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| Jennifer Aniston with her rescue, Lord Chesterfield |
Jennifer Aniston, of course, isn't on the scene physically fighting the fires in the L.A. metro area, but she is doing her part behind the scenes urging people to be aware of and help when they can any animal threatened in the ongoing inferno. The Southern California holocaust has been described as the "'most destructive' blazes in modern US history," by Sky News. I lived in L.A. for several years and remember a constant threat caused in part by the Santa Ana winds, which returned this past Saturday.
Here's the scenario...
"The Friends alum joined the wave of celebrities sending thoughts and prayers to those affected by the Palisades Fire, which began tearing through Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Many actors and actresses have been directly impacted by the fires as they faced evacuations and watched their homes burn."
And here's the perspective from Vox...
It’s not just human lives and homes that have been taken and are still at risk. A reporter and a photographer helped a Pasadena woman rescue her chickens from her burning home. Another journalist interviewed two residents evacuating with their horses while surrounded by flames. On social media, people have posted videos of animals like dogs and deer wandering alone amid the fires, confused and distressed.
Here are the facts, also from Vox...
"In just four days, blazing wildfires across Los Angeles neighborhoods have put 150,000 residents under evacuation orders, burned over 30,000 acres, destroyed more than 10,000 structures, and, as of Thursday, killed 10 (now 11) people. Experts say it may be the costliest wildfire in US history. The fires are still ongoing, and the toll of destruction is still far from a final tally."
From High Country News, "Wildlife biologist Miguel Ordeñana explains how blazes push
animals into the unknown." The piece continues...
"A family of deer gather around burned trees from the Palisades Fire at Will Rogers State Park on January 9, 2025 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California."
There's more...
"NBC LA coverage showed a fawn with singed fur running down the middle of a deserted street in Altadena with no doe in sight as the Eaton Fire burned. Later that night, camera crews from ABC 7 spotted a mountain lion and two cubs running across Topanga Canyon Boulevard away from the Palisades Fire."
Ordeñana added...
"Bobcats, cougars, coyotes, birds, bats and more all live in the region. Slow-moving creatures like snails and salamanders, wildlife that require specific habitats, nocturnal critters forced to move during the daytime, and animals with young are some of the most vulnerable."
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| Jennifer Aniston's new childrens book |
The latest on Sunday morning shows at least 16 deaths plus more than 10,000 structures either damaged or destroyed. Hollywood celebs like Billy Crystal, Jeff Bridges, Mandy Moore, Anthony Hopkins and John Goodman have either lost their homes or have had fire damage. Sunday afternoon the Santa Anas were expected to strengthen, which everyone who has lived in L.A. knows could spell more disaster. So far, evacuation orders are in place for 105,000 L.A. residents, and 87,000 are in evacuation warning zones.
The largest blaze, the Palisades Fire, has expanded as it moves east and threatens Brentwood, Encino and Westwood. It is only 11% contained. Four wildfires continue to burn, with the Palisades and Eaton blazes still lowly contained. The Santa Anas are expected to be around for several days and that will certainly interfere with firefighters. In case you're interested, here's an explanation of the Santa Anas...
"The Santa Ana winds occur when there is high pressure to the east, in the Great Basin, and a low-pressure system off the coast. Air masses move from high pressure to low pressure, and the more extreme the difference in the pressure, the faster the winds blow."
This churning effect is what makes the winds so dangerous and what has been instrumental in this disaster striking Los Angeles. The fact that it could even get worse is terrifying. As Jennifer Aniston pleads, please keep your eyes open for animals in distress.
