Photo: Mario Tama / Getty Images News / Getty Images
ALTADENA (CNS) - The deadly Eaton Fire in the Pasadena and Altadena areas was almost fully surrounded Monday, and fears of flooding or debris flows from weekend rains were easing as the storm system moved off to the east.
Additional rain could still fall Monday afternoon, but the National Weather Service lifted most of its flood watches and advisories as the threat lifted.
The Eaton Fire has burned 14,021 acres in Altadena and Pasadena since Jan. 7, leaving at least 17 people dead, according to Cal Fire. Nine firefighters were injured battling the blaze. It has destroyed 9,418 structures and damaged another 1,073.
There were 75 personnel assigned to the firefighting effort as of Sunday evening, according to the Angeles National Forest.
An evacuation center remained open at the Pasadena Convention Center at 300 E. Green St. Cal Fire officials said "repopulation efforts have been completed," though the agency said there were 571 evacuees in six shelters as of Saturday.
Southern California Edison reported that service has been restored to 12,422 structures, with 6,961 remaining without power.
SoCalGas officials temporarily shut off natural gas service to thousands of customers in the Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre communities as a safety measure. As of Monday, the utility had restored service to 7,158 of them. The Gas Co. has established an information booth for residents at the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center at Pasadena City College's Community Education Center, 3035 E. Foothill Blvd.
A new Disaster Recovery Center opened in Altadena Monday, operating daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The new center is at 540 W. Woodbury Road. Both the Pasadena and Altadena locations will be open through the end of January, but on Saturday, the Pasadena location will close and all services will shift to Altadena.
On Monday, the Pasadena Unified School District, which includes schools in Altadena, reopened Field Elementary School, Washington Elementary STEM Magnet, Madison Elementary, Norma Coombs Elementary and the Children's Center on the Jefferson campus. Some schools reopened last week, and the district is setting a goal of returning all students to in-person learning by Thursday.
The Eaton Fire was reported about 6:20 p.m. Jan. 7 in the area of Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive in the hills above Altadena amid hurricane force Santa Ana winds, according to Cal Fire. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
Pasadena Water and Power lifted the do-not-drink water notice for the remaining areas in its service territory Friday, while the Foothill Municipal Water District was re-pressurizing its water system, which will be followed by as much as two weeks of testing before its do-not-drink order can be lifted.