Friday, November 7, 2025

Altadena Residents to Reveal Post-Fire Contamination Findings at Friday Press Conference

A coalition of Altadena residents will hold a press conference later today to announce new findings showing widespread contamination in homes left standing after the Eaton Fire, despite prior remediation efforts.

Eaton Fire Residents United (EFRU), a grassroots group formed in the wake of the January 2025 wildfire, says testing of 50 homes—conducted after remediation—revealed persistent toxins including lead, asbestos, and heavy metals. The group is calling on elected officials — including Gov. Gavin Newsom, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, and Los Angeles County Supervisors — to enforce a “clearance before occupancy” standard and to compel insurance companies to extend Additional Living Expense (ALE) coverage until homes are proven safe.

The press conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 7, at a fire-affected Altadena property featuring a standing home, a burned lot, and an adjacent RV. According to a statement from EFRU, 50 to 100 residents are expected to attend, holding posters and joining speakers that include a 12-year-old girl with severe asthma caused by the fire, her dog who is dying from respiratory complications, residents whose homes remain contaminated, a tenured USC professor of preventive medicine in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, the head of the Altadena NAACP, and the director of climate justice at CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles).

EFRU’s findings, compiled in collaboration with experts from eight academic institutions including Harvard, Caltech, and UCLA, indicate:

• Six in 10 remediated homes remain uninhabitable due to elevated lead and/or asbestos levels.
• 96% of homes still test positive for lead; 63% exceed EPA screening thresholds on floors.
• 36% of homes tested positive for asbestos.
• Chromium, Barium, Copper, and Zinc were detected in 100% of homes sampled.
• Of the limited homes tested for wildfire debris (ash, soot, and char), 69% still showed contamination post-remediation.

Despite these dangers, insurance companies have cut off ALE coverage for hundreds of homeowners, forcing many to return to unsafe homes because they cannot afford alternative housing.

EFRU demands immediate government action to require comprehensive clearance testing before residents are forced to reoccupy homes and to mandate continued ALE coverage until homes meet safety standards.

The coalition’s mission is to ensure a safe, just, and transparent public health recovery process for the Eaton Fire-affected community. Through community organizing, public engagement, and education, EFRU champions a resilient and empowered Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre. Its advocacy includes thorough testing protocols, clear remediation guidelines, insurance accountability, and equitable resource distribution for all impacted residents—including children, renters, homeowners, insured, and uninsured.