{"id":181370,"date":"2026-02-17T11:48:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T11:48:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/181370\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T11:48:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T11:48:21","slug":"eaton-and-palisades-fire-refugees-moved-near-and-far-and-often","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/181370\/","title":{"rendered":"Eaton and Palisades fire refugees moved near and far \u2014 and often"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With fire pits on the beach, showers and a front-row view of the sun sinking into the Pacific, Mike and Nicole Wirth had no complaint about their $45 overnights at Dockweiler Beach.<\/p>\n

But neither was their three-night stay there last April a quaint camping experience. Dockweiler RV Park was No. 13 of the 15 places they\u2019ve bedded down since the Eaton fire destroyed their Altadena home last year. <\/p>\n

Among their other sleepovers \u2014 from one night to four months \u2014 were two hotels, an Airbnb, a church parking lot, another campground, a townhome rental and three tiny guest houses \u2014 one at a co-worker\u2019s boyfriend\u2019s house. In between were three stays with Nicole\u2019s parents where their precious Australian cattle dog Goose succumbed, they believe, to accumulated trauma.<\/p>\n

\"Mike <\/p>\n

Mike and Nicole Wirth in their Sprinter van in Altadena. The Wirths were displaced during the 2025 Eaton fire and have moved 15 times, including stints of camping in their van.<\/p>\n

(Kayla Bartkowski \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

They were not alone. The Eaton and Palisades fires left an urban population of tens of thousands homeless in a single day. They moved in every direction, some near, some far, some \u2014 the lucky ones \u2014 only once. For many, home became an improvisation. <\/p>\n

Sometimes Nicole stayed with her parents while Mike stayed alone at Dockweiler to be near his work in Hawthorne. It had a subtle reassuring effect.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe van felt like the only room from our house that survived,\u201d Mike said.<\/p>\n

The Wirths, who are rebuilding their home and expect to move back in April, reflect the frenetic side of the complicated quest for shelter for tens of thousands whose homes were destroyed in the Eaton and Palisades fires.<\/p>\n

Their orbit, compact but intense, was dictated by their decision to stay near his job and to oversee the reconstruction of their home.<\/p>\n

Others moved less frequently, but often went much farther, to stabilize their lives.<\/p>\n

Christie and Michael McIntire were grasping for anything in the San Gabriel Valley and coming up short.<\/p>\n

\u201cWon\u2019t take cats. Price really high. Extremely far. Somebody got to it first,\u201d Christie McIntire said in a phone interview.<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The McIntire family walk through their new home outside Nashville. They are preparing to move in April 1. <\/p>\n

(Diana King \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n

After spending several months in two seedy rentals, the McIntires pulled the trigger on a longtime fantasy. They found a rental in Nashville. Christie flew with her two girls and the cats, and Michael drove with the dog. They\u2019ve purchased a 3,600-square-foot suburban house to replace their 1,400-square-foot Altadena bungalow. They will move in April 1 when their current lease expires.<\/p>\n

The lease was the first step in a multistage recovery. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t feel homeless anymore,\u201d Christie said. \u201cWhen we found the house to buy is when we began to feel secure.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Eaton and Palisades fire diaspora has played out in a sunburst pattern of impromptu moves that likely will never be traced in full detail.<\/p>\n

A blurry outline is revealed in a quarterly survey<\/a> commissioned by the Department of Angels, a nonprofit created by the California Community Foundation and SNAP Inc. It has documented the broad outlines and delved into the emotional and financial stress on those who were displaced. Its latest survey<\/a>, released for the fire anniversary, found that 7 out of 10 people displaced \u2014 74% from Pacific Palisades and 65% from Altadena \u2014 are still in temporary housing, down only slightly from the third quarter.<\/p>\n

Only about a third in both communities said they expect to remain where they are more than a year or two, and about 20% \u2014 22% in Palisades and 17% in Altadena \u2014 said they expect to move again within the next few months or weeks, both up from September.<\/p>\n

A sharper picture of mobility can be gleaned from those like the McIntires, who have put down roots and changed their addresses. Data provided to The Times by Melissa<\/a>, a global address provider, shows that most of those displaced in the two fires stayed close to home but they also spread tendrils across the country.<\/p>\n

