LOS ANGELES (KTNV) — Calyn Couch's home is one of the thousands destroyed in the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
"I'm just trying to figure it out," said Couch.
I talked to her at one of the two FEMA sites set up to help victims. She is trying to figure out what is next but quickly learned she wasn't only a fire victim but also a victim of fraud.
"I tried to set up a FEMA account a couple of days ago, and I found out somebody fraudulent set up an account in my name," said Couch
Like many others, she is staying in a hotel.
On Thursday, some residents were able to return home, but tens of thousands of evacuees are not back yet.
I talked to Eaton Fire public information officer Jake Rodriguez about the Eaton Fire now burning north of Altadena.
"Most of the activity that we're seeing is in the canyon areas down in the drainage bottoms," said Rodriguez.
Crews also gained containment of the Palisades Fire burning in Pacific Palisades and Malibu. Some residents were able to return there.
Moeller: You are trying to rent a place? How's that process right now?
Couch: There's not a lot of places that are within my budget available. Now rents are $3500 to $4000 for one bedroom.
Couch brought up a solution that comes from Las Vegas when I met her.
Moeller: You had mentioned Boxabl, which is a Las Vegas company.
Couch: I was following Boxabl when they first started.
Boxabl, based in North Las Vegas, make prefabricated homes called Casitas.
"I mean, this is absolutely horrifying," said Galiano Tiramani, founder of Boxabl.
I've done stories with Boxabl in the past. They are getting ready to send a unit to the area for people to see.
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"The cool thing about it is that they're already built in our factory, so all you have to do is just a quick set up on-site," said Tiramani.
Boxabl costs $60,000 to buy and install and can cost tens of thousands more; he says they will help victims where they can but hopes a sponsor will step up to help.
Couch says a Boxabl would be a solution as she knows this could take a while to rebuild on her property.
"The fact is, it is not the easiest to rebuild in California."
