Highland Park resident Sabrina gives a firsthand account of fleeing the devastating Southern California wildfires, as fierce 80 mph winds drive the Eaton Fire toward residential areas. In an exclusive interview, Sabrina details her experience joining the other 130,000 displaced citizens.

A Highland Park resident was forced to evacuate early Wednesday morning as devastating wildfires continued to spread across Southern California, threatening neighbourhoods and prompting mass evacuations.

Sabrina, 30, moved to Los Angeles in June 2024. She left her home at around 5am after smoke from the nearby Eaton Fire in Altadena became unbearable. "I opened the door just to check what it was like outside, and it was just smokey. My eyes started burning after just two seconds of being outside," she said.

The evacuation came after a sleepless night monitoring the situation as fierce winds of up to 80 mph drove the flames closer to residential areas. "We weren't really sleeping. We were just monitoring the situation throughout the night," Sabrina explained.

She and her four housemates split into two groups, with some heading to San Diego while Sabrina found refuge at a roommate's family home in Orange County. The fires have forced approximately 130,000 people to evacuate across the Los Angeles area.

For those without family or friends to stay with, Sabrina noted that evacuation centres and shelters are available but emphasised that most evacuation costs fall on residents themselves. "In about 90% of cases, the cost of evacuating is entirely on the evacuee," she said. The L.A. wildfires are expected to cost California at least €50 billion in damages, according to analysts.

Despite the uncertainty of whether her home will still be standing when she returns, Sabrina plans to remain in Southern California but is reconsidering where to live. "I see myself eventually moving to Orange County," she said, citing its relative safety from wildfires compared to areas closer to the mountains. "It's calm and safe."

The fires have already claimed five lives and destroyed nearly 2,000 homes and businesses, with the Palisades Fire becoming the most destructive in Los Angeles' history. Officials expect the number of destroyed structures to rise as assessments continue.

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