While majority of the Eastern United States experienced colder weather last Friday and Saturday, parts of California faced a drastically different reality.
On January 7th, a series of wildfires occurred in Los Angeles. Three major fires broke out, with an estimation of 40,306 acres burned. These fires were named the Palisades fire, the Eaton fire and the Hurst fire.
The largest of these fires was the Palisades fire, which burned 23,713 acres of land in the neighborhood of Pacific Palisades.
While some students at the school were experiencing an icy weekend, they also had to worry about their loved ones who live in California.
“I had fun playing in the snow and it was pretty, but every time I would open my phone or look at TV, I saw something about the wildfires and made me worry about the family I have there and the place I grew up,” said junior Ava Washington.
Students who used to live in California are worrying as they’re seeing their old homes and favorite places turn to ashes.
Families were evacuated as firefighters, volunteers and even inmates focus on containing the fires as much as possible.
However, only 14% of the Palisades fire was able to be contained.
“I loved going to Los Angeles when I used to live in California, and I have some family who lives around that area,” said junior Dylan Forbes. “My aunt and cousins live in the Eaton area, so they had to evacuate because of that fire. It’s really scary.”
The causes for these fires are still under investigation. Since there is a drought in California, strong gusts of wind called the Santa Ana winds created ideal conditions for fires to occur.
So far, there have been 19 fatalities, and this number concerns students at the school with families there.
“I am sad that my family members lost their homes and their stuff, but to be honest, I’m just glad that everyone is safe because I know how dangerous those wildfires can be,” said sophomore Will Davis.
