One year has passed since flames tore away the foundations of everyday life.
“Mom, Dad, get out of the house right now!”
For Lee Ki-sun and his wife, Yoo Jeong-ja, the desperate voice of their daughter on the phone remains vividly etched in their memory. It was January 7 of last year, the day the Eaton Fire broke out. One year has proven far too short to fully recover from the shock. Most of the debris has been cleared, and the charred traces scattered throughout the area have gradually faded, but full recovery remains a long way off.
On January 3, Lee told The Korea Daily, “We’ve submitted our home reconstruction application, but we were told that permits — not just for us, but for most homeowners — likely won’t be issued until early next year. This isn’t something that will be resolved in one or two years.”
The scars left by the wildfire still run deep across Altadena. While scattered reconstruction groundwork can be seen here and there, residents are only now standing at the starting line of recovery.
The couple’s home was destroyed, making them eligible for full insurance compensation. The problem lies with the smaller rear house where their younger daughter, Christine, lived. Because the structure was not deemed a total loss, the insurance company is opposing a full rebuild.
“We’re still negotiating with the insurer, but many neighbors are facing similar disputes,” Lee said. “In particular, owners of older homes are voicing frustration because properties insured through government programs receive far less compensation.”
The psychological wounds remain as well. “When I look at what used to be our neighborhood, now reduced to ruins, my heart still feels unsettled,” Yoo said.
Yet remaining frozen in grief was not an option. Signs of recovery have begun to take root through community solidarity.
The couple has operated Fair Oaks Burger in the area since 1987, a longtime neighborhood gathering place. The restaurant is now run by their eldest daughter, Janet, and younger daughter Christine. Although the surrounding area was reduced to ashes by the fire, the restaurant building itself survived. Inside, however, smoke and ash contamination forced the disposal of all existing equipment, including dishwashers, and outages in electricity and water made operations impossible.
The restaurant successfully reopened in June of last year, six months after the fire. Approximately $200,000 was invested in interior renovations. All former employees were rehired, with two additional staff members brought on, bringing the total workforce to 12. Fair Oaks Burger has since come to symbolize resilience for Altadena residents.
Rather than simply reopening its doors, the restaurant took action to support community recovery. Since the wildfire, it has partnered with nonprofit organizations to host weekly free food distributions. Until recently, it also operated a farmers’ market providing groceries and daily necessities.
According to the restaurant, between 200 and 250 meals are distributed weekly to local residents through nonprofit partners.
“Before the fire, there wasn’t much of a culture of helping one another,” Yoo said. “But after the disaster, volunteerism spread, and the entire community has come together.”
She added, “We hear people say ‘thank you’ and ‘you give us hope’ so often. As immigrants to this country, this is the most rewarding experience we’ve had.”
The couple firmly believes that while the community is still in the process of healing, it will ultimately rise together — and become even stronger than before.
“We’re deeply grateful for the support from the Korean American community during such a difficult time,” Lee said. “After Korea Daily reported our story, mainstream media also began covering Fair Oaks Burger, and now customers are visiting us from outside the area.”
Altadena residents continue to take steady steps toward the restoration of everyday life.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
