The tragic Los Angeles fires have spread over 40,000 acres, killed at least 25 people, and destroyed more than 12,000 structures. While it may feel like the Lake Forest community is disconnected from the disaster, the lives of several LFHS alumni now living in LA have been turned upside down.
2018 LFHS graduate Brett Chody graduated from USC in 2022 and has been living in the Los Angeles area for seven years.
At first, she said she didn’t think much of it because wildfires in LA are “pretty common.”
“I was checking Twitter and realized the one in the Palisades was really bad,” Chody said. “When I got back to my house that day, the winds were getting really intense. I went to a friend’s apartment and packed a bag with my important stuff just in case, not thinking I was actually gonna have to evacuate. Later that night, I could see the mountains on fire.”
The high winds caused the fires to spread rapidly and made it difficult for first responders, who often rely on helicopters to drop water or fire retardant.
“That night the entirety of the Palisades burned down,” Chody said.
Experts say the fires, which have been burning in the LA area for more than a week, are among the worst on record. According to AccuWeather, the fires might cause as much as $275 billion in damages.
“The next day when I woke up, the air was awful. I went outside for five minutes, and it felt like I had smoked 10 cigarettes because the air quality was so bad. I spent that day in LA, but things were getting really seedy,” Chody said.
Later that night, a fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills.
“My boyfriend and I decided we had to get out of here because that one started from the embers of the Eaton Fire, and spread to Hollywood. We were worried it would spread farther.”
Chody was not in the mandatory evacuation area, but chose to leave voluntarily since things were out of control. Eventually, her community was put under mandatory evacuation.
“I was so spooked about everything; I wanted to be on the safe side,” said Chody. “A lot of places are still under evacuation and my home doesn’t have power. There’s no determination on when they will be able to turn it back on.”
One of the worst hit spots was the Pacific Palisades, which is located about 20 miles west of downtown LA.
LFHS alum Priscilla Angelich, who graduated in 2006, lives there with her family. Their house, as well as all of their belongings, was lost in the fire. The Angelich family is looking for support to help rebuild their house. You can donate to them at Angelich Fundraiser.
2022 graduate Sloane Weisberg is a junior at Pepperdine University, located near the Palisades in Malibu. Her apartment was not affected by the fires, but the neighboring communities were destroyed.
“The devastation of the Palisades fire is pretty unbelievable,” Weisberg said. “It is equally unbelievable that there is no water to put out the fires.”
According to the LA Times, fire officials were struggling to find enough water to fight the historic fires.
The Palisades fire has shifted LA residents’ lives.
“I got to spend a lot of time in the Pacific Palisades in the past years, and it was such a lovely suburban community. It will be very odd to drive down the Pacific Coast Highway and see our favorite spots and restaurants gone,” said Weisberg.
Chody also spent time in the Palisades.
“I would go there all the time with friends. It is going to take years for them to rebuild that community. It is hard to grapple with the fact that somewhere I spent so much time is not fully there anymore,” said Chody.
2024 graduate Milana Yanev is a freshman at Chapman University. “One of my friends had to sleep in her car with her pets for a few days when driving out of Los Angeles until she was able to find a hotel,” Yanev said. “My thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones and homes full of priceless memories.”
Hearing the devastation in California can feel overwhelming, but Chody says she is impressed by how people have responded.
“A lot of people brand LA to be a vapid city where people just care about being famous. But going through this has shown that it is not true and there is a community here,” Chody said. “It is crazy to see what is happening, but it’s also been beautiful to see the city come together.
Ways to help the people affected by the wildfires
The American Red Cross is a non profit organization that helps during emergency situations, and provides disaster relief. Currently the Red Cross is providing shelters with food and a place to stay for the evacuees. They are in close partnerships with the Salvation Army, and many others to provide food for the shelter locations. Donate here.
Westside Food Bank’s mission is to end hunger on the westside of the country. They provide nutritious food to those in need. Donate pre-packaged food, water, ready to eat meals, or non perishable food. You can also donate directly to their website.
Local GoFundMe fundraisers
Many people affected by the wildfires have started GoFundMe accounts to help support them through recovery. Donating just a few dollars can make a huge difference in someone’s recovery. Consider donating to any of the fundraisers with this link.
The California Fire Foundation is a non profit organization which works to provide financial assistance to the first responders directly working to stop the wildfires. Our first thought is always to donate to the people affected by disasters however, our first responders are also in need of support. You can donate here.
