During the past few weeks, wildfires have raged throughout the Los Angeles area. This perfect storm of circumstances has been causing damage and fatalities.
What is happening?
Wildfires broke out on Tuesday, Jan. 7 in the Palisades area of Los Angeles (LA) county, causing damage to the area. This fire has now spread to several different parts of the LA, Ventura and San Bernardino region.
In total, there are approximately five separate fire incidents in connection to the initial Palisades fire. Over 40,000 acres of land has been burned, and over 12,000 structures have been destroyed. The Eaton Fire (one of the five fires sparked from the initial Palisades fire) is considered one of the worst fires in the state's history, claiming the lives of 24 people.
What causes California wildfires?
There is not a known cause at the moment as to why the fire started, but according to CAL FIRE, a state organization that deals with frequent wildfires, there are many things that can cause a fire due to California’s naturally dry climate. It is also naturally very hot in California, so it is really easy for fires to start up naturally.
A lot of fires were directly linked to lightning during storms. Another cause tends to be human errors. For example in 2018, the Camp Fire in Paradise California was caused due to a faulty powerline. That fire ended up being one of the most deadliest fires in the history of the state and completely leveled the town.
“My aunt lived in Paradise during that big fire,” Xander Goatier said, “She came here to visit us and came back and had no house. She got what she could from insurance and moved here.”
Goatier was born in California before moving to Ohio in high school. They now have family members who are surviving the LA fires now.
“It’s a really scary situation,” Goatier said. “My cousin lives near where all of those fires are happening. She had to move there for her job so she can’t just pick up and leave. But her building had to be evacuated. She is in a shelter, her dog is in an animal shelter and she is essentially waiting for her apartment to burn to the ground.”
Goatier’s family is not the only person who feels that way; these fires have shaken the LA community and have left many wondering when it is going to end.
Response to the fire
First responders have worked hard to fight these fires. According to CAL FIRE, over 24,000 emergency responses have occurred as the fires have raged. The first responders do more than fight fires: they also help with evacuation efforts, and help combat crime as well.
According to Joel Everett, assistant Chief of the LA Fire Department, the first responders are dedicated to risking their lives to protect the community.
“We have been on it since day one,” Everett said in a press conference. ”Needless to say, these firefighters have returned to base camp bruised, battered, and tired. I really find that to be a true testament to the battle they just endured.”
The national government is involved too, President Joe Biden is working with California officials and sending aid their way.
“Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell is in Los Angeles today to meet with state and local officials and firefighting personnel to assess immediate and anticipated needs,” Biden said in a statement.
Additionally, Biden claims the government is sending equipment to California to aid in the fire fighting effort.
“The Federal government is continuing to support local firefighting efforts with three additional CL-415 aerial firefighting aircraft and nine additional helicopters,” Biden said. “These supplement the five tankers and 10 firefighting helicopters already in place through the National Interagency Fire Center.”
At the moment, the fires have been contained to a good amount, but this does not take back all of the damage these fires have caused to a community.
“My cousin isn’t a rich person, she isn’t a celebrity, she isn’t even an influencer. She is just a woman who is freshly out of college, who now may not have a home to come back to when this is over with. She may lose all of her possessions. The people who are losing the most are not these celebrities, it is the people who are just trying to survive,” said Goatier.
Since the interview, Goatier has reported that their cousin is able to return home safely.
