The Road to Recovery: Altadena Families Struggle to Rebuild After Devastating Wildfires

(WIB) – On Jan. 7, the day the Eaton fire began to blaze in Southern California, 42-year-old Shai McCall did not think much of it at first. She’s lived in her family’s Altadena home all of her life, and it’s not unusual to see fires burning in the San Gabriel Mountains. “We’ve had several wildfires, but they’ve never come down,” said McCall. “You pack a bag for one day and put some clothes in it. Then you come home. Nothing major.”She wishes she took it more seriously this time.The Eaton fire obliterated more than 9,000 structures and damaged nearly 1,100 others. One of those structures was McCall’s family home where she lived with her aging parents, younger sister and nieces. All that’s left are the remains of a front porch, entryway and chimney. The neighbor to the right of her has a chimney and a mailbox. The neighbor to the left has nothing.“Every day, it’s ‘don’t cry,’” said McCall. “That’s the goal, just don’t cry.”McCall discovered her home was lost after being sent a video from another neighbor who attempted to put the fire out with a hose. Unfortunately, no water came out.“In the four-minute video, you hear at the...