Eaton Fire disproportionately affected Black Altadena residents, UCLA study finds
A study published Tuesday by UCLA researchers indicates the Eaton Fire disproportionately affected Black residents in Altadena.
The research comes from a new data brief from the UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge and the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute.
Data from the study indicates that over 60% of Black households in Altadena were located within the Eaton Fire perimeter, and nearly half of them were destroyed or severely damaged. Comparatively, half of the non-Black households in Altadena were located within the wildfire perimeter, and only 37% of the residences occupied by non-Black households were destroyed or severely damaged.
According to the study, this could be due to the impacts of redlining, as historical redlining practices resulted in the concentration of Black families into the areas of Altadena most affected by the fire, which exacerbated vulnerabilities.
Additionally, 57% of Black homeowners in Altadena are over the age of 65, which poses even greater challenges such as the possibility of insufficient insurance and risks of financial exploitation.
And while the destruction from the fire undoubtedly has critical immediate impacts, researchers believe that the effects will last well into the future.
“The fires will directly disrupt the passage of property to younger Black community members, making the transfer of generational wealth in this community uncertain,” the study said. “Additionally, rising property values and preexisting barriers to homeownership for Black buyers prevent younger Black people from buying in the area.”
“These two factors threaten to erase Altadena’s Black community altogether,” researchers stated.
Professor Lorrie Frasure, who teaches political science and African American studies while also serving as the director of the Bunche Center, reiterated that the recovery process must acknowledge Altadena’s diverse history, not discard it.
“Altadena’s Black community has long served as a symbol of resilience and opportunity in the Los Angeles region, but the Eaton Fire exposes how decades of segregation and the legacy of redlining practices have left Black households more vulnerable,” Frasure said. “The recovery process must acknowledge this historic legacy and the disparities stemming from it to provide tailored support that ensures the restoration and future of this vibrant community.”
Overall, researchers stressed that Altadena, described as “a hub of Black homeownership and cultural vibrancy,” faces an uncertain future, and that the study’s findings serve as a stark reminder of the systemic inequities that persist “at least in part” due to the legacy of discriminatory housing practices.
“The report calls for disaster recovery strategies that are equitable, prioritizing not only immediate restoration but also the sustainability of historic communities, which remain among the most vulnerable to disasters,” the study concluded.
The full data set can be read here.
As of Tuesday morning, the Eaton Fire was 99% contained.