Breaking news! On January 7, Palisades and Eaton fires broke out in neighborhoods in Los Angeles, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes. The fires killed 28 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures. It’s been a chaotic scene, with people rushing to escape as the fires spread quickly because of strong winds. 

Attorneys have found a video showing arcing and electrical sparking on a transmission tower in Eaton Canyon just before the wind was about to enlarge the flames and cause a wildfire. It is so far unknown how the Palisades fire started and is under investigation, but many believe the Palisades fire began near a hiking trail where a smaller fire had happened on New Years Day. That fire might have been caused by fireworks and got worse because of the strong winds in Santa Anita. So far, there is no evidence of this, and no definite cause has been determined by officials. 

Firefighters are still trying to stop the fires, and many families are still left without homes. People in the community are doing their best to help out. Many known celebrities and influencers have spent hundreds of dollars to give supplies, food, and items to the unfortunate people who lost everything. It’s a tough situation and shows how scary fires can be, especially when the weather makes things worse. 

For my family, it wasn’t just a new story, it was personal. My aunt, Marie Lewis and her husband, Brian Lewis lost their home and had to evacuate in the middle of the night. She lived in Altadena when the Eaton fire started, on January 7th, 6:55 p.m., her husband warned her about the fire. By 3 a.m., they got an evacuation alert. Marie said, “I made sure to grab important necessities like tax papers, a few clothes, her makeup bag, a flashlight, and, most importantly, my two dogs and their supplies.” Bryan took only his radio. The smoke was so thick they couldn’t see, so they drove east to San Dimas. Every hotel they went to was full, but finally, at 6:30 a.m., they found a room at Motel 6 after waiting in their car for an hour.

With over 12,000 people displaced, finding a place with a yard for her dogs was nearly impossible. Staying in a hotel was tough. Marie says, “My dogs lived a great life up until the fire, now they barely get to run around and instead they sit bored too often.” Luckily the hotel they found had rooms on the ground floor with doors that open to a yard so, she gets to take them out, but they can’t leave them alone at the hotel because they bark when they are gone. 

The next day, Bryan wanted to go back home. Marie refused, not wanting to breathe in the toxic air, but she drove him. “When we got to our street, it was heartbreaking. Police and firefighters were everywhere, and embers were flying through the air. Some houses were burning down with no one around.” Marie said. As they turned onto their street, they saw two houses at the corner were gone. Driving further, every house was destroyed except for three that somehow made it, their house was gone.

I then asked Marie if she was able to receive donations or any help. She explained to me how the hotel she was at received a huge amount of donations like food, clothing, grooming items, etc. Marie also added, “The food came in Handy, however, I have yet to call the American Red Cross.” She says this tragedy has not changed her perspective on life because if anything it made her stronger. Marie and Bryan would like everyone to know, losing all you own and accumulated your entire life is difficult to come to terms with, and if you are told to evacuate, don’t take it lightly. “I never believed my house was in danger and if I had, I would have taken a few more things.”