The Drumbeat

by Nazli Ucar

Wildfires have swept through LA leaving many of its residents devastated as their homes burn down. On January 7, 2025 California faced its first wildfire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood forcing at least 179,000 residents to evacuate their homes. The main cause of the wildfires is due to natural causes which can include lightning although things such as power lines and campfires which are caused by humans also are a big factor in the fires. Wildfires typically occur between May and October and these are caused by hot temperatures and drought conditions such as reduced soil and plant moisture; these reasons can also be summed up as global warming which is a main concern all around the world today. To stop these wildfires the state of California faces major economic costs. Equipment and resources such as water dropping helicopters, air tankers, and fire engines are needed which raises the price to 3 million dollars which was used solely for the fires, not to mention the residents that need to relocate and have lost their jobs due to the wildfires. 

To help the residents of LA the state of California has come up with genius ways to share where the fires are and how or when to evacuate through an app called “Ready for Wildfire”. For those that need it transportation is also being provided by the state. As far as those that are left homeless they can go to emergency shelters which are set up by red cross and non profit organizations, in these shelters necessities like food, water, and medical care are provided to ensure the well being and safety of residents. To ensure the safety of animals on the other hand, animal shelters were set up as a temporary place for pets and livestock animals.  

Although the state of California is working hard to stop the fires president Donald Trump explains that the leadership of California is not using the extra water supply they have. He blames the state of California for prioritizing the delta smelt which is an endangered species of fish. These fish reside in the northern part of California and have caused major controversy as to whether the state is rightful of their choice or if it is an irresponsible choice puting many lives at risk. The species plays an important role in the environmental balance of California but on the other hand Trump has threatened the state to withhold federal relief funds if more water is not supplied to the south. 

Once the fires are over what will California residents do? There are a couple things they can do, the first step will be to find a temporary shelter if they haven’t already and during this process they can navigate with insurance companies. This process will help them get any sort of compensation to rebuild their homes or relocate themselves but, keep in mind that this is not an easy process and will most likely be challenging and take a long time. Another option would be to apply for government aid, this option will provide them with loans that they can use to rebuild their homes or replace their belongings until they are financially stable. Since California is a high risk area for wildfires some may even choose to move to another area which does not have as high of a risk for fires unlike the southern part of California.

The devastating fires in LA show how big of a challenge wildfires can be. It is also an example of how dangerous global warming is and how we should improve fire prevention, manage water wisely, and most importantly come together to support each other through hard times like these.