Daniel Doody has been living in the United States for 10 years and says neighbourhoods he visits often are “literally wiped off the map.”
“Biblical, post apocalyptic, use whatever superlative you like, some of these neighbourhoods I visit often are literally wiped off the map,” he told the Irish Independent.
“We’re used to wildfires to an extent but these are right in the city or on the ocean, not places you would expect to be huge fire risks.
“Living in downtown Los Angeles, my home isn’t in the most immediate fire danger but the sky has been thick with dense black smoke on and off for several days. The air tastes like you’re constantly standing over a barbecue and at times the sun reflects an orange haze through it making it look like a scene from Dune.
“I’m mostly concerned for the dozens of friends a few miles north near the hills that have had to be evacuated over the last few days.
“These winds whip up the blazes so quickly that in a matter of minutes entire acres go up in flames. It was devastating to see the impacts of these fires.”
So far, 11 people have been confirmed dead but it’s feared the death toll will rise significantly in the coming days when firefighters can access homes torched in the inferno. More than 180,000 have been evacuated and an area three times the size of Manhattan has been incinerated in the wildfires.
Since the fires started, Mr Doody, a Co Monaghan native, says he’s experienced “compassion and humanity.”
“The fires must be pretty high on the news agenda in Ireland too as I’ve had lots of heartwarming texts checking in on me this week,” he added.
“As soon as the fires broke out we were told to work from home for the rest of the week at least and various projects were cancelled or postponed. Like much of the city, I’ve become addicted to TV news and the Watch Duty app which gives us live updates on the fires.
“Fire perimeters and evacuation zones are ever changing. We’re all in contact with those worst affected offering places to stay. Predictably the crisis was politicized online within hours – on both sides actually, not just Trump, although he was typically vitriolic – but ignoring that, in the real world there is a genuine sense of compassion and humanity.
“LA is my home. It’s Hollywood, the sequel will be bigger and better.”
