CT natives in LA on high alert amidst 'incomprehensible' wildfires
On Thursday, firefighters continued to battle a series of major fires that have killed five people, ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and sent around 180,000 people frantically fleeing their homes.
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Norwalk-native Nancy Adzentoivich described life lately as “angst-ridden,” as she waits for updates on the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area, the place she’s called home for 15 years.
“I mean, it's unbelievable,” said Adzentoivich, who lives in Culver City. “From where I am, we can see the fires. And right now, we have ash falling in my yard, and the skies are like this weird amber color, and nobody's going outdoors [because of the air quality].”
Adzentoivich’s house is a couple miles from where thousands of others, including friends, have had to evacuate. She spent yesterday gassing up the car and getting her family's go-bags ready with supplies in case they need to leave.
“It's absolutely incomprehensible what's happening. I mean, I think about growing up in Connecticut, in the Northeast. Imagine it's like a blizzard or a hurricane, except there's no water, no snow, no rain. So, we just have 100 mph winds and fires,” Adzentoivich told News12.
What’s even more overwhelming to her is that the true scale of destruction isn’t known yet.
On Thursday, firefighters continued to battle a series of major fires that have killed five people, ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and sent around 180,000 people frantically fleeing their homes. Officials said they expect the death toll to rise. The uncontained Palisades fire, which is burning between Malibu and Santa Monica, is now the most destructive to ever hit LA County.
Stamford native Mallury Pollard, an Uber drive in LA, recalled seeing the first cloud of smoke Tuesday morning.
“I said, ‘Uh-oh, you know, here we go again,’ But I don't think anybody knew then it would be as devastating as it's now become,” Pollard explained.
He spoke to News 12 from his car after the fires closed the coworking space in Pasadena that he'd planned to use for the interview.
“I haven't been evacuated from where I live. I’m still able to drive some Uber and help people out who are still going to work, so thankfully, I’m safe,” Pollard said.
He told News 12 that one of his friends, who'd recently bought a home in LA, lost everything. Pollard said he saw the house a few weeks ago after the two of them hiked Eaton Canyon, an area that continues to burn. Pollard called it unbelievable that places he's spent so much time in over the past 11 years are destroyed, and said it's especially disheartening because of how special the scenery is there.
“Los Angeles is bound together by the landscape,” Pollard said. “Even though there's so many levels of socioeconomics here, I think we all appreciate the California landscape, so when something like this happens, it really hits home. And it’s really devastating that the one thing that really bonds Angelenos is under attack in a way.”
