This Altadena Resident Watched His Community Go Up in Flames

>> WE DO TURN TO LOS ANGELES WHERE FIREFIGHTERS ARE SLOWLY GAINING CONTROL OVER THE WILDFIRES RANGING SINCE LAST TUESDAY.

FOR MANY PEOPLE AFFECTED, THEY ARE RETURNING TO THEIR HOMES OR WHATEVER IS LEFT OF THEM AND IT IS LIKELY A WHILE AWAY YET, BECAUSE OF CRITICAL WORK TO REDUCE HAZARDOUS DEBRIS AND ALSO REBUILD INFRASTRUCTURE.

THAT CLEANUP AND REHABILITATION PROCESS COULD TAKE THREE AND SIX MONTHS.

THAT IS ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS.

KEVIN WILLIAMS IS A LONG TIME RESIDENT OF ALTADENA, ONE OF THE HARDEST HIT AREAS FROM THE FIRES.

HE TELLS HIS STORY AND THAT OF THE DIVERSE COMMUNITY .

FEMA KEVIN WILLIAMS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU ARE A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF ALTADENA .

THAT HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS BECAUSE OF THE FIRES, OF COURSE.

I JUST WANT TO ASK, WHAT DID THE FIRE DO TO YOUR HOUSE AND HOME?

>> THE HOUSE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE.

ALL OF THE OUTBUILDINGS, POOL HOUSE, CARPORT , AS WELL AS THREE FENCES WERE ALL DESTROYED.

MY SON, MYSELF AND NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR SPENT MOST OF THE DAY TRYING TO KEEP THE HOUSE AND SAVE THE HOUSE BY PUTTING UP SPRINKLERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IT WAS A HARROWING EXPERIENCE JUST TRYING TO KEEP THE HOME ITSELF PROTECTED.

>> WHEN DID YOU KNOW IT WAS TIME TO GO?

>> I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 5:00 OR 5:30 A. M. .

I SENT MY WIFE AND SON OUT TO THE EVACUATION SHELTER.

THE FIRE WAS NORTH OF THE HOME AND MADE A U-TURN.

I HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WITH LOOKING AT SOME FIRES.

THE FIRE PATTERN CHANGED.

I LIVE DOWN MY STREET AND SAW THIS GLOW IN THE HOUSE ABOUT THREE HOUSES DOWN JUST EXPLODED IN FLAMES WITH 40 FOOT FLAMES.

THE FLAMES WITH BIG WIND GUSTS, WE HAD 60 80-MILE-PER-HOUR WINDS.

THEY KNOCKED THESE CLAIMS OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE STREET.

IS ATTEMPT TO BE BRAVE AND HAVE SOME COMMON SENSE .

I LEFT ONLY TEMPORARILY.

HAD TO TELL MY WIFE LATER THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON AND SHE WASN'T TOO HAPPY , BUT WE DID WHAT WE CAN TO SAVE OUR HOME .

>> IF YOU DON'T MIND ME ASKING , WHAT IN THOSE LAST HOURS WAS MOST IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE TO TAKE WITH YOU?

>> THERE WERE MEMENTOS AND A WEDDING ALBUM.

WE TOOK SOME MEMENTOS FROM FAMILIES , RELATIVES AND MY DAD AND MOM HAD PASSED AWAY LAST YEAR AND THERE WERE A FEW THINGS THERE.

JUST SOME MINOR ITEMS IN TERMS OF WEDDING RINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT , WHICH YOU DON'T SLEEP WITH.

WE GOT THOSE OUT , AND OUR CLOTHING, THEN WE LEFT.

>> YOU HAD BEEN THERE FOR HOW LONG?

>> WE HAVE BEEN IN THIS HOUSE SINCE 1993.

>> YOU GREW UP IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD?

>> MY PARENTS BOUGHT A HOME BACK IN 1965 AND WE MOVED FROM LOS ANGELES AND MY DAD SAID THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS STARTING TO CHANGE.

HE SAID, I NEED TO GET MY FAMILY OUT TO A DIFFERENT AREA , SO WE BOUGHT A HOUSE BEING BUILT OUT IN ALTADENA AND THAT HOUSE WAS DESTROYED BY THE FIRE.

