Reports of squatters taking over LA fire burn zones worrying Eaton Fire survivors

Squatters take over areas destroyed by Eaton Fire

A TikToker shared videos of alleged squatters taking over Altadena land previously destroyed by the Eaton Fire.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - Residents in the Los Angeles fire burn zones are expressing their concerns about squatters taking over their burned properties.

Luke Melchior, a contractor working in the burn areas, posted a video this week to Instagram claiming two trailers on burned lots in Altadena were occupied by squatters.

Melchior says neighbors told him about the locations and that they didn’t recognize those living there. The contractor’s Instagram video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in two days.

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"Perhaps if the precedent wasn’t what it is, LA allows squatters and has historically, people wouldn’t be so concerned," said Melchior.

On Wednesday, FOX 11 spoke with one man living in a tent and trailer at a property in question.

"I’m not a squatter," he replied. "This is my mom’s property, private property."

A spokesperson from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department sent FOX 11 a statement regarding the claims of squatters on burned lots.

"We are aware of a social media post circulating regarding individuals reportedly living in recreational vehicles (RVs) and squatting on vacant lots in Altadena," said the LASD spokesperson. "Deputies from Altadena Station have visited both locations referenced in the post and have previously contacted all parties involved. Our investigations found that the individuals in question were residents of Altadena prior to the devastating Altadena Eaton Fire on January 7, 2025."

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"I’ve talked to multiple sheriff’s deputies, and they said, ‘Oh yeah, we’ve received multiple reports of squatters,’" said Melchior. "Then, I see an official statement that says the opposite."

California governor candidate Steve Hilton saw the video and wanted to visit the questioned properties for himself on Wednesday.

"As Luke makes the point, you’ve got 12,000 lots, it’s a squatter’s paradise," said Hilton. "Squatting across the state is a massive problem. We saw a [squatter] house burn down in Hollywood not that long ago, I believe you covered that. The system seems to be on the side of the people that do the wrong thing."

Fire destroys LA home taken over by squatters

A vacant Hollywood home was destroyed by a fire Thursday after squatters took over the building.

Off camera, a member of the LASD tells FOX 11 the two cases in Melchior’s video are family-related property disputes. However, they also say since January they have responded "quickly" and confronted "a handful" of squatters in Altadena.

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A spokesperson from LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office sent FOX 11 the written statement below.

"Supervisor Barger's office hasn't received any calls or complaints from Eaton Fire constituents about squatters on their private property," said the spokesperson. "Upon seeing the Instagram video flagged by the LA Times yesterday, the Supervisor's office contacted LASD's Altadena Sheriff Station to see if they had received any complaints about squatters from local property owners. The Supervisor's office is aware deputies in Altadena have been diligently working to enforce RV parking. Supervisor Barger has directed the Department of Regional Planning to share the list of temporary housing permits with the LASD Altadena station so they can keep track and coordinate their efforts."