Rosa Olvera and her baby Mia speak with a Volunteer.
By Dave Wagner, Red Cross Volunteer
Rosa Olvera, a single mom, and her two young daughters very nearly perished as the fast-moving Eaton Fire forced them from their home in Altadena, CA.
“There was a power outage in the afternoon” recalls Olvera. “There was a lot of wind, but I didn’t see fire. I fell asleep with the kids, and I woke up choking from the smoke. I opened my eyes, and I saw orange and red through the window.”
When Olvera went to the window and looked out, she saw “the roof of the parking structure was starting to catch fire. I opened the window and screamed to the firefighters that I was in the apartment with my daughters. The firefighters broke down the door and covered us with blankets. They got us to my car, and we headed out,” she remembers.
After driving out of the danger area, Olvera stopped to check on her girls. “I turned to them in the back seat and they were completely still, maybe unconscious. I splashed water on their faces, and they started to cough and cry. Black mucus was coming out of their nose.”
“I have no family here, so I called the girl’s dad for help. He said I should go to the shelter.”
Olvera found that most of her neighbors from the apartment building had also found their way to the shelter. The next day, one of the neighbors sent her photos of her apartment. The firefighters had saved the building but there was heavy damage to Olvera’s unit. “I’m thankful we got out,” she said.
Three-year-old Camilla is enjoying her stay at the shelter. There are plenty of toys and games to play, and plenty of other kids to play with. But she is having a hard time processing the evacuation and loss of her home. In her few words, she says repeatedly, “No house. Fire.”
“Blankets, formula, diapers,” said Olvera of the supplies she is receiving from the Red Cross. “We’re getting everything we need here. The food is pretty good, and they have different things for the girls. Even applesauce and baby food for Mia.”
Olvera knows that she will need help finding a new apartment, along with replacing all the contents that were destroyed. The Red Cross has assured her that they will help her young family to get a new start . . . and she is counting on that.
Families like the Olvera's are depending on the Red Cross for assistance now, and we need your support. Please help people affected by the 2025 California Wildfires by making a donation at redcross.org today.
Rosa and her young daughter get updates from a Volunteer.
Rosa's children smile for the camera, three-year-old Camilla and baby Mia.
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