Altadena Recovers with a helping hand.

Altadena Fire Recovery Information & Resources

The Altadena community is experiencing devastating impacts from the destructive and deadly Eaton Fire. To assist Altadena residents in finding the help and support they need now and in the long recovery period ahead, we have put together this information in response to frequently asked questions, including referrals to key resources offered by both the County and city of Los Angeles.

Updates will be added as they become available.

The Altadena Town Council has created a dedicated website for recovery resources at recoveryaltadena.com

Visit a Disaster Recovery Center 

Disaster Recovery Centers are open to the public from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM every day. Residents can speak with representatives from County, State, and federal agencies to access a range of resources and services to help with the recovery process. 

The Disaster Recovery Center serving residents affected by the Altadena Fire is located at: 

Altadena Disaster Recovery Center

540 W. Woodbury Road
Altadena, CA 91001

Residents can also get help applying for federal assistance, receive updates on their FEMA application for assistance and learn about the appeals process. FEMA financial assistance may include money for basic home repairs, personal property losses or other uninsured, disaster-related needs such as childcare, transportation, medical needs, funeral, or dental expenses. It is not necessary to go to a center to apply for FEMA assistance. The fastest way to apply is online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362. 

Check status of your property

Find the status of your home on this preliminary damage assessment map, which is being updated daily as inspections continue: https://recovery.lacounty.gov/eaton-fire

What Needs to Happen Before You Can Return to Your Property?

Los Angeles County, along with local, state, and federal partners, is working tirelessly to ensure areas affected by the Eaton Fire are safe for residents to return. Here’s what must happen before your community is ready for repopulation:

  • Fire hot spots must be fully extinguished.
  • Urban Search and Rescue operations need to be completed.
  • Roads must be cleared of hazards, such as downed power lines, fallen trees, and broken glass.
    – Streets and road infrastructure must be repaired and deemed safe for travel.
    – Utilities, including water, electricity, gas. and sewer systems, must be inspected to ensure they are safe.
    – Homes and other structures must be evaluated for fire damage, structural weaknesses, and potential for collapse.
    -A Red-Tagged building means it is unsafe and cannot be entered.
    -Yellow-Tagged building means some areas may be safe but only for limited use or specific purposes.

Check your evacuation status

Find out when your evacuation order is lifted as soon as it happens. Sign up for alerts with the Genasys App or visit protect.genasys.com

Find missing people

The Red Cross can help with finding a missing friend or loved one.

Please fill out the form on this webpage: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery-services/contact-and-locate-loved-ones/california-wildfires-reunification.html or call (800) RED-CROSS or (800) 733-2767.

Where to collect your mail

If you live in Altadena and received your mail from the Altadena Post Office, the US Postal Service has reported that your mail will be re-routed to the Pasadena Post Office located at: 

Pasadena Post Office
600 Lincoln Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91109
Mon – Fri: 9 am – 6 pm
Sat: 9 am – 3 pm
Sun: January 26 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

(800) 275-8777 

Additional information about forwarding mail to a temporary location and other services can be found at: usps.com or by calling (800) 275-8777. 

For more information about returning after a fire, please click here. 

Recovering vital records

Los Angeles County residents directly impacted by fires can request property and vital records free of charge to help with recovery efforts from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office. If you have been impacted, please call 800-201-8999 and select Option 1, followed by Option 2, or email your request with specific information to recorder@rrcc.lacounty.gov. Read an FAQ here.

Get help for animals

Call the Eaton Fire Animal Rescue Hotline at (626) 577-3752 for help with: 

  • Found animals (including pets, livestock, exotics and wildlife) 
  • Lost animals 
  • Animals left behind in an evacuated home or property 

If you have lost or found a pet, the City and County of Los Angeles Animal Shelters are partnering with Petco Love Lost, a free national lost-and-found pet database, to help reunite pets with their families. By uploading a photo of your lost or found pet to Petco Love Lost, you can increase the chances of a successful reunion. You may also view LA Animal Services’ Lost Pet Search page and Los Angeles Animal Care and Control’s Lost Pet page. 

Help for workers and small businesses

An emergency resources webpage has launched to support workers and businesses affected by the wildfires. It serves as a comprehensive resource center, offering assistance and the latest information to help businesses and workers through the recovery and rebuilding process. 

To learn more, visit LA County Emergency Resources for Workers and Businesses. 

Reporting a downed tree or other hazards

You can report problems such as downed trees and other hazards by clicking here. For urgent requests, please call 800-675-4357.

