Mountain Views News Saturday, November 29, 2025 

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges

[Nyerges is an educator and author. His many books can be seen at www.
SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.] 

PROFILES FROM THE ALTADENA FIRE: 

RAND VANCE 


Rand Vance moved to Altadena 

with his family when he was 

six years old. They lived near 
Glenrose and Figueroa, and Vance went to Jackson 
Elementary. Six years later, they moved to 
Loma Alta Avenue, where they lived until the 
fire. He graduated from John Muir High School. 
Vance began his electrical training at Muir H.S., 
became an electrical contractor, and worked at 
that profession until he retired in 2002. In his 
retirement, he enjoyed fixing up his home with 
his son, and was generally experiencing a comfortable 
retirement. 
Until January 7. 

On Tuesday, January 7, his power was out because 
workers were replacing the power poles in 
front of his house. They finished the job around 
noon, and the power came back on. Around that 
time, a strong wind began kicking up. 

The wind started blowing debris around, and 
Vance’s main concern was that now he’d have to 
clean up the yard again, just after he had a friend 
clean up the branches and debris from the yard. 
“Then the wind steadily got worse and worse, 
very strong, and I got a call around 4 p.m. from 
my cousin, who was up at the Zorthian Ranch 
where she took care of animals, and she told me 
there was a fire that started in Eaton Canyon. It 
wasn’t yet dark, and I figured the fire-fighters 
would put it out, as they usually do. I’m thinking, 
no worries. I have witnessed fires go across 
the hills, all the way across, going west, so I didn’t 
think much of it,” recalled Vance. 

But Vance reported that the fire just kept going 
on, and he was beginning to smell the smoke. 
Vance and his neighbor, retired fireman Geoge 
Baxter, drove east across Altadena to inspect the 
progress of the fire. They took at least four trips 
to check the progress of the fire. “We saw houses 
burning east of Maiden Lane, and the fire was 
blazing especially over by Altadena Drive. And it 
was moving westward, closer to our home. Still, 
the fire seemed mostly in the hills, not so much 
yet on the houses. At the top of Lake Avenue, we 
saw big bull dozers on trucks. We were just trying 
to see how close the fire might be getting to 
our homes,” said Vance. 

Vance’s son and son’s wife evacuated around 10 
p.m., with the 3 grandchildren, but Vance stayed. 
“I didn’t think I would need to evacuate, plus I 
had my dog. My son works for Brookside Country 
Club, and he told me to go to his office if I had 
to evacuate,” explains Vance. 

Vance and Baxter kept going back and forth to 
check on the fire, and the fire hadn’t reached Lake 
Avenue yet. “We saw the fire glowing in the east,” 
says Vance, and around 1 or 2 a.m., our power 
went out, even though the Loma Alta street 
lights were still on. And Kevin, another retired 
fireman who lived across the street from me, said 
to me that our power is about to go out.” 

Vance went back inside. He had no power but 
had his batteries that were charged. He brought 
his dog inside because the wind was so strong. 
He went and laid down for a bit, and he didn’t 
think the situation was urgent. “But then, there 
was so much smoke, so I decided to leave to my 
son’s job site.” 

However, Vance had forgotten his medication, 
and so he drove back to get them. It was around 
2 or 3 a.m., and he drove north on Windsor, and 
east on Figueroa to Glen Rose, and then north to 
his place. There was no power anywhere. When 
he got to Lincoln and Figueroa, “I saw a guy walking 
a sheep and llama on a leash, walking them 
down Figueroa to evacuate. I thought to myself, 
wow, this is really crazy,” explained Vance. 

He drove north on Glen Rose, before Altadena 
Drive, and saw a huge glow in the middle of the 
block. It was a house fully engulfed in flames. 
Vance said, “I thought, what is the fire doingdown this far? And not a single fire truck in 
sight.” 

As he drove towards his house, he saw another 
house fully engulfed in flames, with grass and 
shrubs burning, and embers flying everywhere. 
“But no houses on my street were on fire,” he 
adds. 

He got to his house, grabbed his medication 
and some clothes, and the wind was blowing so 
hard could the he could hardly get back to the 
car. “Embers were flying all around, hitting me 
and hitting the pine trees. I felt that we were not 
going to make it out of this one. “ When Vance 
returned to his son’s office, he got a phone call 
from George Baxter, who was putting out fires 
in the neighborhood, and trying to save things.
Baxter called backed in a while to tell Vance that 
two of his neighbor’s house across the street were 
on fire, and that Vance’s carport and tree were on 


fire. “I knew my house would burn,” said Vance 
with sadness. 

Baxter later told Vance that Vance’s house caught 
fire, and the fire spread to the house next door. 
Baxter was trying to put out fires with a hose, 
and his own motor home caught on fire. Soon, 
Baxter’s own house caught on fire. Baxter could 
hardly breath from the heavy smoke in the 
high winds, so he drove to a closed restaurant 
down the street to escape, and eventually Baxter’s 
brother took him to Emergency due to his 
breathing problems. 

