If you have watched TV, used a computer, or even spoken to someone, you probably have heard about all the horrific weather events in the U.S. today and since the beginning of 2025. Especially the grim fires in Los Angeles which have caused a lot of fear and grief.

If you have ever been to LA you know that the grass is always green and the sky is always blue, but imagine waking up seven days after the new year to find the buildings around you burning. Just think about that for a second: put yourself in the position of these children, celebrities, and families waking up not to a blue sky or green grass but skies of heavy black smoke and ashes. For many, the next couple of weeks would be a horrible series of events. 

The fires started on January 7th of the new year in the Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood in Los Angeles. It began as a bushfire then spread over 23,448 acres, and destroyed more than 6,800 structures. Hours later, there was a new fire in a national forest in downtown Los Angeles called the Easton Fire. It grew to 14,021 acres, and 10,491 structures were destroyed. These fires were 100% contained on Friday, January 31st, but these were only the biggest. There were more fires in Woodley, Lidia, Sunset, Archer, Hurst, and Auto. Fires which overall destroyed 2,399 acres, and were 100% contained. 

While we could talk about stats the whole time, it is important to mention all the lives and homes lost to these horrid fires. From what we know, about 23 people have sadly passed, and the problem is that the fires will destroy many human remains, making it very difficult to recover bodies and find people. So, while Los Angeles County officials say there were only 23 deaths, there are still so many more missing. Another large toll is the damage to many homes, from Pairs Hilton’s 8.4 million dollar house to many low-income communities. Everyone has lost something.

As we can see, there have been too many tragedies, so we all come to the same question: what caused the fires? Many people around the world are asking this question, and while we don’t 100% know the answer there are a few different things that could be the cause. Between getting less than 10% rainfall in Southern California and the powerful winds, the red flag warning was flying high.

Freshman Malia Hodge explained, “I know climate change has been a huge issue the past few years, so it’s possible. It could also be from drought-like conditions due to the lack of rain, which has caused the past fires there.” Not only this but many are wondering if the event was caused by humans. In the past, we have seen many fires caused by a lit cigarette bud or an unattended campfire. 

There are also more questions on what is going to happen after this and how other states may be affected, freshman Marley Winters states, “People may be more concerned and may feel uneasy.” There are still many measures being taken to figure out the cause which will hopefully help the situation. 

As you know, many people have lost their homes, beloved items, and families, and there are so many ways to help. Many celebrities have GoFundMe’s to help, and there are so many other places to donate money. So, even though we can’t volunteer, we can still donate. It is also important to mention the firefighters who have risked everything to save people and stop these fires; most have even worked more than 12 hours to help people. Many are struggling, and this is why, during this time, we need to come together.