Story by Owen Hou
Staff Writer
Photo by Madeline Madrigal
Staff Photographer
Many residents within the L.A. area lost their homes, communities, and the normality of their lives due to the fires that sparked the second week of January. Some of these affected individuals sought refuge within the Pasadena Convention Center, which was turned into an evacuation center after the fires began.
“We lost everything. I’ve been there for years,” Linda Dyer, an Altadena resident, said.
Dyer, who had lived in her shared home in Altadena for over 40 years, evacuated after fire warnings, leaving many of her possessions behind. Now living with friends far from the flames, she is contemplating her next steps.
Dyer was not the only one who lost her home to the blazes, however; many more find themselves in similar positions. Within the Pasadena Convention Center and the surrounding area, countless community and disaster relief organizations have worked to help impacted people.
“We find local restaurant partners [and] food trucks that help us distribute meals, and they cook for us. We really just try to get as many meals out into the community as we can,” Wendy Escobedo, a member of the World Central Kitchen, said.
Amidst the chaos, organizations such as the World Central Kitchen and the California Fire Foundation along with individual volunteers have worked tirelessly to provide food, supplies, and other necessities to those in need. There has never been a shortage of workers — due to an immense number of people who wanted to help, the convention center had to turn away volunteers from their doors.
“We got a lot of people helping, because they wanted to help inside but were not able to do so,” Maria Marcia, a volunteer that came to the center, said. “But if you want to help, if you have the heart, you will help no matter what.”
The scene at the Pasadena Convention Center showcased a strong sense of community and a hopeful recovery from the fires.
“People are living with the ash falling. They’re living with smoke in here. But overall, the folks we have come in contact with have been so kind — so, so kind in such a devastating time,” Angie Carmignani, executive director of the California Fire Foundation, said.