Vance pauses in his recollection and points out 
that not once did he see a fire engine during the 
entire night. “There were at least 8 to 10 sheriff 
cars going up and down street with their lights 
on, though there was no broadcasting of an evacuation 
order.” 

“I only was able to take my dog and medication, 
and only 3 pajama bottoms,” he adds. He left 
his leather coats, pictures, everything of value 
to him. “There were embers flying everywhere 
when I came back but I really had no idea that 
the fire would get that far.” Vance never had a “go 
bag” because he never thought he would need 
it. “We’ve been through wind storms in the past, 
and never thought that anything like this would 
happen.” 
During the first night, he only briefly stayed at 
his son’s office in the Arroyo Seco. About 4:30 
a.m., he went to Jack in the Box to get some hamburgers 
for his dog. His plan was to spend the 
night at his uncle’s recording studio in Alhambra,
but other relatives also showed up at the studio 
and there wasn’t room for everyone. 

“I then drove east on Valley from Fremont all 
the way to El Monte and I finally found a vacant 
place, which was a terrible little place, with unclean 
towels, but I was exhausted so I checked 
in. I got up about 5 a.m. to let my dog out, and 
the card didn’t work when I tried to go back into 
the room.” Vance describes how it was “freezing” 
outside, and it took the owner about 20 minutes 
to get the door open. He quickly took his dog 
and drove away. Vance then drove to a hotel in 
Azusa where his friend Ceasar was staying (who 
also lost his house), and rented a room there. He 
then got an AirBnB in Azusa for a week, and then 
another in Arcada. In all, he moved 7 times until 
he found a place on Mountain in Pasadena where 
he is living with his family: his sone Rand II, 
daughter in law Jessica, and his three grandchildren, 
Carter Ray, Rand III, and youngest Hunter 
Wayne. 

Vance reports that nearly everything was destroyed 
in the fire, though workers were able to 
find his mother’s ashes. And a member of Samaritan’s 
Purse found his father’s old western 
gun. 

Vance has insurance money, which will last until 
February. He plans to rebuild, though because 
the original owner’s additions were not permitted, 
he cannot build the size house he would like 
to. So he plans to build an ADU on his property 
where he will live, and the family will live 
in the main house. “But I will still need financial 
assistance. I was under-insured, and we’ll be 
short about $200,000.” He figures that it will be at 
least a year before he gets back to his new home, 
though the construction hasn’t even started yet. 

Coincidentally, Vance’s neighbor is film documentarian 
Ondi Timoner, who made a film 
about the Altadena fire called “All the Walls 
Came Down.” Vance is featured in that film, 
and as a result, has also done some media interviews 
about the fire. “I’m a spiritual person,” saysVance, thinking about all that has happened to 
his family and his community. “I think that there 
is a reason for everything, and I think that God 
has a bigger plan for us.” 


Meet ALLEY! 

Alley, age 1.5, is a precious 
sweetheart! She's a resilient, 
playful, and quietly affectionate 
young cat with a 
heart of gold. Once found 
desperately trying to get food from a garbage can, she arrived 
at her foster home painfully skinny and truly starving. 
Over the last year, she has transformed into a healthy, 
spirited girl who’s ready for a loving forever home. If you’re 
looking for a gentle, playful cat with a touching rescue story 
and a soft, tender personality, Alley would love to meet you 


— especially if you have another young cat ready to be her 
friend. Please take a look at our page telling you all about 
this wonderful girl: https://www.lifelineforpets.org/alley.
html, or use the qr code. 
Pet of the Week 

Meet Roxy - a 10-year-old Siberian Husky at 
Pasadena Humane who is ready to spend theholidays in a loving, forever home! This sweetsenior girl has been through a lot, as she firstcame to Pasadena Humane during the EatonFire for emergency boarding. When her ownersadly could no longer care for her, Roxy wassurrendered into the shelter’s care. Despiteeverything, she remains the gentlest soul.
During a recent adoption event, she was thestar of the show, happily accepting treats andpets from everyone who stopped by. She is oftendescribed by staff as a “perfect girl”.

 Roxy recently underwent a surgery to repaira severe knee tear that had made everyday 
movement painful. Thanks to an incredible 
outpouring of support, her surgery was a success,
and she’s now healing beautifully in her foster home. She’s expected to make a full recoveryand enjoy a future of pain-free walks, cuddles, and playtime. Now all she needs is her foreverfamily.Roxy’s adoption fee is waived through the month of November in honor of Adopt aSenior Pet Month, so if you’re looking for a gentle, grateful, holiday-ready companion, pleaseconsider adopting sweet Roxy, for free!The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptionsinclude spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

 
Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 10:00 – 5:00. View photos of adoptable petsat pasadenahumane.org.
New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA AnimalHospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet. 
Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phonecalls or email. 


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