In 23 years in the Highlands in Pacific Palisades, a one-way-in, one-way-out neighborhood, I had a rule: If a fire in the hills burned more than an hour, I left.
asserted
I → have → hour
Fires broke out nearby about every year and a half.
asserted
Fires → break → ?
We never once had an official evacuation, but I’d still load the car with photo albums, computers and original art and wait it out at a friend’s.
asserted
I → have → friend
I never wanted to wait to be told.
asserted
I → want → ?
On the morning of Jan. 7, 2025, still packed from a business trip, I walked the dogs and made my first latte.
asserted
I → walk → latte
My husband called to remind me it was a “Red Flag” day.
asserted
it → call → me
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asserted
Sign → sign → California
A few calm sips later, I glanced out the kitchen window and saw a locomotive of fire and smoke chugging across the distant ridge.
asserted
locomotive → glance → ridge
I ran upstairs for my overnight bag, a few special pieces of jewelry, and my passport, and put them and the dogs in the car.
asserted
I → run → car
As I dashed back upstairs for something important I’d forgotten, my phone buzzed: “Prepare to Evacuate.”
asserted
phone → dash → something
Now I knew we were in trouble.
asserted
we → know → trouble
As I backed out of the garage, it buzzed again: “Evacuate.”
asserted
it → back → garage
A mile and a half later, with giant black smoke clouds billowing ahead, I emerged from the canyon only to hit gridlock, with fire on the hills on both sides.
asserted
I → billow → sides
The man in the next car looked over nervously, and we agreed it was better to pull over.
asserted
it → look → car
My dogs and I set off on foot with my suitcase and purse, headed for my girlfriend’s apartment in Edgewater by the ocean.
asserted
dogs → set → ocean
Fires never came to the beach, right?
asserted
Fires → come → beach
She wasn’t home, but I knew how to get in.
asserted
I → know → ?
I had just settled onto her expansive, waterfront terrace when I looked up and saw the roofs across the street catch fire.
asserted
roofs → settle → fire
I landed in Gladstone’s parking lot, smoky wind whipping every which way.
asserted
wind → land → lot
A local news cameraman asked to interview me.
asserted
cameraman → ask → me
Sure, I said, if my dogs and I could hide in his TV van afterward.
uncertain
dogs → say → van
My phone was constantly buzzing.
asserted
phone → buzz → ?
One call was from my longtime friend, Emmy-winning LA broadcaster, Giselle Fernandez.
asserted
call → win → friend
Once she knew I was safe, and knowing I’d been podcasting for five years, she said, “Start a podcast about this.
asserted
she → know → this
After 30 minutes the crew had to move to Will Rogers Beach, and no, I couldn’t come.
asserted
I → have → Beach
Then, surreally, Councilwoman Traci Park walked up.
asserted
Park → walk → ?
Do you need help?”
asserted
you → need → help
Behind her stood what looked like a police chief and a fire chief.
asserted
looked → stand → chief
Figuring they had more important things to do, I told her I was OK.
asserted
I → figure → her
I went in, grateful just to see other people.
asserted
I → go → people
A few said they couldn’t fit me and the dogs in their cars.
asserted
they → say → cars
Then a woman in a yellow Certified FEMA Animal Rescuer cap, who looked like she knew her way around a paddock, offered to take us to Santa Monica.
asserted
she → look → Monica
My son, watching his hometown burn on YouTube from New York, had just told me traffic looked clear near my car.
asserted
traffic → watch → car
Couldn’t I go get it now?
asserted
I → go → it
Not possible, she said.
asserted
she → say → ?
So, Mel (the wonderful @melsobo on Instagram, I’d learn) kept the dogs and me calm as we walked along PCH, past burning bushes to her truck, parked a quarter mile down by Temescal Canyon.
asserted
we → learn → Canyon
They’ve soaked wildfire smoke into their fur for the past five hours.”
asserted
They → soak → hours
The Aporia
