As wildfires rage in Los Angeles, residents face uncertainty and loss in the dead of night
Los Angeles: It’s 2am, and I’m sitting here with just a flashlight, feeling the weight of the smoke in the air. I haven’t had power for over 30 hours now, thanks to these crazy winds that sparked some of the worst wildfires we’ve ever seen. The tension is thick, and ash is falling like snow.
Every hour, I hear from friends who’ve lost their homes. It’s heartbreaking.
Take David, for instance. He spent two years building his dream home in Pacific Palisades after a tough divorce. Now? It’s gone.
Shannon poured four years into her £16 million dream home, and just like that, it’s vanished. She barely escaped with her kids, leaving everything behind.
Then there’s Lisa, who found love and built a cozy life in Altadena. That’s gone too.
It feels like everyone knows someone who’s lost everything. The fires are everywhere, and it’s terrifying.
Just hours ago, my daughter Natasha was fleeing from a wildfire in Hollywood, and suddenly, a new fire popped up just a mile from my house. I felt that familiar dread creeping in.
I watched as helicopters dropped water on the flames, while friends called me with updates. I saw a house collapse in minutes, and the fire spread like crazy.
My wife and I scrambled to pack our car with whatever we could save: clothes, family photos, important documents, and our little dog, Roxy.
The night sky was glowing red, and neighbors were doing the same, trying to save what they could. If the fire reached us, we’d lose everything in no time. Luckily, the winds were calm for once, and firefighters managed to get the blaze under control.
After a tense 90 minutes, we all started unloading our cars, returning to our homes for a restless night.
The city is in shock. It’s too early to tell if Mayor Karen Bass will face backlash for being away when this happened or if budget cuts to firefighting will stir up trouble later. For now, we just wait and watch. More strong winds are expected soon, which could bring more fires.
Los Angeles will bounce back eventually, but the peace of mind for us residents? That feels like it’s gone for good.
