Could More Have Been Done? Five Months After The Fire

Five months after flames tore through Altadena—leveling homes, rattling lives, and eroding public trust—the burning question remains: could more have been done?

In this episode of "Conversation Live: Altadena Rising," host James Farr sits down with retired Fire Captain Addington Stewart, former president of the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters. Drawing on decades of frontline and leadership experience, Stewart unpacks what crews confronted the night the Eaton Canyon fire exploded. They dissect the blaze’s science, the role of Santa Ana winds, utility delays, and the hard limits of municipal response when urban infernos rage. It’s a blunt, necessary conversation about accountability and preparing for the next red-flag day.