IN 1965, WE HAD BEEN IN IT FOR 59 YEARS.

>> I'M LOOKING AT A PICTURE HERE, WHICH IS OF YOUR PARENTS SITTING IN FRONT OF A FIREPLACE.

THAT IS THE ONE I WENT DOWN AND THE CHIMNEY IS SO POIGNANT.

THAT IS THE FIRST NIGHT THAT MY PARENTS WERE IN THE HOME.

WE WERE IN THERE.

THEY TOOK A PICTURE IN FRONT OF THE FIREPLACE AND THAT'S ALL THAT REMAINS NOW.

THAT IS THE TOUGH PART.

MOM AND DAD WERE SO HAPPY TO BUY THAT HOME AND NOW IT'S NO LONGER THERE.

>> THAT'S JUST NOT A LOT OF MEMORIES, BUT AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY THAT HAS BUILT UP.

TAKE US BACK A LITTLE FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY OF ALTADENA AND FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS, WHY WAS THAT SPECIAL?

>> WHEN WE MOVED OUT AT 65, IT WAS FEBRUARY OF 1965.

I MOVED FROM LOS ANGELES TO COME OUT TO ALTADENA .

THERE WERE PEOPLE OF ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF RACIAL GROUPS THERE.

JAPANESE, HISPANICS, STUDENTS WHO I DIDN'T HAVE THAT MUCH EXPOSURE TO IN LOS ANGELES .

IT WAS VERY UNIQUE.

I WASN'T TOO EXCITED, BECAUSE THERE WERE HORSES AND PEOPLE WERE RIDING HORSES IN THE STREETS.

THERE WERE NO SIDEWALKS AND WE TOLD MY DAD AND BROTHER THAT WE DON'T WANT TO MOVE OUT HERE.

THERE IS NO SIDEWALKS.

>> FROM L. A. , THAT'S THE COUNTRY?

>> YES , YES.

>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME STATISTICS AND WHAT IS REMARKABLE IS THE AMOUNT OF HOMEOWNERSHIP BY AFRICAN- AMERICANS.

HOW DID THAT COME TO BE.

OVER THOSE DECADES, SINCE YOUR DAD AND MOM MOVED THERE, WHY WAS IT A PLACE WHERE AMERICANS FELT COMFORTABLE?

>> THERE IS A STORY ON THE WEST SIDE WHERE MOST OF THE AFRICAN- AMERICANS HAD MIGRATED TO, BECAUSE THERE ARE THREE PARTS.

WEST, CENTRAL AND EAST.

THE EAST SIDE IS SLIGHTLY EAST OF LAKE AVENUE.

IT WAS VERY WARM AND INVITING .

THEY WERE WARM AND INVITING ON THE WEST SIDE.

THEY MADE IT COMFORTABLE FOR PEOPLE AND WE ATTENDED ALTADENA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND THERE WERE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO REALLY WELCOME AND EMBRACED US.

THEY EMBRACED US AS PEOPLE OF COLOR.

WE HAD PANCAKE BREAKFAST IS .

CENTRAL ALTADENA WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

THERE WAS A SMALL MIX OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS THERE AND ON THE EAST SIDE THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY FEW IF ANY AFRICAN- AMERICAN FAMILIES .

WITH SO MANY PEOPLE MIGRATING FROM LOS ANGELES, THERE WAS A COMMUNITY DEVELOPED.

SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO I FIRST MET IN 1965 ARE STILL MY CLOSEST AND BEST FRIENDS.

>> WHAT HAPPENS?

WHAT IS THE MAGIC THERE.

FOR BLACK FAMILIES TO PUT DOWN ROOTS AND TO TAKE THAT LEAP OF HOMEOWNERSHIP , YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT CHANGING GENERATIONAL WEALTH PATTERNS.

>> PROPERTY VALUES IN LOS ANGELES WERE STARTING TO CHANGE.

WE MOVED IN FEBRUARY OF 1965 WHEN REITZ OCCURRED IN AUGUST 1965.

