‘It’s All Gone’: A Latino Family’s Heartbreaking Reality After the LA Fires
The LA Fires tore through neighborhoods, forcing thousands to flee. Among them were Jeff and Jodi Moreno, a Latino family from Altadena, California, who lost the home they had spent nearly two decades building. Now, they’re navigating the painful process of starting over.
‘It’s Gone. It’s All Gone.’: The Night the LA Fires Changed Everything
The Morenos had lived in their home for 18 years. Just six months ago, they completed a long-awaited renovation, transforming their house into what they believed would be their “forever home.” That dream went up in flames in the early hours of January 8th.
“We were primarily focused on the extreme winds through the first part of the evening,” Jodi Moreno told WeAreMitú. “The wind had been unlike anything we had seen before in that area.” They were worried about a large oak tree near their home but didn’t think the fire would reach them.
Then, at 2:30 a.m., they heard the sheriff’s car on a bullhorn: Evacuate. Now.
They grabbed a few things and left for Jodi’s brother’s home and then a friend’s house in San Marino, still believing their house would survive. But at 11:30 a.m., Jeff received a devastating call from a neighbor: “Jeff, it’s gone. It’s all gone. It’s just chimneys.”
Jeff and Jodi walked behind a garage and cried together before breaking the news to their daughters. “Sharing with our daughters will stick with me for a long time. We all held each other for a couple of hours,” Jodi said. “I just couldn’t wrap my head around that this had happened.”
The Reality of Losing a Home to the fires: ‘It Was the Backdrop of Our Lives’
The Morenos’ house was more than just a place to live—it was the heart of their family’s history. “It was really the backdrop of our lives, the center place where we saw everything being anchored,” Jodi said.
Jodi had carefully saved mementos from her late parents, pieces of their family’s past that told their story. All of it, gone. “Our house was filled with artifacts that told the story of the generations and told the story of our family and our travels and our triumphs. It is those things that break my heart the most when I think about what was lost.”
Their daughters are struggling to adjust, especially their eldest, who worries about leaving for college without a home to return to. “Our girls have lost their sense of security and rest,” Jodi shared. “The layers are deep. We continue to peel back and see and feel new grief all the time.”
Finding a Place to Live After the LA Fires Has Been a Struggle
Since losing their home, the Morenos have been moving from place to place. “By the time we move into our long-term housing, it will have been our sixth location since the fire,” Jodi said.
They’ve been lucky to have support from friends and family, but the instability is exhausting. “We are looking for rentals in the Altadena area so that our daughters can stay in the same school district,” she explained. But finding a place that fits five people has been nearly impossible. “Living week to week is not something we can handle for the long term.”
The Kindness That’s Kept Them Going
Despite the overwhelming loss, the Morenos have been carried by the kindness of their community. “There are countless examples I could share of small and precious and beautiful things people have done for us,” Jodi said. “Each one has meant so much to us. It is hard to describe what it’s like to be on the receiving end of that much.”
Their network of friends, family, and neighbors has provided shelter, financial help, and emotional support. “We have had no choice but to lean on those around us,” Jodi admitted. “We understand how lucky we are to have such a wide net.”
Rebuilding After the LA Fires: ‘It Requires a Lot of Patience’
The road to rebuilding will be long. “We don’t yet know some of the timetables for cleaning up the burnt debris,” Jodi said. They need to find an architect and a contractor and navigate county approvals—all while thousands of others in the same area are trying to do the same. “The exact time that we will be able to break ground on a new home is still possibly years away.”
Emotionally, the process is even more complicated. “I just want what I had back, just the way it was, immediately,” Jodi admitted. But she knows that’s not possible. “We bought a house in this neighborhood because we love the hundred-year-old architecture of a California Cottage. Much of that will not be able to be recaptured in a brand new build.”
Even when they rebuild, they won’t know what their neighborhood will look like. “We’re chasing what we had and don’t know what our neighborhood will be like when all the construction is done. So emotionally, it feels like you’re chasing a dream.”
The Cost of the LA Fires Is More Than Just Financial
Like many families affected by the LA Fires, the Morenos are facing a reality they never imagined. Their story reminds us of the human cost behind the headlines—the loss of memories, stability, and a sense of home.
As Los Angeles rebuilds, families like the Morenos will have to navigate an uncertain future—one step, one brick, one memory at a time.
