This story was originally published by Capital & Main.
Two days after a massive fire broke out in nearby Eaton Canyon, dozens of volunteers gathered at the Pasadena Community Job Center. The center, which connects immigrant day laborers with work in construction, painting and other manual trades, became the starting point for an effort to clear fallen trees blocking sidewalks and roadways in a nearby predominantly immigrant neighborhood.
As José Madera, the center’s director, gave instructions, he also had a message to share: As the climate crisis contributes to bigger disasters, immigrant communities must pull together to support one another. “Only the community saves the community,” said Madera, who would repeat that mantra throughout the day. “A lot of undocumented families will not get the support they need from FEMA [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] and the government.”
On Jan. 7, the Eaton Fire ignited in the mountains overlooking Pasadena and nearby Altadena, sending evacuation alerts to phones across the region. Aided by hurricane-force winds, the fire damaged or destroyed almost 7,000 structures and killed at least 24 people. Madera, who was born and raised in Pasadena, was forced to evacuate his family. “They had to evacuate twice, because the fire spread,” he told me.