Eaton Fire

Status

Just after sunset on the evening of January 7, 2025, the entirety of Eaton Canyon was burned in the historic Eaton Fire. On February 13, 2025, a 10′ tall wall of water, boulders, and tree logs ripped down the canyon, burying or carrying away everything in it’s path. As a direct result of these major natural disasters, Eaton Canyon Natural Area, Eaton Canyon Open Space, and the part of the Angeles National Forest that contains Eaton Canyon are all under a strict hard closure. No access of any kind at any official or unofficial trailhead is permitted at this time. This closure is being done in an effort to aid the canyon in it’s natural recovery, while also keeping people safe from rockfalls, unstable trails and poor air quality in the area.

No official recovery plan has been released yet by the City of Pasadena, the Angeles National Forest, or the County of Los Angeles. Based on how other parks work in the United States, it is unlikely Eaton Canyon would reopen to the general public until the late 2020s. We’ll know more once official plans are released.

We understand the desire to get back into the canyon, especially after such formidable changes. However, now just isn’t the right time. We will get there one day soon.

What We Know So Far

Last updated: January 15, 2026 at 8:02 PM

Gale-force winds in Eaton Canyon under 2 hours prior to the start of the Eaton Fire.

The remains of the Eaton Canyon Nature Center

The Night of January 7th:

At 6:10:59 PM on January 7, 2025 during a vigorous Santa Ana windstorm, a power surge at the Gould Mesa Substation caused an arcing event at tower #3 of Southern California Edison’s transmission lines on the ridge above Coyote Canyon at Eaton Canyon.
At 6:11:02 PM, just 3 seconds later, a second power surge occurred at the same substation, also causing an arcing event at the same tower.
At 6:11:15 PM, or 13 seconds later, molten metal fell to the ground and caught brush below tower #3 on fire.
Approximately 93.1% of the 8.01 square miles that make up Eaton Canyon burned in the now historic 2025 Eaton Fire. Roughly 0.54 square miles (6.9%) near San Gabriel Peak and Mount Markham were spared, all of which is >4,000′ in elevation.

The lower wash just above the first crossing engulfed by flames at 6:43 PM. Video taken in the backyard of a private residence near the corner of Fox Ridge Drive and Canyon Close Road looking north-northeast. Video Credit: Robert Sepulveda

Maximum wind gusts the night of the Eaton Fire peaked at 70.1 MPH at the overflow parking lot, 68.2 MPH at the Pinecrest Gate, and 90 MPH at the Henninger Helipad.
The Eaton Fire is the second most destructive wildfire in California state history with 9,418 destroyed structures. It is the 5th deadliest with at least 19 lives lost.
The Eaton Fire burned extremely hot throughout the entirety of the foothills above Altadena, wiping away a vast majority of vegetation. While many roots are still alive to re-sprout shrubs like Laurel Sumac, only large trees survived above ground.
Lost structures within Eaton Canyon include: The Eaton Canyon Nature Center, the Eaton Canyon Nursery, The Outdoor Classroom, The Polygon Picnic Area, The Visitor’s Center at the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Henninger Flats Campground.
A weather station spiking to 96°F in the overflow lot shows that the Nature Center was engulfed between 7:00 PM and 7:10 PM, which is only 40 minutes after the Eaton Fire started.
Nearby residents say the canyon was dark by 8:00 PM, indicating the fire burned extremely hot and exhausted all fuel in a short amount of time.
Many north-facing slopes in upper Eaton Canyon experienced limited fire due to excess moisture, with false-color imaging revealing an unimpacted tree canopy by the fire.

Embercast at the Midwick Gate, 8:35 PM, January 7, 2025. Video: Drew Dembowski

January 2025

All Eaton Canyon trails, including those within the Angeles National Forest, the City of Pasadena Open Space, and the Los Angeles County Natural Area are declared closed through December 31st, 2025. For the National Forest, it is a near certainty the closure will be extended through the entirety of 2026.
The Midwick, New York, and main entrances are all completely fenced off to keep hikers out of the park.
Security camera footage of the nearby Arco Gas station on Altadena Dr. and New York Dr. provides alarming evidence that the Eaton Fire was started by Southern California Edison Transmission lines in the foothills below Henninger Flats on a ridge above Coyote Canyon.
President Joseph R. Biden and Governor Gavin Newsom declared a Disaster Declaration for the Eaton, Palisades, and Hurst fires.

February 2025:

The first Eaton Canyon event post-Eaton Fire, a bagged lunch for volunteers at an off-site Pasadena library, is held.
On February 13th, 2025, a thunderstorm carrying 57.5 dBZ rain rates as recorded by Doppler radar moved over the canyon, destroying Eaton Wash, taking out 100+ Western Sycamores and White Alders, rerouting Eaton Creek, and depositing 1,000+ logs within the wash portion of the canyon. This flood marks the 3rd or 4th most extreme flood of the past century at Eaton Canyon, behind only the 1969 and 1980 floods.
The Eaton Canyon Trail, the Walnut Canyon Trail, the Coyote Canyon Trail, the East Bank Trail, the West Bank Trail, the Altadena Crest Trail, and the Mount Wilson Toll Road all faced severe to critical damage due to the mudflows, and each trail will need to be reconstructed.
The County of Los Angeles, the City of Pasadena, and the City of Sierra Madre sue Southern California Edison for their role in starting the historic Eaton Fire.

