January 2026

BEACONS OF HOPE - The Dump Trucks of the Eaton Fire

Imagine the charred and desolate landscape of Altadena after the fire, when all was black, brown and gray. Suddenly some bright spots of color begin to appear. As they take shape, they materialize as dump trucks bearing the signs “debris removal.”  Blue, green, yellow, “bubble gum” pink, they captured the imagination of Villager and artist Jane Brackman. She began to draw them, and on Friday, January 9, the opening of her collection “A Tribute to Fire Debris Remediators and Their Super-Sized Dump Trucks” took place.

About thirty people attended the event and viewed thirty-three pieces of art. Among the 18 dump truck paintings were scattered some 15 paintings of earlier fires that Jane had rendered previous to the Eaton Fire or structures that are no longer standing due to the Eaton fire. Also included in her presentation was a timeline of 14 large scale fires from 1878 to 2025. In her remarks, Jane referenced her time on the board of the Altadena Historical Society where she learned that the canyons in our area burn every 15 years. “We are guests,” she said, “and fires will burn whether we like it or not.”  

TIMELINE:

Prior to the 20th century the San Gabriel Mountain range experienced about 100 fires per year. Because few people lived close to the mountains, fires raised little concern. By the 1880's, flooding from hillside fire erosion increasingly threatened property, and the County actively began suppressing fires. That's when record keeping began. The following is a list of large-scale wildfires impacting growing populations in our local foothills.

1878: San Pasqual Ranch Fire (Pasadena)

1896: Arroyo Seco Fire

1919: The Big Fire of 1919

1924: San Gabriel Fire (Near Mt. Wilson)

1933: Pickens Canyon Fire (Front range, La Crescenta to Sierra Madre)

1935: Las Flores Canyon Fire (Burned La Vina Sanitarium and Charles Cobb acreage)

1949: Flintridge Fire (Near Sacred Heart Academy and Devil's Gate Dam)

1953: Monrovia Peak Fire (Near Mt. Wilson)

1959: Woodwardia Canyon Fire (La Canada to west Altadena)

1993: Kinneloa Fire (Started in Eaton Canyon)

2009: Station Fire (Largest wildfire in Los Angeles County)

2017: La Tuna Fire (Near Flintridge and La Canada)

2020: Bobcat Fire (Monrovia and Sierra Madre)

2025: Eaton Fire (In concurrence with Palisades Fire, recorded as most destructive L.A.

Indeed, there has to be more than ignition to sustain a catastrophic fire. A spark may start a fire but wind, in particular the Santa Ana winds; fuel, such as palm tree debris, dry and parched land; and exposure determine whether it becomes catastrophic. Before the area was highly populated, wildfires were allowed to just burn themselves out, but as more and more people built homes in the foothills, fire prevention became a major concern. Jane pointed out that Historian Will Durant said in 1948, “Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.”  

Jane watched and photographed the trucks as they came in and out of the fire zone. They operated from February to June making as many as 1500 trips a day. The trucks were organized by the Army Corps of Engineers and were solely dedicated to the clean-up of Altadena. The drivers came from all over the country and were remarkable for the compassion they demonstrated toward the residents. Kären Bagnard, who organized the event, reached out to the Army Corps of Engineers to extend invitations to all the truck drivers. While the man in charge was pleased that the invitation was extended to them, he reminded her that they work all over the country and work long hours, so the chances of any of them being able to come were not good.

Imagine the delight when, as Jane answered questions, two voices spoke up from the back of the room. Abraham Rodriguez and Fernando Aguilera were two of the drivers who took part in the clean-up of Altadena. Their remarks were enlightening as they told of their sense of duty to the job and their pride in being able to help the victims. They also took questions from the audience to which they responded willingly and eloquently. They received a warm round of applause from the people in attendance.

Abraham Rodriguez (L) Fernando Aguilera (R)

The uniqueness of Jane’s artistry brought a variety of responses from the attendees. Villager Mary Gandsey found the portrayal of the trucks as “a kind of renewal,” while Villager Arline Golden felt that each truck had a personality.

Jane was offering the drawings for sale, with all profits going to Pasadena Village. She also made calendars that were for sale with all the paintings included, again with the profits going to Pasadena Village - EXCEPT for those that went to the drivers! Each driver received a calendar, a treasure and a remembrance for a job well done.

From left: Fernando, Jane, Abraham

Anyone who has ever taken an art course of any kind learns that out of trauma, suppression, war etc. comes the drive to create, to render one’s feelings in a tangible form. Lucky for us – the viewers – that the artist speaks for all of us.

Just a small sampling. Go to the Village Office to see the rest!