Consumer protections

Price gouging during a state of emergency is illegal. This means that businesses cannot increase the price of food, repairs, construction, housing, emergency and medical supplies, or gasoline more than 10% for 30 days after the emergency declaration issued on January 7. This also includes rent increases, as well as hikes in hotel and motel prices for evacuees who are seeking emergency housing. To learn more, visit dcba.lacounty.gov/pricegouging/. 

If you believe you have been improperly overcharged for goods, services, or housing, keep your records and receipts. 

Here’s how to file a price gouging complaint: 

  • Phone: 800-593-8222 

Residents impacted by wildfires served by investor-owned utilities regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission have certain consumer protections in place: 

Electric and Natural Gas Utility Bills: 

  • Disconnections: Wildfire-impacted customers cannot be disconnected for nonpayment and associated fees. 
  • Discontinue Billing: Utilities must discontinue billing customers whose homes are not capable of receiving utility services, and utilities cannot assess a disconnection charge. 
  • SoCalGas states on their website that customers who have had their natural gas service temporarily turned off for safety reasons will not be billed for service during this temporary outage. Please visit the SoCalGas Emergency Disaster Relief webpage to learn more. 
  • Waive Deposits: Utilities must waive deposit requirements for affected residents seeking to re-establish service for one year and must expedite move-in and move-out service requests. 
  • Estimated Billing: Utilities must stop energy usage estimates for billing for the time the home/unit was unoccupied as a result of the wildfires. 
  • Payment Plans: Affected customers who have prior arrearages and have lost their homes or have been displaced and are seeking to establish service in a new residence must be offered a payment plan with an initial payment of no greater than 20% of the amount due, and with equal installments for the remainder of not less than 12 billing cycles. 
  • Minimum Bills: Utilities must prorate any monthly access charge or minimum charges for affected customers typically assessed so that no customer will bear any of these costs for the time period after the customer’s home was rendered unserviceable by a fire. 

Water and Sewer Utility Bills: 

  • Unpaid Bills: Water companies must work cooperatively with affected customers to resolve unpaid bills and minimize disconnections for nonpayment. 
  • Waive Reconnection and Facilities Fees: Water companies must waive reconnection or facilities fees for affected customers and suspend deposits for affected customers who must reconnect to the system. 
  • Payment Plans: Water companies must provide reasonable payment options to affected customers. 
  • Bill Waiver: Water companies must waive bills for victims who lost their homes. 

Landline Telephone Bills: 

AT&T California, Frontier Communications, Consolidated and other carriers of last resort are required to provide refunds for failure to provide service. Landline providers are required to: 

  • Waive the one-time activation fee for establishing remote call forwarding, remote access to call forwarding, call forwarding features and messaging services. 
  • Waive the monthly rate for one month for remote call forwarding, remote access to call forwarding, call forwarding, call forwarding features, and messaging services. 
  • Waive the service charge for installation of service at the temporary or new permanent home of the customer and again when the customer moves back to the premises. 
  • Waive the fee for one jack and associated wiring at the temporary location regardless of whether the customer has an Inside Wire Plan. 
  • Waive the fee for up to five free jacks and associated wiring for Inside Wiring Plan customer upon their return to their permanent home. 
  • Waive the fee for one jack and associated wiring for non-Plan customers upon their return to their permanent home. 

Rebuilding resources

The County is committed to a streamlined rebuilding process. Governor Newsom has cleared the way by issuing an executive order suspending environmental regulations under CEQA, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is committed to eliminating as much red tape as possible to get your community rebuilt. State and local officials have all declared emergencies to further expedite rebuilding and recovery.

Rebuilding resources from LA County Planning can be found here: planning.lacounty.gov/disaster-recovery/. 

To locate records related to your home, go to: 

DPW Building Permit Viewer 

EPIC-LA (for plans and permits) 

Assessor Records (including building slips)  

Emotional support

If you’re looking for someone to talk to for emotional support, please call the Department of Mental Health’s 24/7 Helpline at: (800) 854-7771.

Mortgage relief

Homeowners must keep making mortgage payments after a wildfire. However, you may be able to qualify for forbearance relief. Call your mortgage lender for more information.

Get referrals over the phone or online from a live operator

If you want to talk to live operator who can answer your call 24/7, please dial 2-1-1. These operators can refer you to most services available to you whether it involves housing resources, food assistance and food banks, health needs, disability services, transportation, employment, or other challenges you are facing. You can also search their website at: 211la.org/resources.  

