When the Eaton Fire broke out, it moved fast—driven by high winds and dry vegetation—threatening homes near the north end of Pasadena and parts of Altadena. The terrain was difficult to access, and a dwindling water supply put homes at even greater risk. But the fire met a stronger force: the resilience and resolve of the Riverside County Fire Department, including heroes from right here in Temecula.
Among them was Fire Captain Will Smith of Engine 73, who led a strike team of five engines and included Fire Apparatus Engineer Gabriel Hernandez, Firefighter II Paramedic Austin Gracia and Firefighter II Cameron Cable. The fire demanded an aggressive, fast response. Their first task was on the east side of the fire, defending structures along Valleylights Drive.
Gracia described the smoke and wind conditions as a “sandstorm filled with embers,” while Hernandez called it one of the fastest-moving fires he had ever seen. It was chaos—low visibility, exploding gas tanks, burning homes. And still, they pushed forward.
“Our initial assignment was structure protection in Altadena. Once the wheels stopped, we knew it was time to get to work,” Gracia said. When hydrants ran dry, the team resorted to garden hoses and even pool water to fight back the flames.
“We passed dozens of burning homes on our way in,” Cable recalled. “We defended a group of about seven homes, constantly patrolling as wind and debris caused yard furnishings and decking to reignite within minutes.”
Cable remembers watching the homes across the street, and up the hill, burn to the ground with ferocious intensity as the wind howled. “It’s hard to describe the emotions that moment left me with,” he said. Later, they were reassigned to the fire’s western edge, near L.A. County Fire Station 12. Two homes on Mendicino Avenue were already consumed. But with the help of an off-duty firefighter and local resident, Darren Lloyd, the team held the line, flowing water until sunrise to protect the surrounding homes.
After a brief moment to refuel and hydrate in Pasadena, they returned to Altadena. Daylight revealed the devastation—charred landscapes, collapsed houses, and a silence that felt surreal. “It felt like we were alone,” Cable said.
When approaching their next assignment, they were waved down by homeowner, Debra Ross, asking for help in saving their home. The team stopped the engine, coming to their aid. Cable tried to extinguish a home on the other side of a fence that had begun to burn. His attempt was unsuccessful, meaning he had to reevaluate the situation by checking the other side of the house to see if the fire was quickly spreading into the neighboring home.
Just as they began to make progress, a nearby telephone pole began to collapse, forcing the crew to withdraw. When they returned two days later, they saw what they had feared—every home past the pole had burned. But miraculously, Ross’s home and others they defended still stood.
“Structure protection in a fire like this is always a team effort,” Gracia said. “We worked closely with CAL FIRE units, local departments, and hand crews. That collaboration kept the fire from jumping into neighborhoods and saved countless homes.”
The destruction was staggering: melted cars, blackened homes, smoke-choked streets. But amidst the loss, residents expressed overwhelming gratitude. And the firefighters remained, continuing to serve long after the initial flames were gone.
“These incidents take a toll,” Cable admitted. “We work long hours under extreme stress—physical, emotional, and mental. But the support we get from the community really does make a difference.”
He also emphasized the broader network of responders: “Without dispatchers, law enforcement, ambulance crews, and support teams, we couldn’t do our job. Everyone who serves plays a role in protecting our communities.”
“I can’t express the appreciation we have. Thank you, but we are just doing our job. Although tough at times, it’s what we do,” Hernandez said.
“We don’t do this job for recognition. We do it because we care about our communities, and we want people to be safe. Every call we go on, we’re putting ourselves between danger and the people we serve. It’s not easy, but we train for this, and we’re proud to stand alongside our brothers and sisters in the fire service. Whether it’s fighting flames or saving lives, we’re always ready to answer that call,” Gracia said.
First responders, Temecula’s protectors, do it because they care about the job. “We want to do the best job for the situation that we are called to. I'm also glad to live in the community that I protect,” Smith said.