(Melissa compiles the data from records including change-of-address filings with the post office, magazine subscriptions and credit card applications. The Times provided addresses of the roughly 21,800 housing units rated by Cal Fire as either destroyed or sustaining major damage. The company tied each address to the individuals living there, whether as family members or owner\/renter.)<\/p>\n

More than 83% of the 30,000 tracked by Melissa stayed within Los Angeles County, and just under 95% remained in California. The pattern was similar for both communities: 93% from Pacific Palisades and 96% from Altadena stayed in-state.<\/p>\n

Each dot represents a new address for a person displaced by the Eaton and Palisades fires.<\/p>\n

\"Map<\/p>\n

83% of people moving stayed within L.A. County.<\/p>\n

Those displaced from the Eaton fire tended to move within the San Gabriel Valley, or to Riverside and San Bernardino counties.<\/p>\n

Those displaced from the Palisades fire tended to stay near the coast.<\/p>\n

\"Map<\/p>\n

83% of people moving stayed within L.A. County.<\/p>\n

Those displaced from the Eaton fire tended to move within the San Gabriel Valley, or to Riverside and San Bernardino counties.<\/p>\n

Those displaced from the Palisades fire tended to stay near the coast.<\/p>\n

Address changes from January 2025 through Nov. 11.<\/p>\n

melissa.com<\/p>\n

Lorena I\u00f1iguez Elebee LOS ANGELES TIMES<\/p>\n

At least 1,600 people traveled to other states to make new homes. Texas (166), Florida (144) and New York (141) were their top destinations. In all, they went to 45 states with Maine and Rhode Island each receiving one. The McIntires were among 50 relocating to Tennessee.<\/p>\n

Each dot represents a new address for a person displaced by the Eaton and Palisades fires.<\/p>\n

\"Alt<\/p>\n

The Northeast had the<\/p>\n

most overall.<\/p>\n

Texas and Florida were<\/p>\n

the top destinations.<\/p>\n

\"Alt<\/p>\n

The Northeast<\/p>\n

had the most overall.<\/p>\n

Texas and Florida were<\/p>\n

the top destinations.<\/p>\n

Moves based on individuals notifying USPS of a new address or establishing credit at a new location between January 2025 and Nov. 11. Two people relocated to Puerto Rico, not shown.<\/p>\n

Melissa.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Hailey Wang LOS ANGELES TIMES<\/p>\n

The preference to stay nearby was strong. More than 2,900 people displaced by the fires relocated within the seven ZIP Codes that had almost all the destroyed and damaged homes, either directly or after an intermediary move. Pasadena was at the top of that list, followed by Altadena and Pacific Palisades.<\/p>\n

Seven Southern California coastal counties accounted for 98% of all displaced people who stayed in California. Los Angeles County was by far the primary destination, receiving more than 25,000 people. Orange County was a distant second at 738. Outside of L.A., Palisadians tended to stay near the coast, from San Diego to Santa Barbara counties. Altadenans more often moved east in the San Gabriel Valley and to Riverside or San Bernardino counties.<\/p>\n

How many of those moves are permanent is not known, but they reflect a cohort of the displaced population more likely to gain stability. About 3,300 were tracked through two post-fire moves, while the number moving three times dropped precipitously to 129.<\/p>\n

While the Wirths\u2019 15-stop odyssey may represent an extreme, many lacked either the opportunity or desire to lay down new roots while anticipating a return to what they consider their real home.<\/p>\n

\"Nicole <\/p>\n

Nicole and Mike Wirth walk their dogs outside their temporary home in Altadena.<\/p>\n

(Kayla Bartkowski \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

\u201cI never did a change of address,\u201d said Sara Marti, whose Palisades rental was destroyed. \u201cWhatever mail I was receiving, who knows where it went.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marti, her husband, Jordan Corral, and their two school-age children stayed two nights in a Marriott after evacuating. Their next move was to an Airbnb in Lancaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a bizarre experience because it was so far from everything we knew,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Next they used insurance money to put a down payment on an RV and moved to the River\u2019s End RV Park in Canyon Country. They thought they were settled until a crack in the gray water tank sent their home in for repairs. They moved from motel to hotel to Airbnb until she couldn\u2019t take it anymore, Marti said. They\u2019ve now leased an apartment in Canyon Country. Corral works locally.<\/p>\n

The Wirths relocated 15 times since the Eaton fire damaged their\u00a0home<\/p>\n

