A reporter tells a story

(CLO) Wally Skalij, a veteran reporter for the Los Angeles Times with 25 years of experience covering wildfires, sensed something was amiss when he heard the forecast of a major wind storm this week. He immediately reported to his editor: "If this happens, the situation will be very serious." But no one expected the disaster to be so terrible.

Over the past few days, fires have ravaged communities across Los Angeles, burning nearly 35,000 acres and more than 10,000 homes. At least 10 people have died in the disaster. Entire neighborhoods, including wealthy areas like Altadena and Pacific Palisades, have been reduced to ashes.

Skalij spent 15 hours capturing the devastation of the fire. Speaking to CJR, he said: "Wildfires are a very unpredictable beast. You can't imagine the devastation until you see it with your own eyes."

Skalij said he had never covered a fire as horrific as this one. (Photo: Christina House / Sipa USA via AP)

It took about 35 to 40 minutes to drive from his home to Pacific Palisades. By the time Skalij reached Sunset Boulevard, the road was completely blocked. Cars were jammed together, trying to escape the fire. They took up every lane, making it impossible for fire trucks to move. After a moment of chaos, a few people gave way, creating a small lane.

Skalij said that if he hadn’t had a deadline, he would have stayed to capture the chaotic moments as the fire raged. He stopped to take photos of people leaving their homes with their dogs and suitcases in tow. But he had to be back at the fire site by 3 p.m., so he continued on.

"At this time, the fire was still raging on the mountain, but had already begun to spread to residential areas. When I got closer, I saw three houses engulfed in flames. There was not a single person, not a single fire truck in sight. The sight of houses burning down always breaks my heart, but what I looked forward to most was to capture the moment when the brave firefighters fought the fire. I wanted to take pictures of them struggling with the hoses, their faces full of worry and determination. There was an urgency, a strong vitality in those moments," Skalij said.

Throughout the process, he tried to contact his editors for updates. But mobile networks in the fire-affected areas are often spotty. Skalij tried to connect at a nearby bar, where the signal was more reliable.

At that point, editors kept texting him, “Hey, the Getty Villa might be on fire!” He finally decided to head to the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, where Skalij captured some stunning images of beach homes surrounded by flames. The scene was haunting.

Skalij said he had been through many wildfires in Malibu, and often the flames would slowly creep down the hillside, with embers flying for miles. Other times, just one or two beach houses would burn. But this was different. The fire was incredibly fierce, and the winds were blowing at a rate he had never seen before.

"There was a moment when I was standing next to a fire station and I felt a strong wind blowing. I'm not exaggerating when I say that the wind speed at that time could reach up to 100 kilometers per hour. The wind seemed to want to blow everything away, I had to turn my back and find shelter. It was unbelievable! I've witnessed many fires, but never experienced such a strong and lasting wind. I was really shocked," he said.

While working on the project, Skalij learned that a fellow photographer had lost his home in a fire. This devastated him. It was hard to imagine the pain of those who had lost everything. He tried to put himself in their shoes, approaching the story sensitively and respectfully.

Skalij confided: "In the most painful moments, we, as journalists, are there to record. It is a difficult job, requiring a balance between informing and respecting other people's privacy.

"However, I always try to look at the positive side of the problem. Perhaps, through these stories, we can learn many valuable lessons. That is the reason why I always want to be at the scene, to tell emotional and meaningful stories," he added.

Hoang Anh (according to CIR)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/phong-vien-ke-ve-bien-lua-trong-tham-hoa-chay-rung-los-angeles-post330177.html