A HEARTBROKEN family has uncovered their loved one’s body while sifting through the devastation brought on by the Los Angeles fire.
Erliene Kelley clung to her faith before she was killed by the monstrous wildfires that have claimed 25 lives and left thousands homeless.
Erliene Kelley gave her family members a now-tragic message before she died in the Los Angeles wildfires[/caption]
It’s been over a week since the fires broke out in the Pacific Palisades and Eaton[/caption]
Millions of Californians are still crippled with fear as the perfect storm of high winds and dry weather threatens to bring even more destruction to the scarred city.
It’s been over one week since the first wildfire broke out in the Pacific Palisade. Since then, more than 200,000 residents have been forced to flee the growing number of blazes.
Around 88,000 people are still under evacuation orders, and hotels are filling up with refugees who are anxious to return home and see if anything survived.
Law enforcement is struggling to hold the city together as 44 people have been arrested for burglary, trespassing, or violating curfews, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Wednesday.
Cadaver sniffing dogs are passing through the wreckage to uncover bodies and search for 26 actively missing people as the fires pass and victims are starting to be identified.
Altadena resident Kelley was told to evacuate her home of 40 years on January 7, but she made the now-heartwrenching decision to stay put.
Her granddaughter, Briana Navarros, who lived with Kelley, revealed her grandmother’s final words before they fled the flames.
“It’s in God’s hands,” Kelley told her family as the wildfires encroached on their property, Navarro told CNN.
Navarro then asked their father to race to the home and try to convince Kelley to leave, but the matriarch once again refused to budge.
On January 8, Navarro’s dad returned to the house and saw that everything had been destroyed.
The heartbroken granddaughter opened up about the death in a GoFundMe and said she is “truly devastated having to deal with this immense loss.”
‘War zone’ LA feels ‘broken’ as fires still ravage the city – but we will rebuild
EVERY year Los Angeles braces itself for wildfires. It is not uncommon to see flames torching the hills and even houses burning to the ground.
But many residents have never witnessed anything as devastating as this week. And it’s nowhere near over.
I spent time near Pacific Palisades, where thick smoke filled the air, and saw desperate families fleeing the city while others begged police to give them access to their properties as roads were blocked off.
“Everything is gone” was heard many times, as thousands of people were left homeless and with few possessions.
I was lucky to only have the power go out in my home, but I’ll never forget what I witnessed traveling throughout the city.
It was like a war zone.
During a visit to a shelter, I spoke with a resident who has lived in his home for almost 30 years and is battling cancer. He stayed long after he was told to pack up and go.
It was only when flames began leaping around his building that he finally gathered his belongings and ran out.
I reported from Altadena, where buildings were still engulfed in flames, and few fire trucks were in sight as emergency services were overwhelmed.
Cars and school buses were completely torched, and heartbroken families stood around in shock, not being able to process what had happened.
As the sun went down, I drove back home towards the city center, which I felt was safe, until I saw orange flames leaping behind buildings just minutes from my house.
I felt sick. I’ve never known wildfires so close to Hollywood, and suddenly, phones were blaring with emergency notifications to evacuate the area.
Traffic lights and street lamps were out, and areas filled with fallen trees from the strong winds became gridlocked.
I feel extremely lucky I live minutes outside of the evacuation zone, but friends panicked and fled their homes.
Although many worldwide will merely shrug when they hear wealthy people have lost their homes, the reality is very different.
The city as a whole feels broken, everyone from single mothers to elderly people have been through hell.
And people are angry.
Dozens have spoken of their insurance policies being canceled just months before the fires, while others are reeling over alleged corruption and mismanagement.
They may be angry. But they are also hopeful. The people of Los Angeles are made of strong stuff.
We will get through this. And we will rebuild.