March 2025:

A second major flood in less than one month strikes the park on March 13th. Although extreme, this flood does far less damage to trees within the park. In some cases, the creek route actually reverted back to it’s pre-February 13th route. The size of the March 13th flood was difficult to ascertain given it’s overshadowing by February 13th.
The clearing of homes destroyed by the Eaton Fire near the canyon ramps up rapidly. As of March 25th, 9 of the 72 structures that need to be cleared have already been removed. This represents a progress of 12.5%.
Southern California Edison admits they knew their powerlines within Eaton Canyon were long overdue for maintenance.

April 2025:

As of April 1st, 25.0% of those burned structures within 1 block of Eaton Canyon have been cleared of debris.
Southern California Edison begins work on removing the lattice structure believed to have caused the Eaton Fire.
As of April 29th, 50.0% of those burned structures within 1 block of Eaton Canyon have been cleared of debris.

May 2025:

On May 7, tower #208, which is believed to have started the Eaton Fire, was removed from the canyon in multiple pieces via helicopter.
On May 8, 2025, the Midwest Environmental Corporation, a contractor for the Army Corps of Engineers, began work cleaning up and removing the four storage contains that were on site, along with the polygon picnic shelter.
On May 28th, Google updates satellite imagery of the Eaton Fire burn scar, showing the extent of the damage from the fire and the flood to the general public for the first time.
On May 30th, the Midwest Environmental Corporation, a contractor for ACE, completes work at the Eaton Canyon Natural Area, having removed the Nature Center, all storage containers, and the Polygon Picnic Shelter.
Signage is posted at the Midwick, Pinecrest, New York, and Main entrances indicating why the park is closed.

June 2025:

As of June 12, 95% of those structures within one block of Eaton Canyon had been cleared of debris
Work by the Department of Public Works concludes at the Eaton Canyon Reservoir after expanding capacity by hundreds of acre feet.
Work along Altadena Drive to repave the road, replace traffic lights, and improve traffic flow concludes. This work was originally scheduled to be completed in January but was delayed due to the Eaton Fire.

July 2025:

Contractors with the Army Corps of Engineers are working on removing debris from those burned structures at Henninger Flats. Due to concerns about structural integrity at the Chuck Ballard Memorial Bridge, utility trucks have been rerouted down the main trail.
Wildfire debris, such as burned cars, buses, and buildings, still located across the wash from the Nature Center, forces the County to delay the start date for invasive weed removal.

August 2025:

Army Corps of Engineers and their contractors conclude removal effort of 106 burned structures within 0.5 miles of Eaton Canyon.
On Friday, August 29th, County Staff and official county docents began weekly invasive weed removal at Eaton Canyon, marking the first regular staff and volunteer on-site presence.

September 2025:

The first Annual Community Meeting since the Eaton Fire is held.
County staff re-state the message that Eaton Canyon will be closed to the general public through at least 2026.

October 2025:

The first winter storm of the season brings 2.5″ to the canyon on the 14th, wiping out the Riparian ecosystem. County staff saved 10 young saplings the day prior.

November 2025:

Eaton Canyon County Staff return full-time to the canyon on November 16th.
Heavy rains repeatedly douse the canyon, though no debris flows of appreciable magnitude were witnessed. Over 9.00″ falls in just 10 days.

December 2025:

After a warm start, December 2025 turns wet again with an additional 10.00″ through the New Year’s Holiday.
Eaton Canyon experiences its 5th best start to a water year through 12/31, besting even 2023.

January 2026:

On January 6th, the County delivers a trailer for staff to use as a base of operations. Up until now, park staff have been working under a canopy.
On January 14th, 100 native trees were delivered from Devil Mountain Wholesale Nursery in Filmore to put in the new landscape recovery center. Trees will be planted throughout to overflow lot, surrounding barren hillsides, and other parks impacted by the L.A. Fires.
- The next day, an additional 87 trees were delivered

March 2026:

On March 7 during a weak Santa Ana windstorm, the County hosts a Grand Opening of the Landscape Recovery Center, sharing with the world the news of the nursery and conservation work ongoing in the canyon.
A major, early-season heat dome suffocates the canyon. Nearly all climatological records for the month of March fall, including the record for the hottest day and the hottest monthly average temperature. Ten-hour fuel moisture levels plummet.

April 2026:

County Fire reconstructs the trail for the third time following post-fire winter storms. For the first time, reconstruction is done correctly and monitored by County biologists.