One person who made it through the dangerous Los Angeles fires shared the horrifying experience of hearing firefighters urgently telling families to abandon their vehicles and flee for safety.
Phillip Cohen, 68, left his $1 million home in the path of the wildfire inferno that’s killed five and displaced 180,000.
“This is the worst I’ve seen [in Los Angeles]. The spread is crazy,” Cohen said in an exclusive conversation with The U.S. Sun.
Reflecting on the situation, the survivor mentioned the possibility of losing valuable items like their son’s childhood photos stored on the hard drive, all contents on the computer, and all their furniture, indicating that it might be days before they can go back to assess the damage.
The city of Los Angeles has faced a total of five separate fires that started on Tuesday morning, with three of them still not under control as of Thursday, as reported by officials.
The historic Pacific Palisades and star-studded Hollywood Hills neighborhoods have both been hit, and A-list celebs like Paris Hilton, Anthony Hopkins, and Billy Crystal have seen their homes reduced to smoldering rubble.
Strong winds have blown flames to the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Lidia, and Sunset regions, with President-elect Donald Trump deeming the tragedy “apocalyptic.”
“This is pretty much the worst possible scenario for a firefight,” the Los Angeles Fire Department’s David Ortiz told KTLA.
It comes as…
- Five people have died as uncontrolled wildfires engulf Los Angeles
- At least 179,000 have been evacuated and schools have closed
- Nearly 400,000 homes are left without power as over 2,000 buildings destroyed and 30,000 acres burned
- Firefighters are “maxed out” and reportedly running out of water
- Harrowing footage shows the city up in flames
- Celebrity homes have been torched, including A-listers like Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, and Anthony Hopkins
- Joe Biden slammed for announcing granddaughter’s baby news during LA fire presser
Cohen, a retired educator who is fighting cancer, was forced to seek shelter at the Westwood Recreation Center as flames approached his property on Wednesday.
In his condition, Cohen was anxious to leave the comfort of his home, so he watched and waited while others evacuated.
It didn’t take long for his neighborhood to descend into chaos.
“They had to get out by foot. They had to leave their cars,” he said.
According to the survivor, there were “women sobbing, carrying babies and holding on to toddlers, running down Sunset Boulevard.”
“It was a mess. And as time went by, it became more chaotic.”
By the time Cohen could see the flames approaching, he knew it was time to leave. He grabbed one of his neighbors, loaded up into his car, and headed to the shelter.
“I grabbed my meds and my cell phone. The person I’m with here, he didn’t have a chance to get his car.
“I have condo insurance, so I’m covered. But I’ve heard stories of many who aren’t.
“I must say, major disasters can be a horrible equalizer in the sense that people with huge estates in the Palisades and Brentwood have nothing left.
“They’ve lost everything.”
EVACUATION HORROR
Andrew Crowley, who lives in Pasadena, grabbed his laptop, CPAP, a few outfits, and pictures of his mother before rushing to the bus and leaving town.
For the past year, he’s struggled to find employment and had just $200 left in his bank account when the flames started encroaching on his property.
But he still had an active Pasadena Transit Pass, which he could thankfully use to get to friends who live in Irvine.
“I could have gone to the shelter in Pasadena, but who knows if things will get worse from there,” he exclusively told The U.S. Sun.
Crowley was grateful for the brave firefighters who risked their lives to keep Californians safe but admitted that emergency alerts left him confused.
The maps sent out by officials were “spotty,” and the alerts were “lacking in clarity,” Crowley said.
“Feels like a real failing of the city,” slammed Crowley.
He joined a growing chorus of people blasting politicians like Governor Gavin Newsom for their lack of preparedness.
“Really infuriating to learn that Mayor Karen Bass defunded the fire department to the tune of $23 million,” he said.
“They don’t have the manpower for this. Firefighters need better working conditions.”
Crowley said the fire completely razed his landlord’s building, but he hasn’t heard news on his property.
