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One year after the Eaton Fire, the dust still hasn’t settled — literally or figuratively.

In this more emotionally raw episode of After the Ashes, co-hosts Shawna Dawson Beer and Stephen Sachs look back at the first 90 days after the fire. What was happening on the ground, what we understood then, how many solutions were proposed, and how many of today’s cascading failures were locked in during those earliest weeks.

We also name something that isn’t being talked about nearly enough: Year Two is a financial siege on fire survivors. Shawna has said repeatedly that Altadena residents are being “smoked out” — priced out, delayed out, and exhausted out of returning home. Steve adds we are being “starved out,” as the financial granaries that kept families afloat are depleted while rebuilding remains stalled for too many. 

This is our 27th episode and we cover:

• Where we each were during the first three months after the fire
• Governor Gavin Newsom’s announcement of a new wildfire recovery fund and potential mortgage relief
• What's up with FEMA’s limited lead soil testing program, with results not expected until April
• The expanding environmental crisis across Altadena revealing itself 
• The complete absence of county oversight, post-remediation testing, or enforceable standards
• And the “cowboy” cleanup economy, where contaminated soil and debris are being hauled from site to site across our community with little to no monitoring

With responsibility now clearly established, this episode marks our continued shift away from blame and toward solutions — the ones we’ve been advocating for since day one and the new ones we're going to need as Altadena enters its second year after the fire — and how we can continue to be our own best advocates. Steve also shares how the emotional weight of this year has finally caught up to him, prompting a rare pause from his usually relentless daily writing on AltaPolicyWonk.

This isn’t a light listen but it’s an important one. The section on how toxic soil is being moved around Altadena unchecked is worth the time all on its own.

Small Business Shout-Out: Sidecca

We close every episode by uplifting a local business, and this week it’s Sidecca, the beloved clothing and gift shop at Mariposa Junction (Mariposa & Lake). They had just celebrated their reopening when they were hit again by water damage after the recent rains. If you love Altadena style, thoughtful gifts, and community rooted businesses, Sidecca is another one to support. Follow them on Instagram @sidecca. Donate via their GoFundMe if you can. And don’t miss the beautiful new mural currently going up at their storefront