Residents reel from Los Angeles fires as deaths rise and high winds threaten to return

John Yang:

Good evening. I'm John Yang. The desperate battle between firefighters and wildfires in Los Angeles is now in its fifth day, with more evacuations and high winds threatening more lives and more homes. Officials say there are 11 confirmed deaths from the fire so far, and at least 13 people are missing. Stephanie Sy begins our coverage tonight from Malibu.

Stephanie Sy:

As the light of day dawned over Los Angeles, a thick wall of smoke fanned out over hillside neighborhoods that so far have been spared by the flames. But as those fires crept ever closer, helicopters scrambled to drench the wildfires with water pulled from a nearby reservoir.

Man:

As you can see, the Palisade's fire continuing to chew through the Santa Monica Mountains.

Stephanie Sy:

Overnight, the fire burning through Pacific Palisades spread northeast and tore through vast tracts of the Santa Monica Mountains. That flare up spurred additional evacuations in the Brentwood and Encino neighborhoods. Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley gave an update this morning.

Kristin Crowley, Los Angeles Fire Department:

We immediately redeployed resources from the San Fernando Valley to begin evacuation and extinguishment efforts with a relentless air attack utilizing all available aircraft in the area.

Stephanie Sy:

Mayor Karen Bass stood by Crowley, responding to mounting criticism about inadequate firefighting resources.

Karen Bass, Los Angeles Mayor:

We have got to stay focused until this time passes. When the fires are out, make no mistake, we will have a full accounting of what worked and especially what did not.

Stephanie Sy:

A "Los Angeles Times" investigation found that a key area reservoir was empty in the lead up to the fires when firefighters confronted dry hydrants. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone defended the department's preparations and deflected criticism aimed at decision makers.

Anthony Marrone, Los Angeles County Fire Department:

I did everything in my power to make sure that we had enough personnel resources before the first fire started. It wasn't for a lack of preparation and decision making that resulted in this catastrophe. It was a natural disaster.

Stephanie Sy:

A disaster that still has residents reeling.

Woman:

Oh, my God.

Stephanie Sy:

Nina Knierim works for the Humanitarian Aid Organization Corps, which has been distributing hygiene kits, masks and other supplies to those impacted by the fires. Over the years, Knierim has become an expert not only on what it takes to recover from wildfires but on the effects on communities from climate change, which scientists say contributes to more extreme fires.

Nina Knierim, Palisades Fire Evacuee:

All we lost was our stuff.

Stephanie Sy:

This week her work became more personal than ever when the Palisades fire arrived at her doorstep.

Nina Knierim:

Just like everyone else, I was in shock and disbelief. I tried to, like, separate myself and just remember what other people who have survived fires told me. Kind of take one moment at a time.

Stephanie Sy:

She and her husband had lived there with their two kids, 17 and 20, for the last eight years.

Nina Knierim:

You can have all the information, all the, you know, go bags, all the training, the plans, the alerts, but you also need to have a support system for afterwards. I consider myself a really strong woman, a really strong mom. And I did not cry in front of my kids for about 36 hours. And then I was like, you know what? I can cry in front of them. They can see that this is painful. They can see.

Stephanie Sy:

It's still unclear where they will be housed, but they want to stay close to the Palisades community. At the same time, she questions whether continuing to rebuild in these high risk areas is sustainable.

But all these people are going to want to rebuild or?

Nina Knierim:

I want to move right back to where I was. I want the grocery store to move back. I want my dentist to move back and the library and the school. But should they? And it's hard to reconcile that in my brain. I can't.

Stephanie Sy:

That ambivalence about what's next is palpable. Now looking ahead, the forecast isn't terrible, but it isn't great. They are expecting Santa Ana winds anywhere from moderate to strong from now through Wednesday. So firefighters really trying to get ahead of containment from the air, hoping that the winds stay at bay. John?

John Yang:

Stephanie, clearly the priority now is containing these fires, limiting the damage. But have they begun to try to figure out how they started?

Stephanie Sy:

Well, there is a suspected arson in one of the smaller fires, but as far as the two larger fires we've been covering, the Palisades and the Eaton, there has been no official cause. They did announce today a new task force made up of local, regional, state and federal authorities that will be investigating the causes of the major fires. They are taking a very hard line stance on arson.

John Yang:

Stephanie, I know you grew up in the area not far from some of the evacuation zones. What was it like? What's it been like to actually go back home and see all this devastation?

Stephanie Sy:

Well, I didn't grow up in this fancy Malibu area, but my family is inland and they were close to the Altadena evacuation zone. And it is hard seeing places where you hold memories burn up in flames. There are some places that remained. My family, like everyone else in many parts of Los Angeles were on tenor hooks and have been for days as those winds and fire conditions continue. But this is home and I can't see them leaving this place.

However, between the disasters and the costs of living and the cost of rebuilding, I do have to wonder, John, if this is going to be an inflection point for some Angelenas and Angelenos who have until now held on to the California dream.

John Yang:

Stephanie Sy in Malibu, thanks to you, Stephanie, and to your entire team out there.

Stephanie Sy:

Thank you.