Watching As The Palisades Fire Burns My Hometown 100 Miles Away

Driving up and down the Pacific Coast Highway, stopping at the Bluffs, and driving home was always the go-to activity for me and my friends whenever we were bored. I will never forget those late night drives blasting music and just being at peace.

Growing up in Santa Monica meant that the Pacific Palisades were always right around the corner. From the beautiful hikes with hidden waterfalls to the small businesses lined along the Pacific Coast Highway, the Palisades were a staple in my adolescent years and one of my favorite places. 

When the news first broke of the Palisades Fires first broke out I was in class. I had received a text from my friend where she sent a picture of the smoke engulfing the horizon behind her house. The only other time I remember the sky looking that frightening was during the 2019 Malibu fire. I immediately began to panic. 

Wildfires are nothing new to Southern Californians. With how dry the past few months have been due to no rainfall, it was only a matter of time before one started — the Santa Ana winds that week were absolutely no help. And while I’ve seen some truly devastating fires in my lifetime, this one was hit a little too close to home and was truly one of the most devastating. Acres and acres reduced to nothing but ash. Community staples gone. Houses burned to the ground. 

The guilt of not being there consumed me for an entire week. My friends and family were feeling the repercussions. They were breathing the smokey air. My sister’s school was canceled. My mom couldn’t make it to work because the freeways were closed. My friend at UCLA had to evacuate back to her house. My other friends were watching WatchDuty like hawks. And I was… fine? It didn’t seem right. 

Logically, I knew it was better that I was safe and my mom made sure to reassure me, but that didn’t stop me from spiraling when the Eaton and West Hollywood fires broke out. LA was quite literally burning on all sides. Nothing was helping, the fires kept raging on. It seemed dystopian. 

I remember scrolling on TikTok and just watching video after video of people devastated they couldn’t save any of their belongings or the people who didn’t even have a chance to go back for their pets. Video clips of the iconic buildings along the PCH just being gone. Posts on Instagram of people I knew mourning the loss of their high school after the fire ravished through Palisades Charter High School. It was beyond heartbreaking. 

The guilt only continued when I saw the community I knew all too well come together and support each other. One thing about Angelenos is they will show out for their neighbors. Evacuation centers had to start turning away volunteers because they already had too many. Mounds and mounds of food and water were donated for fire victims. Angelenos didn’t hesitate to show their support and it was beautiful to see. 

When my friend reposted a fundraiser flyer for wildfire relief, I immediately sent it to my group chat. The fundraiser was at the “Baby Blue” house on 68 Trigo and consisted of selling art, clothes, baked goods, jewelry, a raffle, and a pool tournament. It was held on a Sunday morning, the perfect time for Isla Vista residents to show up – and they did.

The Daily Nexus reported the house was able to raise $12,000 in aid to donate to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, the California Fire Foundation and the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund. 

The event inspired so much hope in me. 100 miles aways from the fires were nowhere close to affecting, and still people showed up in support for the fire victims. Not to mention the cupcakes made by Isla Vista’s Sunshiney Cakes run by fourth-year student Lily Fitzgerald were absolutely delectable. It was so incredibly heartwarming to see UCSB students use their talents for a good cause. 

Even if I wasn’t able to donate my time in Los Angeles, I was glad I was able to play a small role in the support coming out of Santa Barbara. 

Several other organizations and clubs part of the UCSB community followed in the footsteps of the “Baby Blue” house. There have been two band shows that aimed to raise money via donations for wildfire relief in Los Angeles. UCSB’s fashion club collected students’ old clothes in order to donate them to the Red Cross and shelters in the Los Angeles area for fire victims. And so many more. 

In a time of so much darkness and uncertainty, the sense of community shown across both Los Angeles and the UCSB communities was the much needed light after a crazy week. As of Friday January 31st, the Palisades Fire has been 100% contained, but the road to recover is a long one. If I know one thing about Los Angeles, it is that it will recover. It’s only a matter of time. 

The PCH will not be the same as I remember ever again, but I have no doubt it will come back to life once again.

• #loss #grief #life
• LA fires
• natural disaster