Eaton Fire: Some Altadena residents say they feel ignored by the county
LOS ANGELES - Many residents impacted by the Eaton Fire say they are feeling ignored as ‘wealthier neighborhoods’ are getting all the attention.
Some Altadena residents told FOX 11 that the Eaton Fire is being overshadowed by the Palisades. They point out that the Eaton Fire claimed more lives and homes, but the county response is not getting the same scrutiny that the City of LA's response has. And they believe that needs to change.
"It looks like a war zone. I've been out there, block after block, it looks like a bomb hit it," said Paula Boyd who lost her fourplex in the fire.
She attended a recent LA County Board of Supervisors meeting with suggestions and questions.
"Why they didn't have water in the fire hydrants? Why there weren't firemen in the area? The firemen did a great job, and I understand they are stretched thin," Boyd said.
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She didn't get her questions answered, but the Board of Supervisors did approve a proposal to create a Fire Recovery Fund to provide direct cash aid to wildfire victims, with an initial bankroll of $32.2 million.
The fund will provide "direct cash aid to homeowners, renters, business owners, workers, and other community members impacted by the fire events," according to the motion by Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Kathryn Barger. "The fund will provide immediate, temporary assistance to impacted residents until longer term state and federal recovery resources become available."
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"Altadena's future must be shaped by those who call it home, not by external parties who do not understand its history, its heart, or the incredible, unique character of this community," Barger said during the meeting.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is also pledging his support.
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"The city has a more traditional function, the county more broadly defined, and that's exactly where we want to come in and help sort of smooth over that because many different cities within that county have been impacted. And then how that county overlay works in a way where we can leverage our support," Newsom said Tuesday during a press conference announcing the initiative LA Rises.
Boyd just hopes county leaders will find emergency housing for Altadena's displaced seniors… saying they're being priced out of the community they built.
"We cannot have 90-year-olds and 80-year-olds who are homeless," she added.
Many residents in the area FOX 11 spoke to say they did not receive an alert to evacuate, even those who lost their homes. And they're wondering why that was.
The county Board of Supervisors does have a proposal to commission an after-action report to answer those questions. But they postponed the vote on that until next month.