The Moment the Eaton Fire Ignited

A Pasadena couple who witnessed the initial moments of the devastating Eaton Fire on Tuesday evening called 9-1-1, alerted neighbors, and took cell phone photographs before grabbing go-boxes and fleeing the racing flames.

Jennifer Errico and her husband Marcus, residents of the 2100 block of Canyon View Drive at the very end of a point that juts out into Eaton Canyon, were among the first to spot and report the wildfire that has grown into one of the most devastating fires in County history.

“My husband came home at 6:15 and ran in and said the … electrical tower that’s across the canyon and up from us, is on fire,” Jennifer Errico told Pasadena Now. “I called 9-1-1 and within 10 minutes the fire was down across the canyon.”

Errico is Director of Communications for Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge and a former Pasadena Star-News writer.

The fire originated near one of the “giant, giant towers” across from where Midwick Drive dead-ends into Altadena Drive, according to Errico.

“I ran out and looked, and at that point, I can’t tell you if the actual tower was on fire, but there was fire under the tower,” she said.

Strong winds rapidly pushed the flames southward and westward through the canyon, she said.

“Very, very heavy wind,” Errico said, remembering waves of embers being blown into their neighborhood by the wind gusts.

The Erricos moved quickly.

“We grabbed our to-go boxes, ran around the cul-de-sac ringing doorbells,” Jennifer said.

Fire crews arrived within 15 minutes, she said. Firefighters ordered residents to evacuate immediately and began running hoses through backyards to protect the threatened homes.

The Erricos left immediately, she said.

The fire spread extremely rapidly, leapfrogging through Altadena and Hastings Ranch neighborhoods pushed by fierce winds.

By Thursday it has grown to more than 10,600 acres, killed five, and destroyed or damaged 1,000 structures in Altadena and Pasadena.

Incredibly, the Erricos’ neighborhood survived the blaze.

The fire’s impact has devastated Jennifer.

“It’s absolutely horrifying. When we were up there yesterday, after seeing what’s happened in Altadena … it’s like my heart’s broken,” said Errico.

She is hopeful about the community’s resilience.

“We’re lucky. We live in a community that will support each other.”