Altadena’s historic Christmas Tree Lane glows on after Eaton Fire

ALTADENA, Calif. - Altadena's historic Christmas Tree Lane is set to light up again on Saturday, Dec. 6, serving as a hopeful milestone for the community recovering from the Eaton Fire.

What we know:

Starting Saturday, more than 20,000 lights will flicker back on along the trees lining nearly a mile of Santa Rosa Avenue, near the fire's burn scar. 

While some of the lights and branches were damaged by the fierce winds that drove January's flames, and a few homes were scorched, none of the 153 deodar cedars—some reaching 130 feet tall—were lost. 

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This year's display will feature thousands of additional lights funded by a donation from Walt Disney Co. 

The ceremony will also include a moment of silence for the 19 Altadena residents who died in the disaster. Longtime volunteer families will help flip the switch alongside LA County supervisor Kathryn Barger.

Local perspective:

Every holiday season, thousands of people from throughout Southern California make the trip to Altadena to cruise under the glowing canopy. 

Organizers expect a larger-than-usual turnout for Saturday's 6 p.m. kickoff.

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The backstory:

Christmas Tree Lane is a historic lighting display that dates back to 1920. 

It relies entirely on volunteers who spend months stringing lights onto the towering deodar cedars using ropes and pulleys.

In its 105-year history, the display has only gone dark during moments of crisis, such as World War II and the 1970s Energy Crisis.

What they're saying:

Scott Wardlaw, president of the Christmas Tree Lane Association, confirmed that organizers debated canceling the event this year. 

He told LAist, "We did talk about whether it would be depressing because of what was lost. But people were urging us to do it again and saying, `Please put the event on and put those lights up."'

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Mikayla Arevalo, who coordinates volunteers for the association, commented on the display’s simple appeal, telling LAist, "It's just the simplest thing ever—just lights in a tree. I feel like that's what made us so special. We're not bright. We're not flashy."

Wardlaw added that the return of the display symbolizes the community's spirit: "The thing that's impressive to me, that symbolizes Christmas Tree Lane—it's the people."