Living through the Los Angeles fires

Available for over a year

Vast areas of Los Angeles have been destroyed since these fires began on 7 January. Thousands of homes and businesses have been lost, and tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate. In our conversations we hear from Kelly, who had just minutes to gather a few possessions before her home was destroyed, and DJ describes seeing a nearby hillside glowing, the sky lit by flames, as he and his family fled. We are joined by Teddy whose family had to abandon their house and lost their restaurant – a familiar LA landmark – in the fire. “We landed in an Airbnb down in Mar Vista with our sons and grandkids,” she tells us. “Looking around the room, I just went okay, what matters is in this room, all the rest…well it’s okay.” Two firefighters from Los Angeles County Fire Department share their experiences of co-ordinating the response to the fires and explain why they are so difficult to put out. We also hear from Mendy and his father-in-law Dovid, both rabbis based in Topanga to the west of the city. Although they had to evacuate their homes, they saved religious scrolls and have been providing essential supplies to those who are still there. Host: Luke Jones BBC producers: Iqra Farooq, Virginia Kelly and Isabella Bull Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham An EcoAudio certified Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC OS team (Photo: Paula Tapia hugs Katja Schmolka, who lost her home in the Palisades Fire, in Los Angeles, California, US, 10 January, 2025. Credit: David Ryder/Reuters)