Amid catastrophic loss, mighty San Gabriel Mountains beckon

In the post-Eaton fire rebuild, columnist seeks ideas for path ahead

- STEVE LOPEZ COLUMNIST

McGREGOR tries to enjoy nature and not be angry with litterbugs.

In December 2020, a reader suggested I get in touch with a young Pasadena man named Edgar McGregor, who was approaching 500 straight days of picking up trash in local parks, including Eaton Canyon.

I connected with McGregor by email but then got sidetracked by other things, as did he.

McGregor, now 25, still is picking up trash, and he also picked up a climate science degree at San José State in 2023. He operates a weather forecasting service out of his home, with a focus on the foothill communities of the San Gabriel Mountains, and has a keen interest in Santa Ana winds. This brought him a sizable following of people who paid close attention to his forecasts,

In his home office, McGregor studied computerized weather data and saw the makings of a monster.

He knew the Santa Ana windstorm bearing down on the Altadena area would be catastrophic, and after a fire sparked in Eaton Canyon, possibly from arcing utility lines, he posted a video imploring his followers to “get out.” His warning, which sent caravans of vehicles down from the foothills, has been credited with saving lives.

A few weeks ago I finally went out with McGregor on a trash pickup. We met at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, where he pulled plastic bags, bottles, cans, food wrappers and other rubbish out of thick, dry brush. He said the Irwindale location would offer us a sweeping view of the San Gabriel Mountains, which dramatically form the back wall of L.A. sprawl and serve as a reminder that along this towering creation of seismic sculpture, natural beauty and risk are inseparable.