Evacuations, Losses, and Community Support Highlight the Resilience Amid Tragedy
As wildfires continue to ravage Los Angeles, residents with ties to Singapore share their emotional accounts of survival and hardship. Among them is Shabnam Melwani, a 55-year-old businesswoman from Pacific Palisades, whose home was severely damaged by smoke on 7 January. Having been forced to leave her property, Ms Melwani is now staying in a hotel in Santa Monica. Despite the devastation around her, she has opted to remain in Los Angeles to assist others affected by the fires, which President Joe Biden has called the worst California has seen.
Rather than focus on her own misfortune, Ms Melwani has spearheaded a donation initiative for displaced women. Through her store, Sun Moon Rain, she and her team managed to prepare 90 self-care packages for distribution on 14 January. “Instead of seeing myself as a victim, I focused on helping others,” she said, crediting the support of local firefighters and neighbours who inspired her actions.
Lives and Homes Destroyed by the Flames
The wildfires have already displaced more than 150,000 people and claimed at least 24 lives. Singaporean Cheryl Uyesugi, 39, saw her holiday home in Malibu reduced to rubble, leaving her with the painful loss of irreplaceable memories, including her son’s birthday barbecue. “The house meant so much to us,” she said, now considering a move with her family to San Diego.
Other Singaporeans also faced the destructive power of the fires. E-commerce director Winnie Puah, 44, shared her experience of witnessing the flames creep closer to her home in Arcadia, capturing footage of nearby mountains in flames. While her house was spared, the intense winds caused damage to her front gate, which she and her husband worked tirelessly to repair. “The winds were like a typhoon,” she recalled, noting that her children’s schools remained closed for several days.
Evacuations and the Strength of Community
For some, the fires prompted immediate evacuations. Movie producer Thomas Lim fled his home in West Los Angeles on 12 January as the evacuation zones encroached upon his neighbourhood. Taking refuge with friends, he is now planning his return to Singapore. “It felt like the fires were surrounding the entire city,” he said. “It was as if hell had come to us.”
While the fires have caused widespread destruction, they have also showcased the strength and solidarity of those affected. For many Singaporeans in Los Angeles, this challenging period has tested their resilience, adaptability, and sense of community.
