Lessons of survival and resilience from the Eaton fire in California

WBUR

Published August 19, 2026 at 11:55 AM EDT

The sun sets over damage from the Eaton Fire, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, California. (Nic Coury/AP)

When Nikki High had to evacuate her home during the Eaton fire in January of 2025, she was unsure if it would be standing when she returned. Her home survived, as did Octavia’s Bookshelf, the local bookstore she owns in Pasadena, California, Octavia’s Bookshelf.

As the fire raged on, High turned the bookstore into a mutual aid hub for her local community.

Here & Now‘s Indira Lakshmanan speaks with High about the lessons she learned from that time about community and resilience in the face of devastation.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Related Content

In new filings, Kennedy Center says it won't try to put Trump's name on facade until Sept. 8

Anastasia Tsioulcas

Lawyers for Rep. Joyce Beatty asked a judge to rule speedily on the complex's renovation and entrance tarp. The National Symphony Orchestra also announced its new season, away from the Kennedy Center.
Why Aitana's 'Superestrella' is the surprise Latin hit song of the summer

Anamaria Artemisa Sayre

There's a reason why the escapist hit from singer Aitana has swept most of the Spanish-language world.
Why does the U.S. military seem stymied in the war with Iran?

Dave Davies

Defense analyst Stacie Pettyjohn says while the U.S. military is facing long-range missile shortages, prolonged deployments and vacated regional bases, Iran is building cheaper weapons quickly.
This high-speed star is whipping around the black hole in the middle of our galaxy

Ari Daniel

Researchers have identified a speed demon at the heart of the Milky Way. This fast-moving star may yield insights into the black hole parked at the center of our galaxy.
A real-world study of Oregon's nonmedical psilocybin program shows promise

Will Stone

Oregon was the first state to establish a legalized and regulated psilocybin industry. Since then, thousands have tried magic mushrooms. Here is the latest data from the state's real-life experiment.

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.