Los Angeles, California is known for its beautiful beaches, tall skyscrapers, and extremely clear weather. However, one of the biggest challenges the city faces is wildfires. These fires happen when dry conditions, strong winds, and heat cause trees, grass, and brush to catch fire. Wildfires can spread quickly, destroying homes, and habitats, and even causing danger to people and animals. In recent years, the number of wildfires in California has increased, affecting many areas around Los Angeles.
During fires people have mixed feelings: sadness – because they are losing everything, fear – because there is a big chance of death, and even anxiety – because there are so many protocols you have to follow. Many people have to evacuate and may never see their homes again. It is really scary, “When I was younger, my city was on fire and we had to evacuate our apartment. It was terrifying because I was young and did not know what was going on,” stated seventh grader Holden Peck. Holden Peck witnessed a fire at a young age. Mr. Hagy on the other hand was not as young but it was still scary, “When I was around 8, someone broke into our garage and set it on fire. It was terrifying.” said seventh-grade history teacher, Mr. Hagy. It can also be scary just being around one, “I have never, however, I almost did and my family was terrified.” said eighth grader Ava Bavaro. As you can see, people can have mixed emotions.
Making good and safe choices during a fire is also a big part of your safety. Some safe decisions you can make to stay safe and stay calm is “You should just listen to what the firefighters tell you and try to evacuate as quickly as possible,” said Peck, “I think that they can look at the positives like, no one got hurt, or they are safe now. They should leave out of state or somewhere where the fire is not.” said Bavaro, “It’s all about planning, they are so unpredictable because they can be moving at speeds up to 100 miles per hour, and keep everything you can’t afford to use together” suggested Mr.Hagy . Making safe decisions during a wildfire is crucial for protecting both lives and property, and staying informed, prepared, and calm can significantly increase your chances of survival and safety.
When you know people who have been affected by fires, it makes the situation feel a lot more real. It’s not just something happening far away—it’s people you care about going through tough times. Hearing their stories helps us understand how serious wildfires can be and why it’s so important to help each other during these disasters. “My dad’s friend’s house burnt down and they had to evacuate and my grandma and my uncle evacuated from my house” stated Holden Peck. “Some of my dad’s work friends have been affected by the fire. They drove out of state” said Ava Bavaro. “I have a very close friend that lives in LA county and he is a teacher and most of his student’s families have been affected by the fires,” noted Mr. Hagy.
As you can see, wildfires have a massive impact on California and have affected many people, homes, and even cities.
