After authorities reopened parts of Altadena for the first time since the Eaton fire, residents returned to a grim checkerboard of destroyed homes next to others that were largely spared.

Aerial drone footage shows the burnt landscape of Altadena, California after fire crews were able to contain a big portion of the Eaton Fire, one of several wildfires that displaced Los Angeles County residents in January.

As the winds and the fires die down, the stark reality of what was lost still ignites mental and emotional anguish. One family who planted their roots in Altadena 30 years ago may never get to return to the lives they built.