Altadena, California, was among Los Angeles County's first Black middle-class enclaves. Some fear recent wildfires may have erased that legacy.
Most residents of middle-class Altadena could get fire insurance, but that is likely to change as residents rebuild and face price hikes.
When fires swept through Altadena, in Los Angeles County, generational wealth and a place of opportunity for people of color, went up in smoke.
On Tuesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order banning unsolicited, low-ball property offers in fire-affected areas for three months. The fires, which have raged for more than a week, have killed at least 24 people and destroyed over 10,000 structures, mostly homes.
A father-daughter team in the Los Angeles area are staying in their home behind the fire barricades and taking inventory of destroyed properties.
Coverage of the Eaton and Palisades fires, including stories about the unprecedented losses, issues firefighters faced and the winds.
Firefighters in the San Fernando Valley are responding to a brush fire in Sylmar as crews in Pacific Palisades and Altadena battle other brush fires that have triggered evacuation orders in their respective areas.
Parts of Santa Monica were ordered to be evacuated as fast-moving flames destroyed homes along the coast in Los Angeles. Winds were picking up overnight, potentially fueling the fires.
Unlike typical wildfires, smoke from the L.A. fires — consisting of toxic materials from burned down homes, cars, and more — poses additional risks to public health.
Jay Christensen, a Fort Dodge native and 1978 graduate of Fort Dodge Senior High, spent 20 years at the Los Angeles Times, with previous stops in Colorado Springs and Sacramento. Follow him on Instagram: @jaychristensenphoto.
Families and staff at St. Elizabeth Parish School lost homes to the fire. It’s weathered past disasters. “We have good DNA” its principal says.
ALTADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- Despite the burned out cars, the shelves of homes, and the businesses left in ruins, Altadena seems to be making a comeback promise. Those who live here are praying it's true. "It's a great little community, you know, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else," stated Wiley Calkins.