Colby Colb Talks Altadena Wildfire Recovery And New Podcast Telling The Community’s Story
Radio executive Colby “Colb” Tyner joined Get Up Mornings with Erica Campbell to talk about a powerful new project: Altadena After the Fire, a podcast produced by Urban One that sheds light on the recovery of a historic Black community devastated by wildfire.
Altadena, a town just outside of Los Angeles, holds deep meaning for many—especially the Black community. As Erica pointed out during the interview, it was once one of the only places in California where Black families could buy homes. Colby explained that the wildfire didn’t just destroy homes—it destroyed generational wealth.
“This is a historically Black community,” Colby said. “For most people, your wealth is tied into the property that you own. And then it’s like people forgot [about the fire]. No one talks about it anymore.”
Colby credited Urban One founder Cathy Hughes for encouraging the team to use their platform to bring attention to the issue. The podcast tells real stories of survival and struggle from those impacted, like Colby’s longtime friend and radio producer Tawala. While Tawala’s home didn’t burn down, it was left unlivable due to intense heat damage.
“He said the stench is unbelievable,” Colby said. “And you know what the insurance company told them? ‘We’ll give you $1,000 to dry clean your clothes.’ But they can’t live there anymore.”
The podcast aims not just to raise awareness, but also to be a warning for others. Many residents didn’t have proper insurance coverage—simply because they never imagined something like this could happen.
“God forbid it happens in your community,” Colby warned. “But we’re all connected through shared stories. And we can’t forget this one.”
In addition to listening to the podcast, Colby encouraged people to support the Brotherhood Crusade, a nonprofit directly helping families in Altadena. Donations can be made at brotherhoodcrusade.org.
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