Rain creates concerns as Altadena continues to rebuild after Eaton Fire

The rain is raising concerns in Altadena once again for families devastated by the Eaton Fire.

"We're really concerned about the foundation being too wet and the soil moving and shifting," Eaton Fire survivor Raya Reynaga said. "As you can see, there's a lot of dirt in the back that we're concerned with, the mudslides and so forth. We're concerned that it's going to go underneath the house and mess up all the footings."

Reynaga's home for 28 years burned in the Eaton Fire, and she lost everything. Now, her new prefab house in Altadena rests on a pile of dirt as she waits for more permits, leaving her worried about what will happen when the storm rolls in.  

Nearby, a group gathered to push for more state and federal fire recovery funding, while also preparing for the possibility of a wet winter. 

"We are rebuilding. We are very concerned about the El Niño," resident Mary Landau said. "We just started. The first beam of the roof went up last week. They're at our house right now, tarping."

Altadena Town Councilmember Anton Anderson, who had more than a dozen family members lose their homes in the fire, says that with every delay comes another expense they can barely afford.

"They're all rebuilding, which is great news," he said. "With the rain and everything else, that's one of the concerns I have."

Residents can pick up as many as 25 pre-filled sandbags at the Los Angeles County Public Works yard on Mountain View Street during daylight hours. 

Officials urged displaced residents to check on their properties, clear gutters and remove debris before the rain arrives.