In the aftermath of devastating wildfires sweeping through the Altadena area, defiant homeowners are taking security into their own hands, as reported by Fox News.
Armed and ready, a handful of residents have ignored evacuation orders to protect their homes and neighborhoods from looters. The fires, which have claimed at least 24 lives, have left communities scorched, and for some residents, the fight for survival has extended beyond battling flames.
Among those standing their ground are Mike Leroy and Billy Theodorakopoulos, who told Fox News Digital they stayed behind to protect their properties, despite the official evacuation mandate.
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“We had one incident, early on,” Leroy recounted. “But nothing afterwards. We’ve been seeing a lot of patrol, especially the past few nights.”
Initially, the two men attempted to fight the flames themselves, using garden hoses to soak their roofs and yards. When a garage fire erupted dangerously close to a car’s gas tank, firefighters briefly assisted before moving on to more pressing emergencies.
Left on their own, Leroy and Theodorakopoulos decided to remain and deter potential looters.
Theodorakopoulos’ wife, Maggie, added a dash of humor to their tense situation. “Now I’ve renamed it ‘Texadena,’ since we’re all walking around with our guns and stuff,” she joked. But the humor belies the harsh reality of their predicament.
The remaining residents have resorted to setting up a makeshift camp, complete with a solar-powered shower. They are calling on neighbors to return and help bolster their efforts.
“We need the neighbors to come home so that we can take a break,” Theodorakopoulos said. “And No. 2, we need more vigilance… There’s only six of us in a three-block radius to cover all this, and there’s a lot more territory here.”
Reports from The Wall Street Journal earlier this week detailed armed homeowners questioning strangers who appeared in the closed-off community, underscoring the heightened tensions in Altadena.
Law enforcement is cracking down on looting and arson, with at least a dozen arrests so far. Prosecutors in Los Angeles and Orange counties have called for harsher penalties, urging the governor to take action against criminals exploiting the disaster.
Signs warning “Looters will be shot” have appeared across the affected neighborhoods, reflecting the homeowners’ determination to defend their ground.
LA residents put up strong warning signs in their neighborhoods for any looters taking advantage of the wildfire evacuations.
‘Looters will be Shot.’ pic.twitter.com/ePKRi19Kar
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) January 13, 2025
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has reiterated the importance of evacuation orders. While these orders are mandatory, evacuation warnings are advisory. Authorities continue to urge residents to stay ready to leave with essentials, including pets and important documents.
As the fires continue to burn, so too does the resolve of Altadena’s holdouts. With only a handful of people guarding their community, their vigilance is a reminder of the strength and self-reliance that many Americans value deeply.
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