Everyone knows that dry areas such as the golden state of California are prone to wildfires, however, this knowledge does not take away the true devastation surrounding an out-of-control wildfire.
This week, following the opening of Los Angeles’ biggest season, the award season, Hollywood Hills tragically caught fire. The Palisade/Malibu fire destroyed thousands of homes and businesses surrounding the busy cities. While California has wildfires every year, this one proved to be one like no other.
Unlike the past wildfires in California, mostly located in rural and less populated areas, this time around, the blazes took place in the middle of the state’s most populated city Los Angeles. Burning over 39,000 acres of land (over three times the size of Manhattan) and over 12,000 structures such as schools, stores, and homes, the fire took the lives of 25 people and dilapidated whole communities within the adored city. The severity of the Santa Ana winds reached more than 100 mph for long periods of time, spreading burning ashes and embers across the LA County valley.
As the fire consumed the biggest areas in the city, numerous celebrities began reporting the burnings of their own homes. The millions being affected by the turmoil of the city also began posting stomach-churning photos and videos online of the inferno and ruin as well as setting up multiple online fundraising campaigns to aid in rebuilding the beloved state.
Despite these efforts, the fire continued to spread throughout the state. With the numbers of death and devastation climbing and even more people being forced to leave their lives behind and evacuate, the citizens continue to grieve their old lives and the people and places that come with it. The residents and even travelers continue to wonder when or even how the city will be fortunate enough to come together again and rebuild all that was lost.
