Natural disasters such as the devastating fires that ignited in the Los Angeles area on January 7, 2025 do not intend to discriminate on the basis of race or class. Their impacts, however, are revealing about systemic inequities, underscoring the need for equitable wildfire recovery in Los Angeles. In the months since the fires were contained, we know that recovery and the ability to rebuild looks very different for Black and Brown communities because of these systemic inequities.

The Palisades Fire burned over 23,000 acres and destroyed more than 6,800 structures. The predominant question being asked in the Palisades, Malibu, and Topanga Canyon communities, which are predominantly white and affluent, is not if people will rebuild, but how long it will take.

The Eaton Fire is a different story — with different questions. It burned over 14,000 acres in Pasadena and Altadena and destroyed over 7,000 structures. Before the fire, Altadena was one of the most unique communities in the Los Angeles area: It was one of the last socio-economic and ethnically diverse areas, with 58 percent of its residents identifying as a person of color. At its peak in 1980, nearly 40 percent of the population was Black and at the time of the fire, nearly 80 percent of Black residents in Altadena were homeowners — that’s double the national Black homeownership rate.

That’s not to say Altadena was a perfect place: A history of redlining impacted where many Black and Brown families could live and own property — and in recent years gentrification was pushing many of those Black and Brown families out. At the time of the fire, only 18 percent of Altadena residents were Black, but nearly 50 percent of the homes destroyed or severely damaged by the fire were owned by Black families.

That’s what we call disproportionate impact and the reality is it will take all of us — government, nonprofits, and individuals alike — to pitch in to ensure that the Black and Brown communities of Altadena can rebuild, restore, and remain.

Read the full article about equitable wildfire recovery in Los Angeles by Jasmin Shupper at The Center for Effective Philanthropy.