MY DAD BOUGHT THE HOUSE WHEN HE AND MY MOTHER GOT MARRIED IN LOS ANGELES AND THEY BOUGHT IT FOR $9000.

WE WERE ABLE TO LEAVE AND SOLD IT FOR $12,000.

IF YOU COULD BELIEVE THAT, WE MOVED OUT TO ALTADENA.

I REMEMBER MY DAD SAYING, WE ARE GOING TO BUY THIS HOUSE AND IT'S $32,000, BUT I'M GOING TO GO OUT TO THE REALTOR AND SAY IF I CAN TALK HIM DOWN A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS.

I SAID, WHAT'S A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS?

HE SAID THAT MAYBE LUNCH MONEY FOR SOMEBODY.

IT IS SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL.

IT WAS JUST A BETTER LIFE.

YOU ARE GOING FROM THE INNER- CITY OUT TO THE SUBURBS AND ALTADENA REALLY IS A SUBURB.

IT WAS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE AND I'M TRYING TO ADJUST MY EMOTIONS AND I TALKED TO A FRIEND RECENTLY AND HE ASKED HOW I WAS FEELING AND I SAID, I'M IN A EMOTIONAL LIMBO.

I'M LOOKING BACK AT 1965 AND SOME OF THE EARLY YEARS.

THIS IS SO WARM .

TO GO BACK AND SEE UTTER DEVASTATION IS TOUGH.

IT REALLY IS.

>> I'M TRYING TO WITHHOLD MY EMOTIONS FOR THAT VERY REASON.

>> KEVIN, WHAT HAPPENS AFTER WE STOPPED DOING INTERVIEWS AND AFTER THE CAMERA CREWS ROLL AWAY AND YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE STILL IN THIS GRIEF?

>> THAT IS SOMETHING THAT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

THERE IS A LOT OF INTERVIEWS, CAMERAS AND PEOPLE AROUND THERE.

WE HAVE TO COME BACK TO COMMUNITY.

I HAVE A SLIGHT BACKGROUND IN MENTAL HEALTH WITH A DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY .

I WORK WITH THE COUNSELING MINISTRIES AT OUR CHURCH.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?

PEOPLE ARE HURTING.

I HAVE FRIENDS SAYING THAT THEY WILL NOT REBUILD.

THAT IS THEIR FIRST THOUGHT.

OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT NO MATTER WHAT, I'M GOING TO STAY.

THERE IS A LOT OF EMOTION THERE.

WE CALL IT EMOTIONAL WHIPLASH.

ONE DAY IT'S LIKE, I'M OUT OF HERE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.

I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THE EMOTIONAL FORTITUDE TO STAY FOR A YEAR TO SEE IF MY HOME WILL BE REBUILT.

THERE IS A LOT OF PAIN, BUT WE WILL TRY TO GET TOGETHER AND WE ACTUALLY ARE.

TALKING WITH MY COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS AND PEOPLE.

WE NEED SOME MENTAL HEALTH IN HERE TO HELP PEOPLE.

I THINK THE REAL WORK WILL BEGIN SHORTLY AFTER EVERYONE LEAVES.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

>> WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS HAD THIS PROMINENT PLACE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE FELT SAFE SETTING UP HOMES , PUTTING DOWN ROOTS AND TRYING TO CREATE GENERATIONAL WEALTH?

WHAT HAPPENS IF A LARGE NUMBER OF THIS POPULATION DECIDES, I CAN'T STOMACH WAITING FOR A REBUILD .

THAT MIGHT TAKE YEARS AND I DON'T HAVE THE PATIENCE.

THE WRONG ANSWER, BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE COMMUNITY?

>> I HAD THIS QUESTION ASKED EARLIER.

A PASTOR AT OUR CHURCH SAID, WHEN YOU HAVE A CREW OF PEOPLE AND A GROUP OF FRIENDS, LET'S YOU HAVE FIVE THERE.

THEY DEVELOP A DYNAMIC AND WHEN ONE PERSON LEAVES THAT CREW, THE GROUP IS NOT THE SAME.

THE OTHER FOUR FRIENDS ARE THERE, BUT THAT ONE PERSONALITY IS GONE.

