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Firefighters hope calmer winds Thursday morning can help them battle five Los Angeles-area wildfires that have forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.
Meanwhile, many survival stories are emerging. Aaron Samson, 48, was caring for his 83-year-old father-in-law at his Pacific Palisades home when it was time to flee Tuesday. They didn’t have a car, so Samson called a neighbor who agreed to give them a ride and their belongings.
Samson began filming his escape, with flames and smoke surrounding the two as they abandoned a car. As Samson searched for a walker for his father-in-law, a woman could be heard screaming in panic as firefighters continued to guide the crowd.
“We got it, Dad,” Samson can be heard saying over and over again as they evacuated Tuesday.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES PROGRESS ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY, FORCING THOUSANDS TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES
This image taken from video provided by Aaron Samson shows his 83-year-old father-in-law escaping wildfires after they evacuated a vehicle near Pacific Palisades, California, on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. (Aaron Samson via AP)
“My father-in-law told me, ‘Aaron, if we ever find ourselves in a position where the flames are right there, just run and leave me here,'” Samson told the Associated Press on Wednesday.
It didn’t get to that point. They walked for about 15 minutes before, for the second time in a matter of hours, a good Samaritan picked them up and then took them to Safety in Santa Monica.
People evacuate their cars as flames from a wildfire spread to the street near Pacific Palisades, California, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Aaron Samson via AP)
On Wednesday afternoon, Samson did not know if the house had survived, but said they were indebted to the two strangers.
“They saved us,” he said. “They really stepped up.”
Aaron Samson kept telling his 83-year-old father-in-law, “We got it, Dad,” as he evacuated. (Aaron Samson via AP)
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His escape occurred while thousands of people were fleeing forest fires in the Los Angeles area that turned picturesque neighborhoods into smoky wastelands, with chimneys or wrought-iron staircases around the only remains of the houses. Driven by powerful Santa Ana winds, the flames destroyed more than 1,000 structures, burned famous Hollywood landmarks and killed at least five people.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
