Disaster record

Eaton Fire (January 2025)

Six months after the disaster 19 deaths $28 billion

Summary

The Eaton Fire started on January 7, 2025, in the foothills above Altadena and Pasadena. Extreme Santa Ana winds drove it through Altadena. It destroyed 9,419 structures and killed 19 people. National news treated it as a U.S. disaster on January 8. It burned at the same time as the Palisades Fire.

Nineteen people died, according to CAL FIRE.

Scientific attribution

NOAA said a record-dry fall, fuel from wetter winters, and extreme Santa Ana winds set the scene. Human-caused climate change was likely a factor, but not the only factor. A later investigation found electrical ignition. That finding came after the observation window.

Jan 8, 2025 · Altadena and Pasadena foothills — Los Angeles County, California · wildfire

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Observation window: Jan 8, 2025 → Jan 15, 2025

Messaging tallies

51 / 51 Core Democratic Officials reviewed
3Disaster Mention
0Climate Connection
0 Mentioned Republican Obstruction of Climate Action

About these tallies

“Core Democratic Officials reviewed” shows how many of the 51 Core Democratic Officials have been examined for this disaster. Scoring rules: Methods.

Democratic framing

Summary

Three Core Democratic Officials named this fire in the seven-day window. None of them connected it to climate change. None named Republican obstruction of a climate law. House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar named Speaker Johnson’s plan to put conditions on disaster aid.

Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff named the Eaton Fire on January 8. They led a California delegation letter that also named the Palisades, Franklin, and Hurst fires and asked President Biden for a major disaster declaration. Aguilar signed that letter. On January 13 they invited President-elect Trump to visit the fire areas, including Eaton.

On January 14 Aguilar spoke at a House Democratic Caucus press conference. He said he had stood at an intersection in Altadena and seen two churches burned. He said Democrats will not support conditions on disaster assistance. That is an argument about disaster aid, not about a blocked climate law.

Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Ed Markey, and Bernie Sanders talked about the Los Angeles or Southern California fires that week. They did not name the Eaton Fire, Altadena, or Pasadena.

Statements

  • Pete Aguilar (U.S. Representative (D-CA) — Chair, House Democratic Caucus) — Jan 14, 2025
  • Alex Padilla (U.S. Senator (D-CA)) — Jan 13, 2025
  • Adam Schiff (U.S. Senator (D-CA)) — Jan 13, 2025
  • Alex Padilla (U.S. Senator (D-CA)) — Jan 8, 2025
  • Adam Schiff (U.S. Senator (D-CA)) — Jan 8, 2025
  • Pete Aguilar (U.S. Representative (D-CA) — Chair, House Democratic Caucus) — Jan 8, 2025

Republican framing

President-elect Donald Trump, on January 8, blamed Gov. Gavin Newsom for water policy during the Los Angeles-area fires. Fact-checkers rejected the hydrant claims. That post does not name Altadena. Sen. Ted Cruz’s January 10 remarks about Mayor Bass are on the Palisades record.

Statements

Sources

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