After a late wake-up on January 10, Sarah A. ’27 leaves the comfort of her bed to join her close friend Pip D. ’27 in the neighboring room. Together, they toast waffles, finish lingering homework, and set out on bike for their daily adventure. This has been the two best friends’ morning routine since Pip evacuated to Sarah’s house, living there temporarily until her family can move back to their Altadena home.

During the Eaton and Palisades fires, hundreds of thousands of people were forced to evacuate. Among these were just under 100 Westridge families who were mandated to leave their homes to find shelter far from the fires. While many turned to relatives, a few turned to their Westridge friends. Even weeks after the fires began, many families with still-standing houses are unable to return for a multitude of reasons—including poor water quality, residual power outages, and the toxic substances unearthed by the damage.

When Pip D. ’27 evacuated from her Altadena home on January 7 at 8:00 p.m., Sarah A. ’27 was eager to be able to provide temporary living arrangements.

While there were initial concerns between Sarah and Pip over differing bedtimes and shared space, the pair found comfort in spending time together. As Sarah described it, they established “perfect boundaries.”

While Pip moved in with her friend, her family found other housing. Still, Pip brought her two cats to Sarah’s house. “I had my own room. I think that helped a lot,” said Pip.

Over the course of five days spent together, Pip and Sarah spent time biking and playing with Pip’s cats.

Sarah also emphasized the importance of coming together to support friends and avoid isolation during this difficult time. “If she didn’t come, we’d both probably just be in bed watching TikTok at [different] houses,” said Sarah. During Sarah and Pip’s stay together, they were able to find normalcy and stability within each other.

Still, they were not the only pair that were able to find some comfort within each other. When freshman Macy Z. found out that her close friend Claire H. ’28 needed a place to stay, she was thankful to be able to offer support. “Absolutely,” Macy said. 

The warm welcome made Claire feel “stable and grateful.” “It was nice to have a supportive community around me,” she said. 

During the 11 days Claire spent living with Macy, they volunteered at the Pasadena Convention Center, which served as an evacuation center for the Eaton fire. Over two days, the pair sorted donations and served food.

Claire and Macy felt excited to occupy their time with volunteering while Westridge was not in session. The friends agreed that their days were “packed,” as Claire said, between volunteering and other activities.

The outreach and support felt and expressed by Pip and Claire’s communities was abundant. “I’ve had overwhelming support [even on the] first day of the fire. It’s insane how many people have texted me and were DMing me—people I haven’t even heard of in so long,” said Pip.

“It’s so nice that people are forming a community and working through tragic times [together],” said Macy.

As of January 18, Claire’s family was able to move back into her Sierra Madre home. Pip’s family is hoping to move back to their Altadena home mid-February, once the home can be cleaned of the wind and fire damage.