Karen Bagnard lost her home of more than 50 years in Altadena, California, to the area’s devastating wildfires. Now, she hopes to rebuild.
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Remains of Karen Bagnard’s Altadena, California, house after it burned in the January 2025 Los Angeles-area wildfires.
Courtesy: Chelsea
On the night of Jan. 7, Karen Bagnard sat in her Altadena, California, house in the dark.
Forceful winds had caused her home to lose power, and she also had no running water, save for one bathroom.
“Mydaughtercalledandsaid,‘Mom,doyourealizethere’safire?'”saidBagnard,whois79yearsoldandlegallyblind.“Ihadnoideatherewasafire.”
Atthatpoint,theevacuationzonefortheEatonFirewasfarenoughawayforhertofeelsafe.
“Ithought,‘Oh,they’llnevergettomyhouse,'”Bagnardsaid.
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About30minuteslater,herdaughterChelseaBagnardcalledback.Withthefirespreadingq
