A historic Black community in Altadena, California, deeply rooted in the civil rights movement, was ravaged by the fire in Eaton part of the Los Angeles area, Axios reported.

The fire has destroyed over 1,000 structures and claimed at least five lives in Altadena, an unincorporated area of 42,000 residents, 18% of whom are Black.

Across Los Angeles County, wildfires have claimed 24 lives and burned more than 12,000 structures. Among the losses are homes, businesses, and landmarks central to the fabric of Altadena's community life.

Altadena's significance stems from its role as a haven for Black families during the civil rights era. In 1960, the community was 95% white. After the passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1968, Black homeownership surged to 27% by 1970.

Before the fire, Altadena boasted a Black homeownership rate of 81.5%, nearly double the national rate. Many of those homes, passed down through generations, have been reduced to ashes.

Shawn Brown, a Black homeowner and founder of a local charter school, returned to find her home and school destroyed. Speaking to The Associated Press, she encouraged others to persevere: "I would tell them to stand strong, rebuild, continue the generational progress of African Americans."

Many Latino and Asian American residents, who make up a significant portion of Altadena's diverse population, have also lost homes.

Axios analyzed satellite imagery to reveal the fire's rapid spread, fueled by high winds and drought conditions. The fire engulfed long-protected neighborhoods and destroyed historic sites, including a cemetery where the late Octavia E. Butler, a celebrated Black science fiction writer, is buried.

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