Singaporean Expats in LA Forced to Evacuate Homes Amid Wildfires
Singaporean Shabnam Melwani was driving from the gym to her home in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning when she noticed ashes flying in the air. The sky, which had been bright and sunny when she left for the gym two hours ago, started to darken. In the distance, she could see a thick cloud of smoke. She had to keep stopping her vehicle to make way for the fire trucks as they rushed towards the Pacific Palisades area, where she lives.
The Palisades Fire
The Palisades fire is the largest of several blazes that have swept across city suburbs in Los Angeles. Tens of thousands of residents have been forced to flee their homes, and thousands of structures have been destroyed by the fast-moving fires. The rapidly changing situation has also been compounded by Santa Ana winds and extremely dry conditions.
“I was a big bag of emotions … I was in shock, fearful but at the same time, it felt surreal, and I couldn’t believe this was actually happening,” said Shabnam Melwani, a 55-year-old business owner living in the US for the past five years. “The whole area was full of fire trucks, and they were telling us to quickly pack up and go.”
Personal Accounts
Shabnam, along with her two sons, drove to the Santa Monica area, about 20 minutes away from the Pacific Palisades, where they are currently staying with her cousin. The air quality reminded her somewhat of the Southeast Asian haze crisis in 2015, with lit embers flying in the sky. Fortunately, her street was not compromised by the fire, and their homes were miraculously saved.
Mr. Herbert Tay, a former Singaporean now living in West Hollywood, is currently in Singapore for a holiday. Despite tracking updates on the wildfires, he remains unaffected and plans to return to the US as planned. Another Singaporean, Benita Lim, decided to evacuate her home in Pasadena after witnessing the fire getting out of control.
Coping with the Situation
Benita picked up her friends and drove to her pastor’s house in Temple City, where they continue to monitor the situation. Both Benita and Shabnam are constantly checking their phones for updates and are prepared to move further south if necessary. The uncertainty of the winds makes decision-making challenging, but they remain vigilant and ready to act.
The devastating impact of the wildfires has left many landmarks destroyed, homes lost, and lives upended, leading to a heavy emotional toll on those affected. The sense of loss and the realization that things will never be the same weighs heavily on the minds of expats like Shabnam and Benita, underscoring the gravity of the situation.