Scott Powers, who grew up on Barters Island, Boothbay and is a 1991 graduate of Boothbay Region High School, lives in the Pasadena, California area and sent this report of the fires still burning in the greater Los Angeles area.

On Tuesday, Jan. 7, we had a warning for extreme wind conditions called Santa Ana winds. These are dry winds that come from the north, crest over the mountains, and pick up speed down into the valley. That night, winds were strong during the day but really picked up once night fell. Gusts were blowing at 60-75 mph, topped out at 93 mph here in the Pasadena area.

The Eaton Fire started about 3.5 miles to the northwest of us. I had gone outside to check on the wind conditions at around 7 p.m. and saw the glow in the distance, which is about 30 minutes after it started. The wind had knocked out the internet and cell coverage was becoming spotty. We weren't able to get much information, but we heard the sirens and figured it was best to pack some bags just in case.

By 8 p.m. the winds were ferocious, and we could see the glow of the fire getting bigger and closer. We decided to take a drive out to get a visual on the fire. Driving northwest about a mile and a half gave us a good line of sight to flames in the distance. They were immense; even from our distance you could tell they were probably reaching 30 feet high. After checking in on a friend's parents, who were evacuating, we decided to head back home. The drive back was like driving in a blizzard of smoke, ash, and falling limbs. The decision was made to pack the car, figuring an evacuation notice was imminent. 

Within 90 minutes the flames were directly north of us and the smoke started to engulf the house. I made a quick attempt to douse the roof with water, but with the wind and all the dry debris flying around, it was pretty futile. We locked the door, said a quick prayer, and it was time to go.

We ended up driving down to Orange County and staying with friends. I think we were accepting the fact that there was a good chance we would not have a home to go back to. Needless to say it was a pretty sleepless night.

By morning, we realized our neighborhood had been spared; the fire had gotten within a mile of our home. Our daughter's school in Altadena, however, had burned to the ground. Many of her classmates, her two teachers, and her principal all lost their homes.

Seeing our home was intact, we went back on Wednesday morning. We were shocked that we had power and internet since most areas did not. It seemed like the eastern side of the fire near us was tracking back into the mountains, so although we were still under an evacuation warning we were not in imminent danger. We decided to stay the night since several homes near us had been looted.

Late Wednesday afternoon we had a friend reach out who had evacuated from Altadena. He saw video of his house still standing but his detached garage was on fire. So we decided to head up and see if we could put out the fire enough to make sure the house was spared. Getting there was like being in a warzone. a neighborhood of 20-plus houses was completely gone, except for my friend's house and his neighbor. Water was shut off so we used a fire extinguisher and water we had brought and did what we could. There were open flames everywhere as gas lines were still running and we decided to leave as night fell. The plan was to go back the next day, but the National Guard came in and enforced a lockdown on the neighborhoods in the burn zone. They are still unreachable as of a week later.

These communities here are very close and intertwined. You can drive eight miles and pass by five different towns, all packed into the foothills of the greater Pasadena area. I know there is a certain Hollywood stereotype when it comes to Los Angeles, but these are very middle class, family-oriented communities. The amount of people we know, both directly and by proxy, who have lost everything is staggering. I believe over 7,000 structures were lost in the Eaton Fire alone.

We've done our best to help the impacted families we know and open our home. The outpouring of support from around the country, and many old friends from Boothbay, has been amazing and heartwarming. We are still processing what has happened while still trying to do daily life. We are very grateful to have our health and home when so many have lost so much.