The first residential home rebuilt in Pasadena’s portion of the Eaton Fire burn zone has been completed, marking a milestone in recovery less than a year after the wildfire destroyed thousands of structures across Los Angeles County, including 185 in Pasadena.
Homeowners Jun Li Lujan and her husband Robert celebrated the reopening of their new Upper Hastings Ranch residence with a housewarming party on Nov. 25.
The couple lost their home and belongings in the January blaze but returned before Thanksgiving, making theirs the first completed rebuild in Pasadena.
Lujan, a professional home designer, expedited the rebuilding process by submitting permits just days after the fire.
Construction began June 12, and by July 8 crews were preparing to pour the foundation. Their home was the first in Pasadena to begin construction.
The new 3,000-plus-square-foot home, with an attached garage, incorporates fire=resistant features including a metal roof, aluminum siding, non-flammable furniture, and a rooftop sprinkler system.
Lujan had previously remodeled her home in 2020 with aluminum siding and fascia for fire resistance, but the Eaton Fire destroyed it when roof shingles burned.
Before construction, crews delivered dirt to replace several feet of topsoil removed to eliminate toxins.
“I not only built a structure. I built a home, with love, with soul, with happiness,” Lujan told KABC7.
She displayed a framed art piece she saved while fleeing the flames, saying, “I grabbed that because in my heart, I’m a fighter.” Robert added, “We’re very thankful that we could move back so soon. That’s something to be thankful for. Truly, it’s a gift.”
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger attended the housewarming and praised the milestone, telling the station “One becomes two, becomes five, becomes 10, becomes 20… and with that, residents see that it can be done.”
Israel Del Toro, deputy director of the Pasadena Planning Department, verified the Lujans’ completion and called it “super motivating” for other residents.
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