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Pasadena students return to schools for the first time since the Eaton Fire

Pasadena Unified reopens some schools following Eaton Fire
Pasadena Unified reopens some schools following Eaton Fire 02:45

Thousands of Pasadena students returned to their classrooms on Thursday for the first time since the Eaton Fire started. 

"I feel excited and I hope everyone is ok from the fires that have been happening around town," fourth grader Elliott Hinton said. 

Hinton showed up early at Willard Elementary, despite being scared. The Eaton Fire started near his family's house but spared their home. 

"I want to meet my teachers and friends and again and I hope they're ok," Hinton said. 

The Eaton Fire burned thousands of homes and shut down the district for more than two weeks. During that time, 1500 workers cleaned all 24 buildings, the grounds and HVAC systems to get all the schools open again. They are still working to completely clean the surfaces of wildfire debris. 

Only about a quarter of the district has reopened but the goal is to have all of the children back in school by the end of January. Five of the district's buildings have been damaged. 

"Living through COVID, we know how important it is for students to be in school," Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Blanco said. 

Blanco said 70% of the district's 14,000 students and half of the employees were affected by the Eaton Fire. 

"I wake up and I cry for my community but then I get up and go because I have a great team of people who get and going every day," Blanco said. 

The situation is hard to handle for many, including for the children whose homes are still standing.

"A few of my family houses have burned down and it's really sad and a few family members had to live with me a few days and then got hotels," fourth grader Nyla Moore said. 

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