Los Angeles County fires lead to thousands evacuated, at least 24 dead and thousands of homes destroyed

[Nic B]

I posted a video, on my fb, of a man being reunited with his dog....after all this devastation it's nice to see some videos that warm your heart.

[Bewitchingstorm]

I posted a video, on my fb, of a man being reunited with his dog....after all this devastation it's nice to see some videos that warm your heart.

I'll have to go see that one. I saw a video last week of a man who lost everything, but the firefighters were able to find his cat. Just watching him see the cat after all that devastation...it was heartwarming.

[Nic B]

I'll have to go see that one. I saw a video last week of a man who lost everything, but the firefighters were able to find his cat. Just watching him see the cat after all that devastation...it was heartwarming.

It's a tear jerker, to see his reaction AND the dog's.

[Boston Babe 73]

Well. I can't speak for Palisades as I'm not familiar with the area or the people. I CAN speak for Altadena as it is where we were based with our dog walking and pet sitting business. I'm not even exaggerating. HUNDREDS of our clients lost everything in the fires so far and we've lost animals that we loved and cared for. These people were not rich. Some don't have coverage because they had their fire coverage cancelled on them and it's the reason so many stayed behind to try to save their homes.

I've been in absolute tears for the past week and trying to comfort them all. Altadena was an anomaly in the sense that 33% of the population was Black and 75% of that Black population owned their homes. Altadena was one of the few areas that wasn't redlined during the 60s so they were able to progress and those homes were in their families for generations. They were NOT rich and they likely didn't vote to cut services either. Their lives are devastated now and I have no idea how they will recover.

Altadena is also unique in the sense that they try to keep it as community oriented and "small town" as possible. The vast majority of businesses up there were family owned and small. They wouldn't allow Target or Walmart or Home Depot up there. Of course you had to have some, like CVS, McDonalds and Bank of America etc. But for the most part the businesses that burned down on Lake Ave were all owned by residents and were small businesses. Most lost both their business and their home.

They're working hard now to try to prevent the corporations to swoop in and land grab. I really hope that they succeed because it was a beautiful and unique city and it's just heartbreaking to watch it now be rubble. Streets and businesses that we walked and frequented daily for over 14 years. All decimated. Animals that we loved and cared for, imagining the terror they felt in the last moments of their lives. People that are family to us now left with nothing. We're just at a loss.

[Bewitchingstorm]

Well. I can't speak for Palisades as I'm not familiar with the area or the people. I CAN speak for Altadena as it is where we were based with our dog walking and pet sitting business. I'm not even exaggerating. HUNDREDS of our clients lost everything in the fires so far and we've lost animals that we loved and cared for. These people were not rich. Some don't have coverage because they had their fire coverage cancelled on them and it's the reason so many stayed behind to try to save their homes.

I've been in absolute tears for the past week and trying to comfort them all. Altadena was an anomaly in the sense that 33% of the population was Black and 75% of that Black population owned their homes. Altadena was one of the few areas that wasn't redlined during the 60s so they were able to progress and those homes were in their families for generations. They were NOT rich and they likely didn't vote to cut services either. Their lives are devastated now and I have no idea how they will recover.

Altadena is also unique in the sense that they try to keep it as community oriented and "small town" as possible. The vast majority of businesses up there were family owned and small. They wouldn't allow Target or Walmart or Home Depot up there. Of course you had to have some, like CVS, McDonalds and Bank of America etc. But for the most part the businesses that burned down on Lake Ave were all owned by residents and were small businesses. Most lost both their business and their home.

They're working hard now to try to prevent the corporations to swoop in and land grab. I really hope that they succeed because it was a beautiful and unique city and it's just heartbreaking to watch it now be rubble. Streets and businesses that we walked and frequented daily for over 14 years. All decimated. Animals that we loved and cared for, imagining the terror they felt in the last moments of their lives. People that are family to us now left with nothing. We're just at a loss.

I am so sorry, Boston. I can't imagine how you and your husband are feeling. It is just horrible to think of what has happened and that so many babies lost their lives. There are no words.

[Angiebla]

Well. I can't speak for Palisades as I'm not familiar with the area or the people. I CAN speak for Altadena as it is where we were based with our dog walking and pet sitting business. I'm not even exaggerating. HUNDREDS of our clients lost everything in the fires so far and we've lost animals that we loved and cared for. These people were not rich. Some don't have coverage because they had their fire coverage cancelled on them and it's the reason so many stayed behind to try to save their homes.

I've been in absolute tears for the past week and trying to comfort them all. Altadena was an anomaly in the sense that 33% of the population was Black and 75% of that Black population owned their homes. Altadena was one of the few areas that wasn't redlined during the 60s so they were able to progress and those homes were in their families for generations. They were NOT rich and they likely didn't vote to cut services either. Their lives are devastated now and I have no idea how they will recover.

Altadena is also unique in the sense that they try to keep it as community oriented and "small town" as possible. The vast majority of businesses up there were family owned and small. They wouldn't allow Target or Walmart or Home Depot up there. Of course you had to have some, like CVS, McDonalds and Bank of America etc. But for the most part the businesses that burned down on Lake Ave were all owned by residents and were small businesses. Most lost both their business and their home.

They're working hard now to try to prevent the corporations to swoop in and land grab. I really hope that they succeed because it was a beautiful and unique city and it's just heartbreaking to watch it now be rubble. Streets and businesses that we walked and frequented daily for over 14 years. All decimated. Animals that we loved and cared for, imagining the terror they felt in the last moments of their lives. People that are family to us now left with nothing. We're just at a loss.

I am so sorry for your losses. I know how it is to get very close to a client's pet, that it feels like part of your family. I am so sorry for your friends that lost everything.

[Boston Babe 73]

Thanks, everyone. I didn't lose my home and everything I knew, but it sure feels like it in some ways.

It's going to get worse before it gets better for some people. I will know of folks in need with GFMs that I'll post here if I have permission to do so by RBW or BWS. I think it's important that any donations go to legitimate causes that have been vetted first. I'm part of a FB Group for the Altadena area and I'll know if the campaigns are the real deal. I would like to focus on those that don't have adequate insurance and will have the harder time getting loans or aid moving forward.

[marshmallow]

Thanks, everyone. I didn't lose my home and everything I knew, but it sure feels like it in some ways.

It's going to get worse before it gets better for some people. I will know of folks in need with GFMs that I'll post here if I have permission to do so by RBW or BWS. I think it's important that any donations go to legitimate causes that have been vetted first. I'm part of a FB Group for the Altadena area and I'll know if the campaigns are the real deal. I would like to focus on those that don't have adequate insurance and will have the harder time getting loans or aid moving forward.

The news coverage, the major ones, talk so much about the stars whose mansions have been lost but my heart goes out to the people like us. The ones whose hard work reaped rewards and now they're left with nothing. Not that I don't care that some stars lost everything, it's just that those stars can rebuy and rebuild but people like me don't have the resources and may not be able to.

[Boston Babe 73]

@Marsh. Yes, it's been annoying seeing so much coverage and attention being paid to those that obviously will have the means to rebuild and ignoring the POC and smaller residences that were lost. Over 7000 structures so far and more people died in the Eaton Fire, but by all means. Let's ask Mel Gibson how he feels.

Like you, nobody deserves to lose everything, but the focus of the media shows a definite preference and it's no surprise who got ignored here. The air drops were also focused in the Palisades first instead of Altadena which pisses me off. I understand that there are only so many resources to go around, but the imbalance of those resources was obvious.