What California families saved before wildfires destroyed their homes

Generations’ worth of artwork

Courtney Tindall, a painter and educator, was thrilled when a home became available for rent in Altadena. She and her partner, Bobak Lotfipour, loved the area’s eclectic arts scene and moved in with their 2-year-old son three months ago. They hadn’t completely unpacked when the Eaton Fire erupted, forcing them to leave the night of Jan. 7.

The electricity cut out as the couple scrambled to assemble their belongings. Courtney, who walked around the house holding a candle so she could see, packed up paintings she couldn’t imagine living without — her own work, pieces by her late grandmother, even a paint-by-numbers image depicting a ballerina that her mom made as a child.

“I’m 42 years old and I’ve had that paint-by-numbers in every apartment I’ve ever lived in,” she said. “I had that in my room as a child growing up.”

The more she prepared to evacuate, the more her sense of imminent danger intensified. The prospect of losing her home grew more real, overwhelming her.

“I could feel my hands shaking,” she said. “There are some things I don’t even remember putting in our bags.”