The LA Fires

Written by Quinn de Vecchi

On Jan. 7, the Greater Los Angeles fires erupted into blazing chaos. In under three weeks, at least 29 people died from the raging wildfires plaguing southern California—not including those that may succumb to sickness due to the ash and smoke. Over 16,000 buildings were lost to the fires—homes, community centers, supermarkets, art museums, and others. 

The cause of the initial start of the fires is still unknown, but harsh winds and dry conditions were key participants in the spread of the fire. The ongoing terror of climate change has also been considered a factor, since the droughts and heat have grown immensely over the past decade. Many climate activists have called the wildfires a “wake up call” and are demanding that climate change be considered a national priority.

The largest of the California wildfires was the Palisades Fire, which burned over 23,000 acres, including some of Tuna Canyon and Topanga State Park, raising a multitude of evacuation orders and curfew restrictions. From the Palisades Fire alone, over 6,000 structures were destroyed. There have at least been 12 deaths, and at least four injuries from the fire. 

Notable damage was also caused by the Eaton Fire, which spanned over 14,000 acres. It covered some of Altadena, Sierra Madre City Parkland, and Mount Wilson. Though the Eaton Fire was considerably smaller than the Palisades blaze, over 10,000 structures were destroyed due to it. Eaton has claimed the lives of at least 17 people, with at least nine reported injuries.

In addition to these two larger fires, there were also the Hughes, Border 2, and Rosa Wildfires, which all together covered over 17,000 acres.
The California Fire Department (also known as CAL FIRE) regularly updates on active fires and does its best to contain and extinguish every single one. The hearts of the IAA community go out to those in California, and we will continue to use the arts to give hope to the world.