ALTADENA, A HISTORIC BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD IN LOS ANGELES, FACES CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRE DAMAGE

By Tomas Kassahun
Blavity
https://blavity.com/

As wildfires continue to ravage Los Angeles, historic Black neighborhoods are experiencing catastrophic damage. In Altadena, one of the city’s historic Black communities, a 66-year-old man tragically died while attempting to save his family home of 55 years. According to Capital B News, the man was holding a garden hose when he succumbed to the Eaton Fire.

The wildfires are also exacerbating health issues for Black residents in these neighborhoods, many of whom already suffer from asthma and other respiratory conditions, Capital B News reports.

The Altadena Senior Center burns as the Eaton Fire moves through the area on January 08, 2025 in Altadena, California. Fueled by intense Santa Ana Winds, the Eaton Fire has grown to over 10,000 acres and has destroyed many homes and businesses. | Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Destruction of Black-Owned Institutions and Insurance Challenges

In addition to the loss of homes, the fires have destroyed cherished Black-owned churches, restaurants, and cultural institutions in Altadena. A significant challenge for residents is the lack of adequate insurance coverage. Many major insurance providers do not offer fire insurance in Altadena, leaving residents reliant on California’s basic insurance plan. This limited coverage makes it difficult for many families to afford the cost of rebuilding.

A California Highway Patrol officer assists a resident with her groceries at a checkpoint into the Eaton Fire evacuation area on January 10, 2025 in Altadena, California. Fueled by intense Santa Ana Winds, the Eaton Fire has grown to over 13,000 acres and has destroyed over 5,000 homes and businesses. Five people have lost their lives in the fire. | Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Community Efforts to Support Fire Victims

Two leading Black law firms in California, The Cochran Firm and Ivie McNeil Wyatt Purcell and Diggs, have partnered with community leaders to launch a GoFundMe campaign titled “LA Fires: The Impacted Black Community Urgently Needs Help!” The campaign pledges to distribute 100% of the funds directly to affected residents in Altadena and Pasadena.

According to the fundraiser, these communities are home to a diverse Black population, with families who have lived there for six generations and others who have recently joined the area.

“The impact on these Black residents has been devastating as a large population of these families has lost everything,” the GoFundMe page states.

Valerie Robinson inspects burned jewelry she found in the rubble of her family’s home that was destroyed by the Eaton Fire on January 10, 2025 in Altadena, California. Fueled by intense Santa Ana Winds, the Eaton Fire has grown to over 13,000 acres and has destroyed over 5,000 homes and businesses. Five people have lost their lives in the fire. | Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Highlighting the Disparities in Disaster Coverage

While national media coverage has largely focused on the destruction of million-dollar homes in affluent Los Angeles neighborhoods, The Cochran Firm and its partners are bringing attention to the severe impact on underserved Black communities.

“Many of these homes that were burned in the fires were not insured for fire disasters, whether due to insurance companies recently canceling thousands of fire insurance policies or homeowners not securing fire insurance because it was not required without a mortgage,” the organizers shared.