WHEN YOU REMOVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE AND IN THIS CASE, AFTER AMERICANS WHO WERE THERE FOR A LONG TIME, IT'S CHANGING THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S NOT THE SAME.

THERE IS A LOSS OF US AND HOMEOWNERSHIP.

I AM IN CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE AND WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.

WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE SENSE OF LEGACY AND STRENGTH.

IT MAKES THE COMMUNITY A STRONG PLACE WHEN YOU HAVE ALL PARTS AND PEOPLE DIFFERENT RACES AND BACKGROUND IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S A VERY UNIQUE COMMUNITY AND A LOVELY PLACE .

IT'S JUST LOVELY.

I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE THE DEVASTATION THAT HAS OCCURRED AND THE SERENITY THERE BEFORE THE DISASTER TOOK PLACE.

>> DO YOU THINK IT WILL COME BACK?

>> I HOPE.

I DON'T KNOW.

HOW WOULD YOU REBUILD A COMMUNITY WHERE HOMES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR OVER 100 YEARS?

MY WIFE AND I TAKE A WALK AND THAT WAS RIGHT OFF A PLACE FROM CHRISTMAS TREE LANE AND WHEN WE WERE DOING EARLY SHOTS OF THE FIRE, MOST OF THE FOOTAGE WERE COMING FROM A BLOCK AWAY, BLOCK AND A HALF AWAY FROM WHERE WE NORMALLY LIVE.

WE GO EAST AND NORTH UP TOWARDS THE FOOTHILLS.

THAT AREA WAS ALMOST TOTALLY DESTROYED.

THERE ARE PINE TREES AND THEODORE TREES.

IT WAS CALM.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU BUILD THAT BACK WITH THESE HOMES THAT ARE THERE THAT I'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 100 YEARS.

HOW ARE THEY GOING TO REPLACE THEM?

WILL SOMEONE COME AND PUT IT SKI IN A MODERN HOME.

WE CALL THOSE MODERNS IN ALTADENA.

THERE ARE MANY HOMES WHO HAVE BEAUTIFUL CHARACTER AND ENGLISH TUTOR .

HOW DO YOU BRING THAT BACK?

I DON'T KNOW .

I HOPE THAT WHEN PEOPLE REBUILD TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.

>> AS WE ARE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, THERE ARE STILL FIRES.

THERE ALSO SEEMS TO BE THE BEGINNING OF FINGER-POINTING SEASON.

PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO PLACE BLAME ON HOW THIS WAS MISMANAGED, WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER OR COULD THIS HAVE BEEN PREVENTED?

YOU LIVE THROUGH IT AND STOOD THERE THROUGH THOSE 60 OR 70 MILE AN HOUR WINDS.

IS THERE SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS?

>> I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN INSURANCE AND WE USED TO TAKE CLASSES IN TERMS OF FIRE PREVENTION AND WHAT HAPPENS IN A FIRE.

THERE'S A FIRESTORM, WHICH PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT FIRE MAKES WEATHERPROOF HOURS DRIVING TOWARDS THE DEVASTATION AND AND LOOKED UP TOWARDS THE FOOTHILLS AND I SAW THIS TALL PALM TREE.

ALSO, IT ATTACKED THE TRUNK OF THE TREE AT ABOUT 50 TO 60 FEET HIGH.

IT TURNED FROM LITTLE AMBER TO A BRIGHT FLAME.

IT JUST EXPLODED FROM THAT TREE AND WENT OUT IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

NOT TALKING SMALL, BUT THE SIZE OF THREE AND FOUR INCHES.

THE 80 TO 90 MILE AN HOUR WINDS IS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO STOP THAT.

I'M NOT SURE HOW THEY WOULD HAVE STOPPED.

THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED.

HOW DO YOU STOP 90 MILE OR 100 MILE AN HOUR WINDS?

IS TRYING TO PUT THE FIRE OUT ON MY GARAGE.

THEY HAD A STRONG STREAM AND WHEN THE WIND GUSTS CAME, THE WATER CAME BACK IN MY FACE AND TALKING TO SEVERAL FIREFIGHTERS, THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED, TOO.

PEOPLE ARE ANGRY AND I DON'T BLAME THEM FOR BEING ANGRY.

