As wildfires swept through the Los Angeles area, Vanessa Prata and her family faced an urgent decision as flames descended the hillside towards their Altadena residence. They prioritized packing essential and irreplaceable items, such as family pictures and a cherished childhood doll, but ultimately chose to remain at their home, which has been in their family for 27 years. Despite being surrounded by destruction, with houses just a block away engulfed in flames, the Pratas stood firm, even taking the initiative to check on nearby homes while others, who had evacuated, were kept away by police barriers.
“They’re stuck in shelters, unsure of whether their homes survived,” Prata remarked. “Once the reality of the situation is known, individuals can regroup and plan their next steps.” The Los Angeles wildfires have wreaked havoc, burning an area larger than San Francisco and necessitating evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people. Since the fires ignited, they have destroyed over 12,000 structures—including residences, businesses, and vehicles—resulting in at least 16 fatalities. On Saturday, the White House announced that Defense Department bases nearby will be accessible for emergency shelter, providing more than 1,000 beds.
Vanessa Prata, a 25-year-old nursing student, was on her way back from dinner when she noticed the flames nearing her home shared with her parents and their pets. After calling her father, she rushed home while many others were evacuating away from the danger. In darkness caused by the power outage, the Pratas hurriedly gathered their belongings, but Aluizio Prata, Vanessa’s father and a professor at the University of Southern California, insisted on staying. He believed the fire would miss them, and if it didn’t, he wanted to stay and help combat it.
The night consisted of efforts to protect their home, fetching buckets of water, using hoses to douse the yard, and extinguishing embers that threatened to spread. As the extent of the wildfire damage became evident, Vanessa witnessed countless acts of kindness from the community, with people donating food, clothing and supplies for both families and pets. Additionally, taco trucks from Los Angeles provided free meals to those affected.
Throughout the ordeal, Prata and her family utilized a borrowed generator intermittently to receive news updates and keep their freezer cold. Wanting to contribute, Vanessa posted on a local Altadena Facebook group on Friday morning, offering to take pictures of homes for residents who were anxious to know the status of their properties.
The response was overwhelming, with about 45 requests flooding in by Saturday morning. Armed with a small notebook of addresses, Vanessa and her father set out to check homes, carefully navigating around fallen trees and burnt vehicles. Unfortunately, of the more than two dozen homes they visited, less than half remained intact. At the end of one cul-de-sac, they discovered a house still smoldering; one owner even sent Vanessa a photo of their home before the tragedy struck.
“These moments are heart-wrenching,” she recounted, “showing up at someone’s house only to find it reduced to ashes, while they send me how beautiful it was. There are no words to express the sorrow, and all I can say is, ‘I’m sorry. I wish there was more I could do.’”
Vanessa’s nursing background has equipped her well for this emotionally taxing volunteer work. “I’m accustomed to being around people in grief, and I can manage in these situations,” she explained. She feels a sense of fulfillment participating in community efforts, particularly on Saturday when the number of volunteers at donation centers was so high that some had to be turned away.
“It’s inspiring to see everyone contributing in any way they can,” Prata noted. “It’s truly beautiful to witness.”
