One Year Since the 'Palisades Fire' Razed California: Its Chilling Similarities to the 'Camp Fire' and the Reality of "Fire" Risks We Must Prepare for in India

Driving on a freeway near Los Angeles this past weekend, the hillsides looked exactly as they did on that day a year ago. Charred, blackened trees stand dead, and many slopes are still blanketed with ash. Yes, it's almost been a year since the Palisades Fire sent shockwaves through Southern California in January 2025.

That day, the dry, fierce Santa Ana winds blasting down from the Santa Monica Mountains explosively grew the flames. The affluent neighbourhood of Pacific Palisades was quickly engulfed, forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate. Multiple wildfires erupted simultaneously across Southern California, with the event being reported nationwide as the January 2025 Southern California wildfires. Fortunately, the loss of life from the Palisades Fire was minimised, but the area burned spanned approximately 10,000 acres (equivalent to about 850 Tokyo Domes).

A Scene Hauntingly Reminiscent of the 'Camp Fire' Nightmare

Seeing this devastation, I can't help but be reminded of memories from seven years ago. I'm talking about the Camp Fire that struck the same state in November 2018. Back then, the small northern town of Paradise was completely obliterated. I visited the site, and it looked like a war zone. The remains of 85 people were found in the ashes, with many more unaccounted for. The Camp Fire is still remembered as the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history.

Palisades and Camp. What these two disasters share is that they both occurred in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI). In areas where homes are built right next to forests and wildlands, once a fire catches, it's nearly impossible to stop. In California, where climate change is leading to increased aridity, massive wildfires are no longer just 'extreme weather' – they are becoming a dreaded seasonal phenomenon.

Lessons for Us in India

You might think, "Well, that's their problem, it's far away." But this is absolutely not an issue that doesn't concern us. India has its own tragic history with major fires. The 2016 fire in Bhuj, Gujarat, showed how quickly a city area can be consumed under windy conditions. We have our own lessons, perhaps from the fires following the Latur earthquake or other urban conflagrations. The crucial point is to translate 'preparedness' into our daily lives.

In California, authorities urge residents to take the following steps before every fire season. Every single one of these can be adapted to the Indian context.

• Create a 'defensible space' around your home: Ensure there are no dry leaves, twigs, or flammable materials like firewood within 5 metres of your house. This is critical in vacant lots or areas near vegetation.
• Prepare an emergency 'Go-Bag': Pack a backpack with important documents (in waterproof cover), bottled water, dry rations, essential medicines, N95 masks, a power bank, torch, and a basic first-aid kit. Keep it ready.
• Discuss and plan your evacuation with family: Fires can strike at night. Plan at least two different escape routes from your neighbourhood and decide on a meeting point outside the immediate area.
• Check your local hazard map: Regularly check with your municipal corporation or disaster management authority to understand if your area is prone to fire risks, especially during dry seasons or in areas near scrubland or forests.

The last point is particularly vital. Here in India, too, agencies are increasingly working on mapping and making this information public. Don't assume you're safe just because you live in a city. After all, Pacific Palisades was an upscale urban neighbourhood, and it was turned to ashes in no time.

Don't Let 'Fire' Become Just a Memory—Keep It in the Records

The exact death toll from the Camp Fire is still not definitively finalised, a testament to how catastrophic it was. And for the people who lost their homes in the Palisades Fire, the struggle to rebuild their lives continues even now. What we can do is ensure these memories don't fade. We must hope that if a similar disaster ever strikes closer to home, the lessons learned from these events might help save someone's life.

If sirens wail tonight, will you be able to evacuate without hesitation? Fires always strike with terrifying suddenness. The scorched earth of California seems to silently pose that very question to all of us.