On January 7th, a fire broke out in Eaton Canyon, located within the San Gabriel Mountains just a few miles away from EF Academy. It quickly spread into Altadena and Pasadena, devastating communities and forcing evacuations.
Due to the wildfire’s enormous impact, EF Academy delayed the start of the new semester by one week. Even after resuming, the entire school community was affected and students on campus faced several issues.
Due to the campus evacuation, students who had already boarded their flights before receiving an email from the school about the delayed start stayed first in the Homewood Suites in Anaheim, then moved to the Hilton Garden Inn in Irvine for the last day. Those who had not boarded their flights yet had to cancel their reservations, disrupting their travel plans.
As the location of the fire moved further northeast and to the other side of the mountain range, EF Academy classes resumed on January 13th. Students who were staying in the hotel returned to the campus, and students who were in their home country started rescheduling their flights.
Although school resumed on January 13th, several issues affected the community, such as a different structure and schedule of classes, unstable internet service, and unsafe water.
The delayed start of school had different impacts on students’ travel plans. Margo, an 11th grader, had to “change travel plans multiple times to avoid fires” and she even left Los Angeles once and came back a week after school started.
The situation created confusion among the students who had already boarded their flight before receiving information about the school closure. Seojun, a 10th grader, was surprised upon arrival at the airport when he was informed he would be going to a hotel instead of school. He added how he was “embarrassed” because he “did not know anything about the situation” and he thought he was going straight to school until the driver told him.
Students were able to stay in the hotel in Anaheim with great support from EF Explore America, which helped EF Academy to book large blocks of rooms in this challenging situation where most hotel rooms were in high demand, particularly for displaced families in the Los Angeles area. The boarding students and the faculty members who live on campus were all in the hotel in Orange County. Approximately 100 students stayed in the hotel. Excursion passes to Disneyland and the Irvine Spectrum mall were offered, which allowed students to have a chance to go outside.
The irregular school schedules caused some difficulties for several students in adjusting schedules and academic plans. Thy, a 12th grader, expressed some frustration “because the schedule wasn’t consistent.” Margo stated that “the beginning of the semester was a bit rough since everybody seemed a little off” and thought “it made it a bit difficult to smoothly transition into the academic environment.” However, she added that this situation was “completely understandable given the circumstances” and she thinks “school was extremely understanding and helpful.”
Irene, an 11th grader, mentioned how she had to “review more material than usual” and “put in extra hours to catch up and prepare for the AP exam.” In addition, she observed how the situation was challenging for new students in particular because “they had to familiarize themselves with the school system, which was already different from the usual due to the delay.”
Internet service was also inconsistent for approximately two weeks after the fire. Both faculty members and students struggled to manage classes and work due to the outage. The first week of classes was led by assignments that did not require the usage of a computer. This situation made it difficult for the teachers as well since they had to be flexible and quickly adapt to an alternative method of learning style.
Sue, an 11th grader expressed her frustration, mentioning that “I wasn’t able to study” using a computer, which made it difficult for her to access study materials and keep up with her academics. Furthermore, she emphasized how this disruption “definitely impacted” her academic plans as she relied on digital resources when studying.
As Pasadena was under a water quality advisory, students were also restricted from consuming water that they could not use for drinking, cooking, washing dishes, brushing teeth, etc. Showering was allowed if consumption of the water was cautiously avoided.
EF Academy ensured that the students were all well educated about the safe usage of water on campus and provided enough bottled water. Seojun expressed his appreciation. The “school offered us a bunch of bottled water, which helped me a lot,” he said.
Aina, a 12th grader, reflected on her unexpected anxiety, mentioning “I never thought I’d be afraid of water, but I was” and she felt like “something so normal had suddenly become dangerous.”
Beyond these concerns, the devastation of the Eaton Fire left a deep emotional impact on the students. Irene expressed “heartbreak” seeing people around her lose their homes. In addition, Sue mentioned how some of her friends lost their homes and had to find temporary housing. She pointed out that “knowing that some people had to go through such a traumatic experience in our community” was difficult.
Ray, a 10th grader, mentioned that “some of my friends lost their homes” which he “felt awful” about and “wished that he could do more to help.” These situations made him comprehend how the situation was very heavy and the enormous and terrifying impact a wildfire can cause. He added that “the fire was truly tragic.”
Yutaro, a 12th grader, was staying at his home in Los Angeles and saw the alarming effects of the spreading smoke. He was “shocked” by what he was seeing and he said that “it was hard to understand and believe the reality of the situation.” He discovered traces of ash inside his home, which indicated the severity of the conditions.
Many students mentioned that their perspectives on wildfires have changed throughout this experience, which increased their awareness of wildfires and the importance of disaster preparedness. Irene stated that this experience “definitely changed my perspective” since she acknowledged that she previously “underestimated” the severity of wildfires in California, but now she was able to “understand the importance of wildfire prevention and disaster preparedness.”
Although the Eaton fire affected EF Academy vastly, students believe that EF Academy was able to respond and manage the situation quickly and efficiently. Despite the difficulty of the situation, Margo respects the school’s “consistent communication with both students and parents” and how they “sent out newsletters every day,” which her “parents appreciated” a lot as well.
In addition, Seojun shared that although his parents were worried about his stay at the hotel, “the consistent communication” from EF Academy helped both students and families navigate the uncertain circumstances with greater understanding, fostering “relief.”
Students were able to recognize the importance of coming together in times of crisis throughout this experience. The shared challenges fostered an appreciation for the resilience and adaptability of their community. Many students reflected on how the united support from peers, faculty, and staff helped them navigate the difficulties, strengthening a sense of unity.
This experience not only deepened their understanding of the severity of disaster but also highlighted the significance of preparedness, empathy, and collective resilience in overcoming hardship.
The Eaton Fire was a profound and challenging experience for the EF Academy community, interrupting academic life, travel plans, and daily routines. However, EF Academy’s community demonstrated significant resilience, adaptability, and unity. While the delayed start and irregular schedules with several other issues including internet access and water quality concerns created significant obstacles, the collective support and immediate response from the school helped ease the transition back to normal.
This experience not only increased the awareness of wildfire risks, severity, and the importance of disaster preparedness but also deepened students’ empathy for those directly affected. Although the Eaton Fire left a lasting emotional and physical impact, it also strengthened the bonds within the EF Academy community, proving that solidarity and support are significant and can make a difference in times of hardship.