For the first few months, their stays in each new place lasted from one night to several weeks.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

After the Eaton fire, Mike and Nicole first stayed at Nicole\u2019s parents\u2019 house.<\/p>\n

From Dockweiler<\/p>\n

State Beach<\/p>\n

From Dockweiler<\/p>\n

State Beach<\/p>\n

To Crystal<\/p>\n

Cove State Park<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

After the Eaton fire, Mike and Nicole first stayed at Nicole\u2019s parents\u2019 house.<\/p>\n

To Crystal<\/p>\n

Cove State Park<\/p>\n

From Dockweiler<\/p>\n

State Beach<\/p>\n

OpenStreetMap<\/p>\n

Lorena I\u00f1iguez Elebee LOS ANGELES TIMES<\/p>\n

Marti, who works for the community environmental group Resilient Palisades \u2014 remotely now \u2014 intends to return to be near her parents who are rebuilding their destroyed house. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d love to return into an apartment, assuming the pricing doesn\u2019t go crazy,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Whether to take steps to formalize a temporary address was a decision that some debated.<\/p>\n

Wirth, who organized a support group of AAA Insurance holders after the fire, chose not to and instead has her mail forwarded to her parents\u2019 house. <\/p>\n

\u201cToday, literally, I have to move again,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat places do I change my address to?\u201d<\/p>\n

But Postal Service forwarding ends after a year.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow it\u2019s going to be a disaster,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Landscaper Jose Cervantes, who lost his home as well as 26 of his customers in Altadena, picked up his mail at the post office for a time after the fire.<\/p>\n

After a series of moves to Palmdale and the San Gabriel Valley, his family of five settled in an ADU in Pasadena. But they never changed their address.<\/p>\n

Once he had made the decision to rebuild, Cervantes installed a temporary mailbox on the vacant lot. His daughter Jessica, who handles bills and insurance issues, goes there to pick up the mail.<\/p>\n

Currently spread out over a Monrovia rental and various aunts\u2019 houses, the family is in the process of moving into a nearly completed ADU behind their future house, which is now in the framing stage.<\/p>\n

\"Jose <\/p>\n

Jose Cervantes and his daughter Jessica outside the home they\u2019re rebuilding in Altadena.<\/p>\n

(Kayla Bartkowski \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

The quarterly surveys by the nonprofit Department of Angels give a limited view of the housing instability that still lingers a year after the fire.<\/p>\n

The surveying firm Embold Research found in June<\/a> that more than half of displaced households \u2014 61% in Altadena and 65% in Pacific Palisades \u2014 had stayed in multiple places. About a third in both cases said they were expecting to move again soon.<\/p>\n

So many moves only compounded the trauma of losing a home to fire.<\/p>\n

In January, Embold reported that 44% of respondents said their mental health was much worse since the fire, up from 36% in June and September, and 39% said it was somewhat worse.<\/p>\n

\u201cTherapy helped,\u201d said Christie McIntire, whose move to Tennessee restored her sense of community but still left emotional work to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the longest time I was gravitating between anger and sadness,\u201d she said. \u201cHappening all last year; you just feel this guilt, like you could have done something to get a different outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The McIntire family found a rental in Nashville and have now set down new roots.<\/p>\n

(Diana King \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n

Four sessions of prolonged exposure therapy, a technique used by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a> to treat PTSD, helped her pack the imagery into long-term memory.<\/p>\n

\u201cI no longer constantly think about that day,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With fire pits on the beach, showers and a front-row view of the sun sinking into the Pacific,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":181371,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[32136,5759,86011,7363,8321,3802,1073,9172,86013,48,52,51,7036,47,50,49,534,86012,7087,592,86014],"class_list":{"0":"post-181370","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-address","9":"tag-altadena","10":"tag-christie","11":"tag-country","12":"tag-eaton","13":"tag-fire","14":"tag-home","15":"tag-house","16":"tag-impromptu-move","17":"tag-la","18":"tag-la-headlines","19":"tag-la-news","20":"tag-last-year","21":"tag-los-angeles","22":"tag-los-angeles-headlines","23":"tag-los-angeles-news","24":"tag-pacific-palisades","25":"tag-palisades-fire-refugee","26":"tag-parent","27":"tag-people","28":"tag-sara-marti"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=181370"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181370\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/181371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=181370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=181370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=181370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}