As flames surged down the hill towards their Altadena residence, Vanessa Prata and her family scrambled to prepare their car for a quick departure. Their priority was to salvage priceless belongings, including cherished family photographs and a special childhood doll belonging to Vanessa. However, they ultimately decided to stay put rather than evacuation.
The Pratas have chosen to remain in their family home for 27 years, which stands intact amid the widespread destruction wrought by the wildfires surrounding Los Angeles. While homes less than a block away were engulfed in flames, Vanessa and her father have taken it upon themselves to check on the wellbeing of their neighbors’ properties. “They’re in shelters, not knowing the fate of their houses,” Prata noted. “Having clarity on the situation allows you to strategize your next steps.”
The fires have devastated a region bigger than San Francisco, displacing tens of thousands of individuals under evacuation orders. Since the onset of the fires earlier in the week, more than 12,000 structures—covering everything from homes to businesses—have been lost, and at least 24 lives have been claimed. In response, the White House announced that Department of Defense facilities would serve as emergency shelters, providing over 1,000 beds.
On Tuesday night, as Vanessa, a 25-year-old nursing student, returned home from dinner, she stopped at a hardware store to witness flames encroaching upon her family home shared with her parents, two cats, and a dog. She quickly contacted her father and hurried back while many others evacuated the area.
Upon arrival, the Pratas rapidly packed their belongings in the dark after the power was cut off. Aluizio Prata, Vanessa’s father and a professor of electrical and computer engineering at USC, insisted on staying back. He believed the fire would not reach their home, but if it did, he wanted to aid in controlling it.
Throughout the night, they worked together at a neighbor’s house, carrying water buckets, spraying their yard, and extinguishing embers ignited by fierce winds. As the true impact of the wildfires unraveled, Vanessa observed a wave of community support as people participated in efforts to aid those who lost everything. Donations of food, clothing, household items, and pet supplies poured in, with local taco trucks providing complimentary meals.
Staying in her residence, the Prata family intermittently used a borrowed generator to keep their freezer cold and access the news. While she longed to contribute, leaving her neighborhood meant she couldn’t return due to the barricades in place. Thus, on Friday morning, she took to a local Altadena Facebook group to offer help in a way she could manage.
“We are more than happy to drive around and take a picture for any person who would like to see their home or, God forbid, what is left of their home,” she posted. The response was immediate, with around 45 requests arriving by Saturday morning. She and her father began their task the following day, carefully noting down addresses and navigating treacherous terrain of fallen trees and destroyed cars.
Out of over two dozen residences they checked, fewer than half remained standing. At the end of a cul-de-sac, they found one home still smoldering. One affected resident texted her a photo of what their house looked like before disaster struck. “Those moments are heartbreaking when you discover a home is gone and you have to convey that news,” she expressed. “Seeing the beautiful before images juxtaposed with the current ash, there are simply no words to express the sorrow. You just say ‘I’m sorry. I wish I could do more.’”
Vanessa’s nursing background equipped her to handle such emotional encounters. “I’m accustomed to being around grief and loss,” she explained. “I can manage those situations.” Being part of this community initiative brings her fulfillment, as evidenced by the overwhelming support shown at local donation centers where volunteers flocked to lend their assistance.
“Everyone is contributing in whatever way they can,” Prata remarked. “It’s incredibly uplifting to witness.”
