Eaton Fire (2025)
Los Angeles County (Altadena), California · Jan 7, 2025 – Jan 31, 2025
Second-most-destructive wildfire in California historyAcres burned
14,021
Lives lost
19
Structures destroyed
9,418
Year
2025
Estimated damage
Estimated tens of billions in combined damages with the Palisades Fire
Duration
24 days (Jan 7–31, 2025); most destruction within the first day
Evacuations
Tens of thousands evacuated across Altadena and Pasadena foothills
What happened
The Eaton Fire erupted in the foothills above Altadena and Pasadena during the January 2025 windstorm, becoming the second-most-destructive and fifth-deadliest wildfire in California history. It killed 19 people and destroyed 9,418 structures, devastating Altadena alongside the simultaneous Palisades Fire.
Cause
Power lines (Southern California Edison equipment alleged; CAL FIRE cause investigation ongoing)
Location
Los Angeles County (Altadena), California
Key facts
- ▪Second-most-destructive wildfire in California history (9,418 structures)
- ▪Fifth-deadliest wildfire in California history (19 deaths)
- ▪Devastated Altadena during the Jan 2025 LA firestorm
- ▪Burned simultaneously with the Palisades Fire
Replay the Eaton Fire in the spread simulator
This centers the wildfire-spread simulator on the Eaton Fire's documented ignition point and replays its conditions on 2025-01-07 — the day’s strongest wind, temperature, and humidity from the open-meteo historical archive (which set the fire-day fuel moisture) — run through the same Rothermel surface-fire model used across FireRisk. Press ▶ Simulate to watch how fire tends to move under those conditions.
⚠️ Educational reconstruction — not the real fire perimeter
This is a simplified model of how fire spreads under the 2025 conditions, not the Eaton Fire's actual burned area, official progression, or a prediction of any current fire. It cannot account for real fuels, suppression, spotting, or how conditions changed hour to hour. For real-time fire information always follow Watch Duty, official agencies, and local authorities — and call 911 in an emergency.
Loading the 2025 fire-day conditions…
Reminder: an educational reconstruction of fire spread under the 2025 conditions — not the Eaton Fire's actual perimeter, an official record, or a forecast. Modeled spread, direction, and timing are illustrative only. Never rely on it for any safety decision.
Aftermath & what changed
A U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit and Edison International’s own CEO have attributed the fire to Southern California Edison transmission equipment; CAL FIRE’s official cause investigation remained open into late 2025. The Eaton Fire’s devastation of Altadena, alongside the Palisades Fire, became a defining test of California’s insurance market.
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Related major fires
Eaton Fire FAQ
When was the Eaton Fire and where did it burn?
The Eaton Fire started Jan 7, 2025 in Los Angeles County (Altadena), California, and was contained Jan 31, 2025.
How many acres did the Eaton Fire burn?
The Eaton Fire burned approximately 14,021 acres.
How many people died in the Eaton Fire?
Approximately 19 people died in the Eaton Fire.
What caused the Eaton Fire?
Power lines (Southern California Edison equipment alleged; CAL FIRE cause investigation ongoing).
Figures are approximate and compiled from official agency reporting; totals for recent fires may still be revised. FireRisk.ai is an independent wildfire-risk service.