my heart breaks for los angeles
writing through one of the most devastating events i've witnessed
as many of you know, los angeles is on fire. i am overwhelmed with thoughts on the whole ordeal and needed a place to share them.
tuesday evening consisted of me seeing updates on the palisades fire and the eaton fire, crying through it all. that was just the beginning and it was already so horrifying. the apartment i share with sol and kona is located central enough in the city that on wednesday morning we were not in any immediate danger, but still decided to evacuate. waking up that morning, i smelled smoke stronger than ever before. i actually went outside in a panic trying to see if there was a fire near us. thankfully, there was not, but that’s just how strong and thick the smoke was.
we safely made it out of the city and are currently in northern california. our reasons for evacuating were many things, but the driving force was the air quality. the smoke from wildfires isn’t just wood, but also many other toxic chemicals. we were able to work from home so it just made sense for us to get out of harms way while the opportunity presented itself. the entire 4.5 hour drive up north consisted of me being pretty much glued to news outlets live streams and websites the whole time. and no, we could not see the active fire on the way out, which actually surprised me.
if you’re in LA, thinking about leaving and able to do so, i strongly urge you to. not only for your health and safety, but also to preserve resources and keep the roads clear for emergency services.
after our arrival, i got an alert from the city that our neighborhood was in a boil water zone. i was so confused what was happening. did this mean a fire was close to the apartment?? turns out the notice was because of water being diverged causing potential issues with tap water for drinking. it just confirmed that we made the right choice by leaving the city. i was worried for my neighbors and their pets, reaching out to check-in on them.
by wednesday evening, my anxiety grew even larger as a new fire broke out in the hollywood hills, the sunset fire. right before my eyes i watched the news team report a spot fire next to runyon canyon and its quick development to a full-blown emergency situation garnering an immediate evacuation of the hollywood hills and hollywood neighborhoods. this evacuation zone was a mere 2 miles north from our apartment. all night i watched the news, fearing the fire would jump hollywood boulevard and tear through the city. i woke up every 2-3 hours once i went to bed until it was time to get up for work.
i thought it would be easier to work since i’m out of the danger zone and breathing this clean air, but what i didn’t realize is how heavy i would feel with everyone. how i can’t fathom talking about data and proposals when people i know have had to leave their homes behind, unsure of what they’ll return to. the city is suffering and i’m supposed to answer an email to someone who hardly has a clue as to what’s going on in LA?? it’s been rough, and i eventually had to tell my team i’m limiting my calls for the week, but will be responding to emails.
one thing that has truly disgusted me throughout these fires is the way that some people’s jobs & companies are conducting themselves. i know of someone reaching out for financial support to get a hotel room or meal assistance due to being in a mandatory evacuation zone, and being turned down. another one of an hr manager asking why someone would evacuate out of LA when they weren’t technically in a mandatory evacuation zone, because apparently being near one isn’t good enough. where is the compassion?? the care for other’s safety?? i genuinely just don’t understand, and am vastly disappointed. the worst thing to hear about is the homes that have been evacuated are also being robbed. just vile.
it’s disappointing to read people on twitter write things like it was deserved, and it’s just celebrities. there are “normal” people in LA, disadvantaged communities, and many more that are suffering through this. the amount of loss is well into thousands. this is a disaster for everyone.
overwhelmingly though, i am proud of how los angeles has banded together. the community support that popped up immediately, right from the start, is truly incredible. there are so many people providing resources and any help they can. here is a list of resources if you are in need. here is another list of resources if you are in need. restaurants in safe areas remaining open and providing food for free/donation. restaurants delivering to firefighters. realtors opening up their empty leases for evacuees. people offering to shelter animals, large or small. people on the ground providing kits and necessities. this all makes me cry because people can be so great. huge thank you to everyone providing support and assistance.
obviously, i’m emotional about everything. what’s even more insane to me is i feel this way and i haven’t lost anything. my neighborhood is fine. my friends, boyfriend, and i are safe. kona is safe. i genuinely cannot imagine the pain those who had to flee at a moment’s notice are feeling, and my heart truly goes out to them. i have been donating where i can, and am sharing as much information as possible on social media. please help how you’re able to.
los angeles will rebuild, but things are so painful right now. please be kind to those around you and let them grieve what they may have lost. my heart breaks for the destruction we’re all witnessing and experiencing.
I'm so sorry for what you are going through. It honestly paralyzes me how some people can be so insensitive. Like what is the point of being a human being if we can't be there for each other in urgent times of need? This is such a huge issue in terms of global warming, climate change, and overally socioeconomically, so it's been bringing a lot of those issues to the forefront of my life. I really hope that proper infrastructure and precautions are set in place if something like this were to happen again, much less casualties would be victim to events like this.
I can't even imagine how terrifying it is to live close to the evacuation zones and not be able to sleep due to the fear of the wildfire spreading further. I feel like even the strong smell of smoke would make me paranoid. I'm glad you and your loved ones at safe! And you make a good point highlighting the corporate greed that exists even in emergency situations like this.