Help with prescriptions

Medication Access Assistance Service

  • Public Health is providing medication access assistance service at each of the Disaster Recovery Centers. Nurses at the sites will assist families with information, education, and referrals for clinical health concerns, including getting access to medications for those who lost their medications in the fire by helping them connect with their pharmacy or their usual provider. If refills are unavailable or they face challenges in connecting, the nurses at each site will connect with physicians and pharmacists in the DPH telehealth service to provide new prescriptions to bridge families until they are able to connect with their primary care provider again. For patients needing medication assisted treatment for opioid addiction, the MAT Consultation Line (213-288-9090) is able to offer these prescriptions and operates 7 days per week from 8am – midnight.

Additional Guidance and Resources for Medication Assistance

  • People should call their regular pharmacy or, if not open, another location of the same chain, if possible. 
  • LA Care and Health Net have set up call lines for their members and DHCS has asked all health plans to ensure access so residents can also try calling their insurer. 
  • Teladoc Health is offering free, 24/7 virtual medical care by calling 855-225-5032. Services include treatment for conditions such as respiratory infections, allergies, sinus problems and cold or flu symptoms, company officials said. Additionally, Teladoc Health is providing assistance with prescription refills for non-narcotic medications. Click here to learn more. 
  • GoodRx is offering free online healthcare provider visits. Angelenos can use the code LA-GOODRX-CARE to be seen by a licensed medical provider on GoodRx Care for a variety of conditions including help with medication refills; for more information, visit goodrx.com/care.  

All insurance plans have been instructed to suspend prescription refill limitations and allow impacted members to refill their prescriptions at out-of-network pharmacies at the usual in-network cost-sharing rates. The plan will also permit impacted members to obtain new prescriptions at out-of-network pharmacies. 

For additional information, click here. 

Help with property taxes

You may be eligible for tax relief if your property is damaged or destroyed by a calamity, such as fire or flooding. To qualify, you must file an Application for Reassessment: Property Damaged or Destroyed by Misfortune or Calamity (M&C) Form ADS-820 with the Assessor’s Office within 12 months from the date the property was damaged or destroyed. The loss must exceed $10,000 of current market value. For questions or to submit an M&C claim, please call 213-974-8658.

Emergency housing 

211LA has partnered with both Airbnb and Hilton to help provide free, emergency housing and vouchers to people who’ve been displaced. Please fill out this housing assistance form to apply for both programs: intake form. Residents who have already applied through 211 LA do not to need to fill out another application. 

Tenant rights 

Under California Law, if a rental unit is completely destroyed, the lease/rental agreement no longer applies. You are no longer required to pay rent, and the landlord is no longer required to provide housing or relocation assistance. The landlord must return any prepaid rent and refund the security deposit in accordance with California law. 

If a rental unit is partially destroyed, and can’t be lived in, the tenant may choose to end or continue the lease/rental agreement, depending on the circumstances and condition of the rental property. If your rental unit has some damage but is still livable, you must continue to pay rent. 

To learn more, visit LA County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs: Information for Landlords and Tenants. 

School Districts 

LAUSD

Pasadena Unified School District

  • Pasadena Unified is reopening schools in phases, with all students returning to school by the end of January.

Utilities 

Pasadena Water and Power

  • For residents in the Eaton Fire impacted areas: Contact PWP Customer Service, M-F 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. for assistance at (626) 744-4005. For Power Emergencies, call (626) 744-4673. For Water Emergencies, call (626) 744-4138. Visit https://pwp.cityofpasadena.net/ for more info.
  • Pasadena Water and Power is now offering the Water Leak Assistance Program; for qualifying residential and commercial customers who have experienced a bill increase due to excessive water loss from a leak on their property. Please visit https://pwp.cityofpasadena.net/water-leak-assistance-program/ for more info.

Southern California Edison (SCE)

SoCal Gas

  • Visit https://www.socalgas.com/fires for Eaton Fire restoration updates
  • SoCalGas crews will be arriving in your neighborhood to go door-to-door to safely restore your service. We will be doing this multiple times in each area. If we miss you, we will leave you instructions on how to make an appointment for gas restoration services or call us at 1-800-427-2200.

Telecommunications:

Trash collection

City of Altadena

Visit https://altadenatowncouncil.org/ for information from the Altadena Town Council

For any additional questions, please call 2-1-1 for assistance.

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