In Altadena, rage and a call for state probe

Residents demand accountability for 19 deaths and epic losses in Black enclave.

- BY GRACE TOOHEY

Photographs by CARLIN STIEHL For The Times. VICTIMS of the Eaton fire are honored at a local gathering. West Altadena residents are calling on the attorney general to investigate.

The "Rising Together" float in Pasadena's Rose Parade was supposed to celebrate the resiliency of Los Angeles County in the face of the unprecedented double disaster that flattened thousands of homes and took 31 lives last January.

But amid the float's proud phoenix and colorful California poppies, two frustrated fire survivors unfurled a surprise message: "AG Bonta, Altadena demands an investigation." A parade worker quickly pulled down the sign, but the statement made its mark, cutting through conversations about recovery and progress with the gnawing questions that continue to haunt so many Eaton fire survivors: Why were timely evacuation alerts not issued for west Altadena, which accounted for almost all of the Eaton fire deaths and experienced the most widespread devastation? Why were there almost no fire trucks in west Altadena, known to be a historically Black, less affluent section of the unincorporated town? And why have repeated probes resulted in almost no answers? No accountabil ity? "It is shameful that we have not yet seen any kind of serious undertaking of righting the wrongs that were committed in this fire," said Gina Clayton-Johnson, a lifelong Altadenan who helped unfurl the sign on the Rose Parade float. "We have a responsibility to not let this kind of thing happen again." That feeling was only amplified as the community marked one year since the deadly blaze.

At a recent memorial gathering, Clayton-Johnson urged her former - and, hopefully, future - neighbors to join the growing coalition calling on California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta to launch a full, independent investigation into the response to the fire that devastated their community, killing 19 and destroying more than 9,000 structures.