IF THE POINTER FINGER AT SOMEBODY IN THE CYCLE OF GRIEF, BUT YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT SOLVES REALLY.

>> MOST OF YOUR FRIENDS HAVE INSURANCE.

DO YOU THINK THEY ARE FULLY INSURED?

>> IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD , WHICH IS CENTRAL ALTADENA, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE INSURANCE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE WEST SIDE WITH FIRE FOR SEVERAL YEARS BACK.

THE INSURANCE CHANGES.

IT GOES BACK TO A MORE SUBSTANDARD.

THEY CALL IT THE FAIR PLANT, SO THE ENTRANCE ISN'T QUITE AS GOOD, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO FIGHT FIRES.

MANY OF THEM DECIDED, BECAUSE OF THE COST INSURANCE .

THEY OWN THE HOME WITH NO MORTGAGE AND THEY DECIDED NOT TO HAVE INSURANCE.

I PERSONALLY KNOW OF THREE PEOPLE WHO DECIDED --THEY LOST EVERYTHING AND HAVE NO INSURANCE.

WE ARE SAYING, HOW CAN WE WHO DIDN'T SUFFER THE OTHER DOES STATION, HOW CAN WE HELP THEM?

I HOPE THERE IS SOMEONE OUT THERE -- THIS ISN'T A POLITICAL STATEMENT , BUT WHEN WE ARE BUILDING COMMUNITIES AND OTHER STATEMENTS, REBUILD ALTADENA.

IT IS A WONDERFUL PLACE WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME AND YOU LOVE TO LIVE HERE.

WHENEVER WE GO AND DESCRIBE OUR COMMUNITY, THEY SAY IT'S ON THE PLACE WHERE THEY WOULD LIKE TO LIVE.

I HOPE THERE ARE FUNDS AVAILABLE FROM THE GOVERNMENT WHO CAN COME IN AND HELP THESE PEOPLE.

MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

>> WHAT IS THAT LEGACY THAT YOU WANT TO LEAVE BEHIND THAT MAYBE MIGHT BE MISSING NOW?

>> IT'S MAKING SURE THAT MY CHILDREN CAN INHERIT MY HOME .

NOT ONLY MY HOME, BUT MY COMMUNITY.

I JUST HOPE THAT NOT TOO MANY NEIGHBORS DECIDE TO LEAVE , BECAUSE THAT CHANGES THE COMMUNITY.

THAT IS WHAT I HOPE FOR.

I REALLY DO.

I'M A PERSON THAT LOVES PEOPLE.

I LOVE BEING AROUND PEOPLE.

I WAS A COACH AND I LIKE TO HELP PEOPLE.

THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE STAYED BEHIND.

MY WIFE SAID, WHY WERE YOU THERE?

WHEN YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT AND WHEN THE GARAGE CAUGHT FIRE I SAID, I DON'T WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MY NEIGHBORS HOMES BURNING DOWN.

WE HAVE A KID NEXT TO US AND HIS NAME IS ELLIOTT.

HE JUST CELEBRATED HIS TWO-YEAR BIRTHDAY.

I JUST THOUGHT THAT IF HOME BURNS DOWN, HOW WILL THAT AFFECT HIM OR MY NEIGHBOR TO THE OTHER SIDE WHO IS JUST A WONDERFUL NEIGHBOR.

IS MY HOME RESPONSIBLE?

I HOPE THAT THE COMMUNITIES , WE CAN REBUILD IT SOMEHOW, SO THAT EVERYONE CAN LIVE TOGETHER IN HARMONY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.

LIKE I SAID, IT'S A UNIQUE PLACE.

IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE.

I JUST HOPE IT HASN'T BEEN DAMAGED FOREVER.

THAT'S MY HOPE.

WE CAN SOMEHOW RETAIN SOME OF THE LEGACY OF EXPERIENCE OF CAMAMRDARIE AND TOGETHERNESS.

>> LONG TIME RATHER THAN RESIDENT OF ALTADENA , THANK YOU.

I WISH THE BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR SHEDDING LIGHT ON MY COMMUNITY THAT I LOVE AND ADORE.

THAT'S IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.