Crews begin rebuilding work on Altadena woman's home destroyed by Eaton Fire

ALTADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- The road to recovery is underway for an Eaton Fire survivor whose home was destroyed during the January wildfires.

Her property was cleared a few weeks ago with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' debris removal program.

Like many Altadena residents, Margot Steuber lost everything in the Eaton Fire, and like many, rebuilding was a hopeful fantasy -- that is, until now.

"Well, it makes me very emotional," Steuber said. "My friends, we've all been wiped out in a single night, and it took a lot of crying at first."

Out of the ashes of despair, Steuber's faith and hope have come to fruition. Her Altadena property is ready for rebuilding, and she has designed the energy-efficient home of her dreams.

"It's very emotional for me that today, this new home will start," Steuber said. "So I start looking, instead of for the past, I start looking into the future."

More than 90 days after well over 16,000 homes and other buildings were destroyed by the Eaton and Palisades fires, rebuilding has begun.

"I envision myself sitting in front of a fireplace again, and hopefully with all of my neighbors, because a lot of my neighbors also will rebuild," Steuber said.

L.A. County supervisor Kathryn Barger is elated for Steuber and others who are in the rebuilding phase.

"It shows that we can rebuild and rebuild in a safe and effective way," Barger said. "I want to make sure that we provide the support that they need to rebuild their lives."

Before the rebuilding, Steuber's land was blessed in a special powwow ceremony.

"I got the blessing today of the powwow... for the land," Steuber said. "The blessing will help us, you know, with the help of all of our ancestors, to keep the land and to maintain the land, all the trees and the beauty of the land for the future."