Many residents who survived the devastating wildfire in Los Angeles, USA, are concerned that government resources will be prioritized for famous areas where A-list stars are concentrated.
In Altadena, a suburb of Los Angeles where rows of bungalows once nestled in the shadow of the San Gabriel Mountains, only ashes and charred car frames remained.
While the fires that devastated the celebrity enclave near Malibu captured global attention, a fire of similar scale in Eaton Canyon, north of Los Angeles, devastated Altadena, an ethnically and economically diverse community.
Black and Latino families have lived in Altadena for generations, and the suburb also attracts young artists and engineers working at the nearby NASA rocket lab, drawn by its small-town atmosphere and proximity to nature.
Many residents said they were concerned that government resources would be prioritized in high-profile areas populated by A-list celebrities. Meanwhile, insurance companies could be unfairly penalizing less well-off households who may not be financially able to contest fire damage claims.
“They won’t pay you what the house is worth… if they do, you’ll have to fight for it,” said Kay Young, 63, her eyes filling with tears as she looked at the smoking remains of the home that had been in her family for generations.
“There are going to be people who don’t get what they deserve, and there are going to be people who get more than they really need,” said Moore, a lecturer at California State University.
US media contacted major home insurance companies in California for comment.
State Farm, Nationwide, Allstate, Mercury, Liberty Mutual and Farmers responded with statements saying they are working with insureds to assist in processing claims, but did not specifically address the concerns raised by Altadena residents.
Some residents said they saw no fire trucks in Altadena early on Jan. 8 as they fled the flames engulfing their community, adding to their frustration as they felt their area was not being prioritized.
Los Angeles wildfire survivors: Fear of being abandoned
“We’re not getting any help here. I don’t know where everyone is,” said Jocelyn Tavares, 32, as her sister and daughter dug through the still-smoking rubble.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department has not responded to media calls and emails seeking comment.
“Faith rises from the ashes”
Since breaking out on the evening of Jan. 7, the Eaton Fire has killed at least five people and had grown to 14,000 acres by the evening of Jan. 9, burning through much of the northern half of Altadena, an unincorporated community of about 40,000 residents.
Altadena was almost entirely white until 1960. As new freeways built as part of urban renewal projects disrupted Los Angeles neighborhoods, African American families began buying homes in an area that had remained affordable for decades.
Residents said they paid about $50,000 for a three-bedroom house in Altadena in the 1970s. Today, the same house would cost more than $1 million.
By 1990, nearly 40% of residents were people of color. Today, about 18% are black, 49% are white, and 27% are Hispanic or Latino, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Altadena residents are concerned that the area could become wealthy if families who have lived here for generations cannot get insurance money to cover the cost of rebuilding homes they bought cheaply decades ago.
Despite the devastation, many local residents remain optimistic that their community will rise from the ashes, sharing stories of narrow escapes and memories of growing up with neighbors who share the same loss.
Michael McCarthy, 68, an office worker in Los Angeles, said his home was saved by a neighbor who risked his life to stay after everyone fled, using a hose to spray water on the roof.
“I know this community will be rebuilt, where everyone knows each other, everyone loves each other,” said McCarthy, who plans to retire this year.
