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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Dani Anguiano

The LA wildfire victims still living in toxic homes: ‘We have nowhere else to go’

Woman standing with son and daughter with tree shadow behind
Nicole Maccalla with son Sebastian Maccalla, 18, and daughter Ande Jaye Maccalla, 12, outside their home in Altadena, California, on 29 December 2025. Photograph: Stella Kalinina/The Guardian

One year on from the Eaton fire, long after the vicious winds that sent embers cascading from the San Gabriel mountains and the flames that swallowed entire streets, a shadow still hangs over Altadena.

Construction on new properties is under way, and families whose homes survived the fire have begun to return. But many are grappling with an urgent question: is it safe to be here?

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