Altadena’s beloved Christmas Tree Lane — a mile‑long, century‑old tradition that draws bumper‑to‑bumper visitors — lit up again after coming close to being lost. Nearly a year after a deadly wildfire ripped through the area in January, destroying about 9,000 structures and killing 19 people, hundreds of volunteers returned to string more than 20,000 lights along the tunnel of trees.
Most debris is gone now, and while many residents left after the blaze, the tree lighting felt like a homecoming: a beacon of hope and a first step toward rebuilding. More than 15,000 people attended the Saturday lighting, which organizers and longtime residents described as bringing joy, togetherness and a sense that the community will endure.
The tradition began in 1920; this year’s event underscored how those shared rituals can help stitch a community back together after loss. Carter Evans reported for CBS News.