In the past two weeks, the Eaton and Palisades fires became two of the worst natural disasters in California history. Los Angeles has experienced an unprecedented level of destruction. As wind-driven wildfires raged across the county, entire neighborhoods have been destroyed, displacing thousands of people after losing their homes.
In this episode, guest host Fernanda Echavarri, senior producer at Futuro Studios, takes us to Los Angeles, a city with the largest Latino population in the United States, to see how it has been impacted. We hear from Altadena resident Salvador Salcedo, who lost his house in the fires, and LAist host and reporter Antonia Cereijido on what the situation on the ground looks like. Then, we bring back a story of bravery and perseverance with wildfire fireman Armando Perez.
As the devastating fires continue to spread across Los Angeles, so have community efforts to help. In just the last two weeks, dozens of mutual aid efforts have popped up, not just across the community, but across the world too. Folks have taken to social media to share fundraisers, information on local shelter needs, and other calls for support. Tens of thousands of dollars have been raised to help people rebuild their lives. On the ground, Angelenos have stepped up to take care of one another.
“I work for my neighbor and I helped his family and he helped mine,” one resident told local Telemundo 52 reporter Alex Vazques.
Firefighters have also been working tirelessly to quell the blazes. A third of them reportedly are incarcerated individuals, many who are young men of color who risk their lives to save their communities. Men like Armando Perez, who first started fighting fires as a teenager in juvenile detention and stayed involved in this work decades later in Northern California. His story wraps up this special show.
Featured image by AP Photo/Ethan Swope.
Produced by Fernanda Echavarri and edited by Maria Garcia. Production assistance by Nour Saudi, Andrea López-Cruzado and Tasha Sandoval. It was mixed by Julia Caruso, Stephanie Lebow, and JJ Querubin. Special thanks to LAist reporters Aaron Shrank, Erin Stone, and Brian De Los Santos.
