO.
BUT IT IS JUST AN ABSOLUTE
WASTELAND.
THE CITY SITS AT THE SAN GABRIEL
MOUNTAINS.
JAMES GREW UP IN THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD.
HIS FATHER BOUGHT A HOME HERE IN
THE EARLY ’60s.
THEY RAISED A FAMILY, PUT DOWN
ROOTS AND CELEBRATED ENGAGEMENTS
AND BIRTHDAYS.
♪ HAPPY BIRTHDAY ♪
>> Reporter: THIS HOME WAS THE
BACKDROP FOR ALL THE BIG FOWLER
FAMILY MOMENTS, AND IT WAS THE
PLACE WHERE HIS FATHER PASSED
AWAY.
AFTERWARDS, JAMES CONTINUED TO
LIVE THERE WITH HIS MOTHER,
EMBRACED BY THEIR TIGHT-KNIT
COMMUNITY.
AS THE SMOKE LIFTED, IT BECAME
CLEAR.
JAMES’ HOMETOWN WAS FOREVER
CHANGED.
>> I’M SO SORRY.
IT’S ALL GONE.
>> Reporter: JAMES’
BROTHER-IN-LAW MADE HIS WAY TO
THE FAMILY HOME AND SENT THIS
VIDEO.
>> OH MY GOD.
OH GOD, IT’S GONE.
>> Reporter: THIS IS WHAT THE
HOUSE LOOKED LIKE BEFORE THE
FIRE.
NOW ALL THAT’S LEFT IS A CHIMNEY
AND A TRUCK IN THE DRIVEWAY.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, JAMES
RETURNED TO HIS BELOVED
ALTADENA.
>> I KNEW PEOPLE ALL UP AND DOWN
HERE.
THIS WHOLE AREA IS WHERE I GREW
UP REALLY.
>> Reporter: DRIVING THE
STREETS, JAMES LOOKED FOR HIS
LOCAL RESTAURANTS, HIS SCHOOLS.
IT WAS ALL GONE.
>> I HAVEN’T CRIED YET, YOU
KNOW, BECAUSE IT’S SO
DEVASTATING AND SO SHOCKING, YOU
KNOW?
I DIDN’T BELIEVE IT’S REAL
WITHOUT SEEING IT.
>> Reporter: HE FINALLY MADE IT
TO HIS FAMILY’S HOME.
HE WANTED TO SEE IT WITH HIS OWN
EYES.
>> I CAN’T REALLY MAKE ANYTHING
OUT.
>> Reporter: A HOME IN RUINS.
>> IT’S WILD.
IT’S DEVASTATING.
THE SMOKER IS MINE.
WE MADE A LOT OF GOOD BARBECUE
FOR MANY YEARS.
>> Reporter: AND THEN HIS
FATHER’S TRUCK, SLIGHTLY MELTED,
BUT STILL THERE.
PERHAPS A MESSAGE OF STRENGTH
FROM ABOVE.
THERE’S A HAUNTING SERENITY UP
HERE, EVEN IN THIS.
>> YEAH.
IT’S UNBELIEVABLE.
>> Reporter: JAMES NEVER
IMAGINED ANY OF THIS WHEN HE
LAST LEFT THE HOUSE AS THE
FLAMES APPROACHED.
>> I KNEW IT WAS COMING THIS
WAY.
WE’VE ESCAPED FIRES BEFORE.
I GRABBED WHAT I COULD AND IT
WAS TIME TO GO.
>> Reporter: JAMES PACKED UP HIS
FATHER’S ASHES, SOME CLOTHES AND
A TOOTHBRUSH AND BANGED ON
NEIGHBORS’ DOOR AS HE LEFT TO
WARN THEM.
THE FAMILY HAD EVACUATED FROM
FIRES BEFORE.
>> IT WAS VERY SCARY YOU HAVEUP
WE WERE LEAVING.
THE GLOW WAS TERRIFYING.
>> Reporter: THIS TIME IT WAS
DIFFERENT.
>> SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HOME.
SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS YOUR FATHER’S
FOREVER HOME, IT WAS YOUR
FOREVER HOME.
THIS WAS WHERE YOU WANTED TO
SPEND YOUR LIFE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
AND WHO KNOWS?
MAYBE WE REBUILD HERE.
>> Reporter: A NEW HOME, HE
KNOWS, WILL NEVER BE THE SAME,
BUT THE PEOPLE ARE.
>> I’LL BE HONEST AND SAY WHILE
IT’S OVERWHELMING AND IT IS BIG
STUFF, IT’S STILL JUST STUFF.
SO THAT’S SOMETHING I HAVE TO
REMEMBER.
IT’S BIG STUFF, BUT IT’S JUST
STUFF.
>> WHEN YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY
LIKE THIS, IT DOES MAKE IT A
LITTLE BIT EASIER.
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
I’M JUST GRATEFUL FOR WHAT I’VE
GOT.
I’VE GOT GREAT FRIENDS, GREAT
FAMILY, GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM,
GREAT CHURCH, GREAT COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, I’M GRATEFUL.