West Altadena feels abandoned a year after the Eaton fire: Where is the accountability?

"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 accountability?"

"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: "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 unroll the sign on the Tournament of Roses float. "We have a responsibility to not let this kind of thing happen again.""

"That feeling was only amplified this week as the community marked one year since the deadly blaze. At a memorial gathering Wednesday night, 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."

A Rose Parade float prompted two Eaton fire survivors to unfurl a sign calling on the attorney general to investigate the fire response. The surprise message drew attention to unanswered questions about why timely evacuation alerts were not issued for west Altadena, why few fire trucks were present in the historically Black, less affluent area, and why multiple probes have produced little accountability. Survivors described the lack of a serious effort to right wrongs and urged residents to join a coalition asking California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta for a full, independent investigation into the blaze that killed dozens and destroyed thousands of homes.

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