As someone who has survived two previous house fires, he feels prepared to weather the storm and has hopes he can overcome this latest tragedy.
“Nothing phases me. It’s not great, but I’ve been through worse,” he said.
LA wildfires by the numbers
There are five main fires that have hit LA over the last two days and are now threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of residents.
Here’s a list of the key facts for each of the blazes:
Palisades fire:
- Started: 10.30am Tuesday near Palisades Drive
- Size: 17,000 acres
- Containment: Zero percent
- Injuries: Unknown number of “significant” injuries
- Damage: At least, 1000 buildings burned with 13,000 more threatened
- Evacuations: Some 30,000 people under evacuation orders
- Summary: The Palisades fire spread quickly in the gusty, dry winds and dry brush and ran into celebrity enclave neighborhoods filled with multimillion-dollar homes. The fire has burned some of the most iconic LA real estate including Sunset Boulevard.
Eaton fire:
- Started: 6.18pm on Tuesday in Altadena near Eaton Canyon
- Size: 10,000 acres
- Containment: Zero percent
- Injuries: Five dead, unknown number of injuries
- Evacuations: Some 100,000 people under evacuation orders
- Summary: The Eaton fire spread rapidly and quickly threatened homes in the area more densely populated than Palisades.
Sunset fire:
- Started: 6.00pm Wednesday
- Size: 60 acres
- Containment: Zero percent
- Injuries: Unknown
- Evacuations: Orders issued for parts of Hollywood, but since lifted
- Summary: The Sunset fire has threatened Hollywood Boulevard and the iconic Hollywood sign and Hollywood Bowl as it spreads through the Runyon Canyon. The LA Times now reports the blaze is receding after a valiant battle by firefighters.
Hurst fire:
- Started: 10.29pm on Tuesday in Sylmar
- Size: 850 acres
- Containment: 10 percent
- Injuries: None reported
- Summary: The blaze broke out near the interstate on the fringe of the city of San Fernando. It is not thought to have damaged any homes so far.
Lidia fire:
- Started: 2pm on Wednesday
- Size: 350 acres
- Containment: 40 percent
- Injuries: None reported
- Summary: The Lidia fire is away from the city on the northern side of the Magic Mountain Wilderness Area. It is mostly burning through bush and does not threaten homes.
ENDLESS DESTRUCTION
Cadaver dogs are sifting through the rubbing for bodies, and officials believe the death toll will rise throughout their search.
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said some areas “look like a bomb was dropped in them” and reiterated the disaster was a “crisis.”
Law enforcement is struggling to hold the fabric of the city together, as 20 people have already been arrested for looting.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman, who was newly elected to his position, issued a chilling warning to anyone who’s resorted to crime in the wake of tragedy.
“These acts are despicable,” he said.
“Do not expect anything [other] than maximal punishment.”
Most destructive California wildfires
California has been home to dozens of devastating wildfires, including four currently burning in January 2025 that have left over 1,000 structures ruined. Here are the five most destructive wildfires in state history:
- 1. Camp Fire – Butte County, 2018
- Destroying more than 18,000 structures, the Camp Fire is widely known as the most destructive in California state history. Over 153,000 acres were burned and 86 people died.
- 2. Tubbs Fire – Napa County and Sonoma County, 2017
- This October 2017 fire burned more than 5,600 structures and left 36,807 acres charred. Twenty-two people died.
- 3. Tunnel Fire – Alameda County, 1991
- Another October blaze, the Tunnel Fire, destroyed 2,900 structures and burned 1,600 acres in 1991. Twenty-five people died.
- 4. Cedar Fire – San Diego County, 2003
- Nearly 2,900 structures were ruined and a staggering 273,246 acres were burned in this blaze that killed 15 people.
- 5. Valley Fire – Lake, Napa, & Sonoma Counties, 2015
- Four people died in this September 2015 blaze that destroyed nearly 2,000 structures and left 76,067 acres charred.
Source: KABC
