In the heart of Los Angeles, California, home of Hollywood and luxury homes, wildfires ravage parts of the city, leaving harmful effects on LA residents of the 1900s. Wildfires have grown in intensity and become more frequent. Thousands of people have been affected by these wildfires in the past years in the state of California. Why do these wildfires happen mostly around California?
The two fires that caused the most damage were the Palisades fire and the Eaton fire. These two fires had a very big impact on the city. The LA fires, the Eaton, and the Palisades have destroyed many parts of LA and will have long-term effects on the city. Now that we have toured the appalling effects of these wildfires, it’s important to focus on the significant damage they have caused. The Palisades and the Eaton fires, which are still active now, are fires that are rapidly increasing in LA.
Student Zeinab Mustapha exclaimed, “I think since it’s been going on for over a month, it depends on how they manage it. It can affect us big time.” Zeinab Mustapha emphasizes that since it has been going on for a while, it depends on how the government and officials manage it. The Palisade fire alone has burnt 23,700+ acres, additionally, it has ruined 5300+ structures/buildings.
On the other hand, the Eaton fire has burnt down more than 14,100 acres (about 7000 buildings burnt). In total, approximately 12,000 structures have been burnt, including the homes of LA residents. Mrs.Abbas, a science teacher at Unis Middle School, proclaimed, “I feel devastated, as so many aspects of human life have been impacted by these fires, causing many to lose their homes.” Mrs. Abbas reveals that many have been impacted by these wildfires, with many losing their homes. Since these fires are located at different places, they are both expanding and moving in different pathways. The Palisades is expanding West LA, and the Eaton is moving North.
The Palisades fire started on the hills above the Pacific Palisades. The Pacific Palisades is a neighborhood located in the westside region of LA. The fire was first reported on the morning of January 7 as it grew, it exploded and damaged lots of structures. As for the Eaton fire, California officials addressed it starting on the evening of Jan 7. Moving on, LA weather conditions have not been the best this year.
The amount of excessive fuel load has increased, causing wildfires to move faster, hotter, and larger. Additionally, climate change has a big impact on this. Climate change and global warming contributed to ¼ of dryness in LA, which is one of the main factors that assisted these wildfires in explosively spreading. Mrs. Abbas also implied that “whether the fires will end now or later, it’s unpredictable due to climate change.” Mrs. Abbas emphasized that the resolution of these fires can be very unpredictable due to climate change. On the other hand, California didn’t receive the participation it needed, which also played a role in the dryness in the city. These factors, combined with Santa Ana winds (strong winds), wed to a surge.
Furthermore, it is obvious that with all this going on, the people and the environment are suffering. These wildfires have caused critical damage to the environment. A lot of natural resources have been destroyed as well. An important natural resource that is at risk is water. LA had a long-lasting pressure of water, but climate change has affected it.
The fires also affected the United States Importation system. Zeinab Mustapha states, “Many things are imported from LA, and a lot of manufacturers have been impacted by these fires.” Zeinab Mustapha notes that many goods are imported from LA, and a significant number of manufacturers have been severely impacted.
By: Duaa Alwakeedi
Moreover, these fires have been inflamed by strong, rapid winds, which made the fires grow larger. This forced the residents of LA to evacuate their homes, and a total of 29 people died from these two fires combined. 20-year-old Sarah Altairi stated, “They should have an emergency and evacuation plan. The government should support them by offering financial aid and having mental health services available for those who need it.” Sarah Altaiti explains what she thinks the government should do to keep its people safe, which is to provide financial aid and mental health services.
These fires have harmful effects on health conditions as well, including persistent coughing, wheezing, and difficulty in breathing. They can also contribute to cancer development and lung damage. The air quality plays a big role in these conditions.
The two major wildfires in LA have had significant effects on LA residents and the territory surrounding it. The fires are still on and are continuing to spread. If we act now and contribute to putting an end to these two major wildfires, we can help stop any more destruction from happening.
Hopefully, we can save the lives of the people who are living within the fires. We can do this by spreading awareness and fundraising for firefighters so they can get the essential resources they need. Please send prayers to the people in California who are affected by these fires.