Oh my gosh, you guys, California is like, totally on fire again. The wildfires are raging, and it’s super scary. Over the past few weeks, the major fires in places like Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties have, like, burned through over 120,000 acres—and firefighters are struggling to get things under control because of the crazy winds and super dry vibes. The Palisades Blaze is the most massive, but there’s also this new fire called the Hughes Fire tearing through Riverside County and the Canyon Flats Fire causing evacuations in Ventura. It’s like, one disaster after another! Here’s the tea on what’s happening, straight from the scene.

So, like, the Palisades Blaze? It’s the biggest one right now, and it’s totally destroyed more than 500 homes and forced over 10,000 people to evacuate. Can you even imagine? Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley explained how tough it’s been: “Our firefighters are doing everything they can under incredibly challenging conditions. The winds have made containment difficult, but we’re using all resources available, including aerial firefighting units.”

And like, according to Cal Fire’s Scott McLean, it’s been, like, the worst combo ever. He said, “The weather has been a huge factor in how quickly these fires spread. It’s been a perfect storm of dry vegetation, high winds, and low humidity. We’re asking residents to remain vigilant and evacuate when ordered.”

Governor Gavin Newsom is, like, totally on it. He’s been all over the place, telling people to evacuate and saying, “The destruction we’re seeing is unprecedented. I urge all Californians in affected areas to follow evacuation orders. Your safety is our top priority. This is not the time for politics; it’s the time for action and unity.”

But OMG, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass got, like, a ton of heat for not even being in town when the fires started. She was abroad, which, like, not a good look. She said, “I regret not being in the city when the fires started. I’ve cut my trip short and am fully focused on ensuring our emergency services have the resources they need to protect Angelenos.”

Okay, so the people who’ve been affected? Ugh, it’s just so sad. Rachel Darvish, who had to evacuate from Pacific Palisades, said, “I saw the flames getting closer, and within minutes we had to leave. The speed at which this fire moved was terrifying. I just hope our home will still be there when we return.”

And can we talk about how amazing some communities are? Like, John Martinez in Altadena is such a hero. He said, “We couldn’t just sit and watch. My neighbors and I decided to step up—checking on elderly residents, clearing dry brush, and doing what we can to help firefighters. It’s about community in times like these.”

But not everyone has a happy ending. Linda Carson, who lost her home in the Hughes Fire, said, “It’s heartbreaking. You never think it’ll happen to you, but it did. I’m grateful to be alive, but starting over is going to be tough.”

Okay, so here’s the deal: the weather is, like, not helping at all. The National Weather Service is saying the winds and low humidity are gonna stick around through the weekend, which is, like, the worst news ever for firefighters.

Everyone is being told to, like, stay glued to official updates and GTFO if there’s an evacuation order. There are shelters set up all over the place, and volunteers are totally stepping up to help people who’ve lost everything. If you wanna help, there are, like, so many ways to donate or volunteer right now.

Honestly, even with all the bad stuff happening, people are showing how strong they are. Like John Martinez said, “It’s about community in times like these.” And, like, we couldn’t agree more.

XOXO,
Valley Girl News

Image from BBC/Getty Images