January 2026

Escaping the Fire: Karin's Story

By Karen Bagnard
Posted: 09/03/2025

Interview w/ Karin Robinson-Smith

by Karen Bagnard

It must have been about 6:00 in the evening of January 7, 2025, when Karin Robinson-Smith sat outside her Altadena home, enjoying the wind, which she loves.  This time it was unsettling as she saw the glow of what was a fire in the east.

By 7:00 p.m.  the glow of the fire was increasing and by 8:00 p.m. she suggested to her husband, Andrew, that they should probably leave.

Having lived 47 years in Altadena, wildfires were a common occurrence in the surrounding foothills.  They had never ventured as far down as the Altadena address where Karin and Andrew lived.  Certainly this would be no different.

Karin told me, “Andrew and I were discussing where we would go if we needed to evacuate. Our son, Drew, "has a home in Los Angeles, and that is where we would go. I kept going outside to look at the fire. At 8pm, the "pink" glow had become reddish /orange and much larger. I became a little anxious and kept chiding Andrew that maybe we should leave to test our evacuation plan....He was not going to leave!"

By 9:00 Karin insisted they leave.  Andrew still felt confident that they would be safe.  He assured her they would be fine but, if she felt she needed to leave, he was fine with her going but he was going to bed.

Between the hurricane-strength winds, smoke and a lot of traffic heading south on Lake Avenue, it was a harrowing drive.  

By the time Karin arrived at her son, Drew’s, home in Inglewood, the reports of the fire on the news were terrifying.  Andrew needed to get out!I

Drew drove up to Altadena to make sure Andrew was alright and that he could get out. As he drove he saw his childhood neighborhood on fire!   What had never seemed possible was happening.  Fortunately, he got to his father in time and they got out of there, driving through dense smoke and windy conditions.

What Andrew thought was what most of us thought… “surely the fire would never reach this far!”  Sadly, we were all wrong.

When asked how she is doing now, Karin replied, “it depends on the day.”  

Karin has been a member of the Pasadena Village for about a year.  Her entire adult life has been in Altadena with strong connections in the Pasadena community, as well.  She is an active member at First AME Church.

Living in Inglewood has been a mixed blessing.  It’s a safe place to be but too far from the communities she loves.  To help alleviate this sense of displacement, Karin drives into the Pasadena area about two times a week to see old friends, do business at her favorite places and to help her feel the sense of connection she needs.

Rebuilding will take a long time but that is what they are planning to do.  It makes sense yet it is a daunting task.

When asked what was the hardest part of this event, she replied, “it was all hard.”  This was the home I raised my children in and hosted wonderful Christmas parties.  It was a gathering place.

As hard as it has been, she also expressed her gratitude for all the “blessings” that she and her husband have experienced.  The outpouring of love and assistance from family, friends and strangers has been overwhelming.  There are so many good people!  

First AME Church, Karin’s faith community,  has sixty members who have lost their homes.  Pastor Larry Campbell, a dynamic leader of this congregation, has been taking a strong lead in reaching out to the community to address their needs.   

Karin shared with me,  “First AME church has been a consistent and vital resource, for me as well as the community at large. It has sustained me both physically and spiritually, providing food, clothing, prayer, friendship and a sense of support and comfort. I am also indebted to so may resources including the Pasadena Village for the people and resources it has provided.”

It gives Karin great hope that the vibrant and diverse community of Altadena will be built back.