In 2025, two brothers stayed through California’s Eaton Fire to protect their parents’ 65-year-old home; they saved it and, their family says, helped save nearby homes too

Justin Murphy had gotten his 93-year-old mother, Jane, out of their Altadena home when the Eaton Fire began bearing down on the neighborhood in the early hours of Jan. 8, 2025, following which he went back to the house with his brother. The two spent the night using hoses and sprinklers to fight the fire and protect the property, which their parents had bought 65 years earlier. The main home survived, although a detached garage and study were destroyed, KQED reported in March 2025.The Murphy home stood on a secluded cul-de-sac in northeast Altadena with views toward the San Gabriel Mountains, and KQED reported that eight homes had stood on the street for more than a century. Only two houses remained by the time Murphy returned weeks after the fire: his mother's house and a neighbor's home across the street, while the rest had burned.The Eaton Fire began on Jan. 7 near Altadena and Pasadena, and CAL FIRE records show that the blaze eventually burned 14,021 acres and destroyed more than 9,000 structures. It was declared contained on Jan. 31 after 24 days. The immediate problem for the Murphys was to keep the flames from taking hold of the property. Justin and his brother worked through the night as embers and fire moved through the neighborhood, after they made sure that their mother was safe before returning to defend the house.The house was not the only thing they were trying to protectJane Murphy later told KQED that she believed her sons' actions may have protected other homes on the street as well, with her reasoning being that if the Murphy house and the neighboring property had both caught fire, the flames could have spread to other homes farther downwind. Justin later told KQED that he believed that their actions prevented the fire from gaining a foothold in the house. He created a text chain that provided updates to more than a dozen people who had left the area. There were checkpoints that restricted access to Altadena after the fire, and those updates became one way for residents outside the neighborhood to learn what was happening around their homes.Los Angeles County's recovery records now describe the Eaton Fire as a massive wildfire that consumed more than 14,000 acres and destroyed more than 9,000 structures in Altadena. The county continues to operate recovery programs for residents whose homes and properties were damaged or destroyed.The fire moved through Altadena under extreme conditionsThe Eaton Fire started at about 6:18 p.m. on Jan. 7, according to the final CAL FIRE record, and the agency lists the cause as electrical. On Jan. 8, the record described strong winds, low humidity and dry fuels that were contributing to rapid fire growth and spot fires. The agency reported that firefighters were working to protect critical infrastructure while multiple structures were already being damaged or destroyed.Los Angeles County reported that the Eaton Fire had burned 14,021 acres by Jan. 24, with 9,418 structures destroyed and 1,073 damaged, but those numbers were still subject to verification as damage inspections continued. The Murphy house was among the small number of properties that remained standing on its street. The garage and study were gone, but the main residence was still usable.Returning to a neighborhood that had changedJustin remained in Altadena after the immediate danger passed while much of the neighborhood was still under restrictions. KQED reported that military-enforced security checkpoints prevented many people from returning for roughly two weeks. Murphy was detained several times while moving around the area, but if he left through a checkpoint, it could mean losing the ability to return.His mother eventually went back to the house once the checkpoints were lifted, and KQED reported that she resumed her regular two-mile walks through the neighborhood even as burned properties surrounded her. The family's house was still standing, but the street around it had been transformed; it had once been eight homes but was reduced to two. The Eaton Fire's wider recovery has continued through rebuilding programs, debris removal, infrastructure work and assistance for residents across Altadena. Los Angeles County maintains a dedicated recovery portal for the community. The property the Murphy family bought 65 years earlier survived the fire with part of the house intact, but the detached garage and study were lost, while most of the surrounding homes were destroyed.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.