What do you do after you lose everything? Residents of LA affected by the recent fires are having to find out.
Imagine you live in beautiful Altadena, California, just outside of Los Angeles, and you decide to do major house renovations, excited to have a fresh start. Everything is going well, and your house renovations are almost done. Suddenly, a fire starts and rapidly spreads, destroying your home, your memories, and all of your hard work, forcing you to restart all of your progress. This has unfortunately become a reality for many, including Eaton fire survivor Mars Tekosky. Wildfires swept through the area, demolishing and thousands of homes. The LA wildfires have damaged a copious amount of buildings and have caused havoc in Southern California. The exact cause remains unclear, but many schemes and conspiracies have been made.
The fire’s cause and its quick evolution is heavily questioned. Possible causes range from human activity like lighting fireworks to power lines sparking or oscillation between California and other states. An article by NBC news states that a combination of drought-like conditions and powerful winds that hit the area a week prior contributed to the growth of the fires. Precipitation in California has been uneven too. Meaning, Southern California had been receiving less than 10% of average rainfall since the beginning of October. Little to no rainfall would definitely encourage the spread of the wildfires.
According to an article by UCLA, the wildfires are costing property and capital losses of up to $95 and $164 billion. Not to mention, the insured losses being around $75 billion. Over 18,000 buildings are in need of repair, and about 200,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes. All of the fires combined killed 29 people, leaving residents of the area in despair. Local businesses in the area are facing wage losses of up to $297 million, and many Californians are left without jobs. Houses, insurance, and basic needs are going to be increasingly less affordable as a result of the expenses needed to fund the reconstruction.
Several Californians are in an outrage, and others are simply shaken up about the tragic events. Thankfully, the Tekosky family who was previously mentioned is okay and the fires are contained. Many mourn the loss of their homes, like actress and singer Zooey Deschanel. Many memories were lost when her childhood home was lost to the LA fires. On the bright side, some people maintain a positive attitude such as Paris Hilton, her and her family lost their Malibu home, but they chose to not let it get to them and they stayed calm about their nightmare of a situation.
