MALIBU, Calif. – Wildfires continue to devastate Southern California on Friday, forcing families to flee their homes as firefighters struggle to gain containment on multiple fires burning in the Los Angeles area.
Keith Rivers, a Malibu director and filmmaker, described the harrowing conditions as he, his wife, and their two daughters evacuated their neighborhood. The small, tight-knit community is nestled between Malibu and Calabasas, right off Malibu Canyon.
“We wake up every day wondering if our home is still there,” Rivers said in a phone interview as he drove away from a wildfire burning on a ridge near his home. “The last couple of nights, it’s been such a blessing, and our home has been standing. We’ve been having so much incredible support from friends and family.”
After evacuating earlier this week, the Rivers family returned to their home on Thursday to find it was still standing and untouched by flames.
But he said he saw flames 100 feet high, pushing over a ridgeline near his home.
That’s when they were forced to evacuate again after filling bathtubs, opening gates for firefighters, grabbing more belongings, and doing whatever they could to prep their home for whatever might come.
Emergency responders from other states have been deployed to assist in the wildfires in the Los Angeles area, but the situation remains dire.
Rivers recounted seeing dozens of fire trucks positioned at the top of the ridge near his home, but he heard from others through text messages and other means of communication that those firefighters encountered fire hydrants with no water.
“Yeah, it’s not a great rumor to hear,” said Rivers. “I can’t confirm it. It’s just hearsay through text.”
Despite the destruction, Rivers emphasized the resilience of his community and the heroic efforts of first responders.
“I think one good thing that just gets me charged up is just to talk about how incredibly brave firefighters are,” said Rivers. “They are putting their lives on the line. They’re out here, saving peoples’ lives, saving homes, saving animals. They are not getting any sleep, and it’s just incredibly amazing to see the heroes out here that are just working around the clock.”
As the flames continue to spread, Rivers is relying on his faith and the support of friends, family, and loved ones.
“I think the only emotion that I want to express to people who are just trying to understand this whole crisis is that we need to practice more surrender rather than fear. And I’m practicing that. I’m trying to demonstrate that to my two daughters.”
According to the Associated Press, around 153,000 people in Los Angeles are still under wildfire evacuations as high winds began to subside.
With winds subsiding, firefighters said they’re looking to progress in stopping and containing the massive blazes in the area.
At least 10 people have died, and 153,000 residents are still under evacuation orders.
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