One week after fires erupted in LA, the danger remainspublished at 17:27 Greenwich Mean Time
Christal Hayes
Reporting from Los Angeles
Exactly one week ago, two of the LA area’s most destructive fires ignited – the Palisades fire and Eaton fire.
More than 10,000 homes are gone. At least 24 have died – a toll officials say could rise. Millions who live here are still on edge.
Seeing the containment numbers on these fires go up each day has given all of us hope. But now another wind event has all of us on pins and needles. Officials warn the next 24 hours will be dangerous and there’s a potential for new blazes to flare up. They’re already warning people in fire-prone areas to leave – even if an official evacuation alert hasn’t been issued.
This continued nightmare feels almost inescapable.
Everyone seems to know someone who lost a home or is still evacuated and cannot yet return. Images of the crisis are shown on TV news all day. Signs of support now mark billboards across town. It’s the topic of conversations in coffee shops and restaurants.
But each day we get closer to this ending – a day when we can focus on healing and rebuilding our communities.
“We will rebuild Los Angeles,” Mayor Karen Bass declared on Tuesday.
