The Eaton fire burns in Sierra Madre, east side of Los Angeles, California, on Jan. 8. Photo: Associated Press
[Episcopal News Service] An Episcopal church in Altadena, California, and two rectories in Pacific Palisades are among the more than 1,000 structures that were destroyed Jan. 8 by a series of wind-fueled California wildfires, which continue to devastate communities across Los Angeles County. At least five people have died in the fires, according to local authorities.
Three of the most alarming fires were consuming houses and businesses and threatening other neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades, Sylmar and the foothill communities north of Pasadena. Several Episcopal churches and schools are within the evacuation zones and others are serving as shelters for those fleeing the advancing flames.
In Altadena, just north of Pasadena, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and its school were among the buildings evacuated on Jan. 7. The church’s rector, the Rev. Carri Grindon, posted an update midday Jan. 8 on the church’s Facebook page saying the building had caught fire at 6:30 a.m. and was destroyed. According to a later message from the Rev. Ryan D. Newman, executive director of the diocese’s Commission on Schools, the fire also caused “catastrophic” harm to the school.
“Many buildings in the immediate vicinity have burned as well. I have also received word from several members of our community that their homes are gone,” Grindon wrote. “We will need one another in the days ahead as we face these devastating losses. I am here for you, and I know our community will hold together, and love and support one another through whatever lies ahead.”
The exterior of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Altadena, California, is seen in a photo posted to its Facebook page in January 2023. The church is among the buildings that have been destroyed by the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles County.
And in Pacific Palisades, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church and its school were evacuated, and clergy are sheltering with family and friends, Los Angeles Bishop John Harvey Taylor said in a late Jan. 7 post to Facebook. The Diocese of Los Angeles sent an email update in the afternoon Jan. 8 saying two rectories at St. Matthew’s were destroyed, but the church and other buildings remained standing.
“Our hearts are heavy as we can only begin to grasp the impact of the devastation in our community,” the Rev. Bruce Freeman, St. Matthew’s rector, said in a message quoted by the diocese. “Please know that we hold each of you dear during this heartbreaking time.”
Taylor, in the Jan. 8 update, said Episcopalians will do “our Gospel work of banding together in faith.”
“God bless all who’ve reached out to offer shelter and other resources for evacuees,” he said. “You are each in my prayers each moment today and in the days ahead, and I know you join me in prayer for those battling the fires in the worst possible conditions.”
Winds in the region have registered as high as 100 mph, causing the fires to spread rapidly overnight Jan. 7. Authorities reported the next morning at a news conference that at least two people had died, and many more had suffered injuries from the fires. The death toll increased later in the day to five.
The Rev. Melissa McCarthy, the Diocese of Los Angeles’ canon to the ordinary, said early Jan. 8 that the emergency and danger were escalating rapidly.
“We are definitely in crisis mode. It’s all moving so fast,” McCarthy told Episcopal News Service in an email she sent from her home in Glendale as she decided early Jan. 8 whether to evacuate. Her neighborhood, west of Pasadena, wasn’t yet in a mandatory evacuation zone, but that could change as conditions worsen.
“I have a wall of smoke, ash and burning embers blowing my way and I’m not in a traditional fire zone,” McCarthy said. “It’s terrifying in terms of scale and speed. Like nothing I’ve ever seen in my life.”
About 50 residents of the MonteCedro retirement community, operated by Episcopal Communities and Services, were forced to seek shelter at the Pasadena Convention Center. The evacuation zones also have affected members of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena and Church of the Ascension in Sierra Madre.
All Saints opened its doors as a shelter for those living in the evacuation zones. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in La Crescenta has done the same.
The powerful winds also have knocked down trees while causing power outages across the region. Southern California Edison has shut off power deliberately in some areas to prevent additional fires. Tens of thousands of people are under evacuation orders, and those zones could continue to expand as the fires worsen. The wind is expected to slow during the day Jan. 8 but could pick up again later in the week.
“We are heartbroken by the death and damage caused by the wildfires in Southern California and are praying for all affected,” Lura Steele, program officer with Episcopal Relief & Development, said in a written statement provided to ENS. “We are in contact with partners in the area, and we will support them in developing their response efforts. Anyone interested in supporting this response can donate to the US Disaster Response Fund on our website.”
More than 180 people sought shelter overnight Jan. 7 at All Saints in Pasadena. The church remained open Jan. 8 as an emergency shelter for evacuees.
“It’s the strangest feeling,” evacuee Dorothy Clark, 88, told the Southern California News Group after arriving at All Saints. “I’ve never ever had an experience that replicated in any way a wandering soul with no place to go. To go through this kind of experience was just a bit much more than I bargained for.”
News reports indicate the devastation has been particularly severe in Altadena. An Associated Press photo from early Jan. 8 shows a building on the campus of St. Mark’s partially aflame. The church building that once stood behind it is no longer there.
Flames rise out of a building on the campus of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Altadena, California, on Jan. 8. The photo appears to have been taken after fire destroyed the adjacent worship space, which previously stood in the back left of the image. Photo: Associated Press
Other houses of worship have been damaged or destroyed by the fires. The Associated Press’ photos show flames engulfing Altadena Community Church, located across the street from St. Mark’s. To the south, the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center also caught fire. A synagogue leader told the New York Times the extent of the damage wasn’t immediately clear. And in the sea-side community of Pacific Palisades, the fire there destroyed Corpus Christi Catholic Church, according to Angelus News.
The Rev. Michael Bamberger, rector of Church of the Ascension in Sierra Madre northeast of Pasadena, told ENS that around noon Jan. 8 the Eaton fire was about three blocks from the church, but he didn’t expect it to pose a threat.
Bamberger spent 22 years as a firefighter with a local volunteer unit. Even though the Eaton fire has grown to 10,000 acres, he thinks fire officials are close to having sufficient resources to begin containing it, including aircraft that previously had been grounded by the wind.
As the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles responds to the needs of the communities where it serves, it has been receiving prayers and support from bishops and other leaders across The Episcopal Church. The diocese said Taylor had thanked Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe and former Presiding Bishop Michael Curry for personally expressing their concerns.
Taylor also said California Bishop Austin Rios had contacted him and offered prayers. San Diego Bishop Susan Brown Snook did the same in a diocesan email.
“San Diego County experiences the same wildfire risk, with Santa Ana winds expected to peak today and several other times in coming days, and extremely dry conditions,” Snook said. “Today, we urge all churches, especially those in high-risk areas, to make sure they are prepared for fire danger.”
– David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at [email protected]. Freelance reporter Melodie Woerman contributed to this report.
