LA students recount horrors and reflect on community support

For the last three weeks, wildfires have ravaged the suburbs of Los Angeles (LA), resulting in over 180,000 displaced LA residents and 27 confirmed deaths. The Notre Dame community has taken action in offering support and prayers for those affected by the LA wildfires within the community and beyond.

On the morning of January 7, a fire erupted in the Pacific Palisades, and that same evening, the Eaton fire began in Altadena. These were subsequently followed by the outbreaks of various blazes bolstered by the strong, dry Santa Ana winds. Adding to these breakouts was the ignition of the Hughes fire on January 22, which has yet to be contained by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Many Los Angeles-residing Notre Dame students were home for winter break to witness the initial impact of the fires. 

Freshman Matias Toro told the Rover, “My dad gave me a phone call when the fires started, returning from a shopping trip at Costco. Within the span of about 30 minutes, the fire covered the mountainside, reaching Altadena.”

Toro continued, “Overnight, we woke up to being in a ‘yellow’ evacuation warning zone, which meant that we had to be packed up and ready to leave any time they issued an evacuation warning. Thankfully, with the grace of God, the fire was halted and contained about 15 blocks above us, but the aftermath was unreal.”

Toro described the impact of the fires on Altadena and the surrounding areas. He said, “The day after those Santa Ana winds on the seventh was absolutely devastating. Everyone got lightheaded when they had to go out, forcing most to put their N-95s on. Because a lot of the burnt Altadena homes were built from the seventies or older, asbestos, lead, and other crap rained down as ash on every surface.”

In an interview with the Rover, sophomore Oliver Wardhana recalled, “While I was lucky that my house survived, many of my friends were not so lucky. I personally had to evacuate in a hurry, originally thinking the fire was only a few minutes away from destroying my neighborhood since the blaze was so massive.”

Wardhana, a resident of Dunne Hall, expressed the support he received from Notre Dame and his hall community. He said, “Through it all, I received support through all of my friends, dorm mates, the school, and even my rector who sent words of support. They definitely brought positivity through such a stressful time.”

Graduate student Keaton Rodgers evacuated his family home in Santa Monica, California. He told the Rover, “The emails I received gave me a sense that the Notre Dame community was looking out for me even if I wasn’t affected nearly as much as others. I was thankful for some friends and professors that reached out to ask how my family was doing. This meant a lot to me.”

Organizations within the university offered resources, services, and prayer opportunities to Notre Dame students and community members from the Los Angeles area. In an email to its members, the Notre Dame California Club wrote, “Our hearts pour out for everyone who has been affected by the recent LA area wildfires. We also cannot understate the difficulty of being away from home at this time, unable to directly assist our families and communities …” 

The email contained an invitation to a Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart dedicated to “those affected and the recovery efforts.” It also included links to the University Counseling Center and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

In addition to its network-oriented support, students and members of Notre Dame alumni club have responded to the crisis by serving members of the greater Los Angeles community through donation drives and volunteering. 

Notre Dame’s Alumni Association provided outreach to Notre Dame families and other residents of the affected areas.“The ND Club of Los Angeles set up donations and led in-person volunteering opportunities. They collected gift cards for ND students and alumni who lost their homes in the fires,” Rodgers said.

Toro described his volunteer efforts within his hometown: “Before I returned to Notre Dame, my younger sister and I spent the last days of our winter breaks volunteering in St. Andrew’s—the K–8 school we both attended—helping sort donations from other St. Andrew’s families.”

He continued to reflect upon the Catholic response to the fires. “It was heartbreaking to see that almost 40 percent of the families at St. Andrew’s, many of whom I knew, had lost everything in the fires. However, seeing our Catholic community unite to support the most vulnerable in such tough times gave me hope in our faith,” Toro remarked. 

He continued, “There’s a perception of Los Angeles as a ‘godless’ city, but it’s actually the largest archdiocese in the United States, and from that weekend onwards, the LA Catholic community has demonstrated a beautiful example of what true love of God and neighbor look like in harshest times.” 

The Notre Dame Club of LA is also collecting donations for Notre Dame students and alumni impacted by the fires. The donation link can be found on their website.

Clare DiFranco is a sophomore studying accounting and Italian. She can be reached at cdifranc@nd.edu. 

Photo Credit: Pixabay

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