Altadena woman reflects on her home being the only one on her block to survive fire
Debbie Slavin says the first six houses on her block were burned to the ground.
The wildfires burning across the Los Angeles area have ravaged thousands of structures, with the Eaton Fire destroying generations of homes in Altadena. One woman's house was the only one on her block to survive.
Debbie Slavin told ABC News on Monday about how her house avoided catching fire when the first six houses on her block were burned to the ground.
"When the fire burned the fence, it also burst the pressurized water pipe," Slavin said. "I honestly believe that's what put the fire out on that fence."
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Eaton, Palisades and Hurst fires have burned over 38,000 acres. More than 12,000 structures, including homes and places of worship, have been destroyed, and officials expect further damage in the coming days.
The Eaton Fire has burned over 14,000 acres.
When Slavin returned to her neighborhood in Altadena to see Eaton's damage, she got emotional.
"I got a call from my neighbor down the street whose also, house has survived, and he basically shared with me that there was still smoldering on my front lawn and that he was going to go ahead and, and spray it," Slavin said. "And when I got there, it also was still smoldering, so I went ahead and also put more water on it."
Altadena is a community in which many families have made their homes for decades. According to Slavin, the community members were close and organized gatherings.
Slavin, who still can't get back to her home, mentioned that one of her neighbors had even gone to check on her house while she was away to ensure it was still locked. She cherishes the trust and care that neighbors have for one another, and feels emotional seeing her friends' homes getting destroyed while hers remains safe.
"I don't know what it's going to look like in the future," Slavin said about her community. "And that's also what's so heartbreaking. I've had some great friends lose their homes. And you have to ask yourself why my home and why not the ones across the street."