Travellers landing in Sydney recount horrific Los Angeles fire scenes

Relieved Australian and Americans have touched down in Sydney after leaving Los Angeles Airport, describing horrifying scenes in the States.

Relieved Australian and Americans have touched down in Sydney after leaving Los Angeles Airport, describing horrifying scenes in the States.

For Australian couple Guy and Alison Harding who had been in America on a holiday, the scenes in LA brought back memories of Australian bushfires.

“We have been there we have had the car packed, ready to escape. We used to live in the Hills District and have had ash dropping from the sky. The Americans seemed pretty laid back about it. Most of the people at the airport were just desperate to get out,” Mr Harding said.

“We had a long wait in LAX, and it was getting a little panicky. Nobody knew how far away it was, which way it was coming,” Mr Harding said.

“It was like a bomb had gone off. A big black mushroom cloud and around it just light,” Mrs Harding said.

“I wasn’t scared because I knew it wasn’t my time to die,” said Mrs Harding.

Australians Guy and Alison Harding said the flames brought back memories of the Australian fires in 2020. Picture: Emily Kowal

American traveller Sarah Geise watched the flames from her plane window as she touched down in LAX.

“People on the plane were getting emotional. Everyone was quiet. Seeing miles of fire, people were crying,” Ms Geise said.

Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a building on Sunset Boulevard amid a powerful windstorm in the Pacific Palisades. Picture: Apu Gomes

Another American traveller, 21-year-old student Devin, said the experience was “insane.”

“I used to live in Southern California, so I saw smoke a lot, but this was bigger than anything I had ever seen. You could see the flames. I have some friends that go to UCLA, they have the ability to go home, but I know some people whose houses burnt down. It was crazy, said Devin, 21.

Devin said flying over LA was “insane.” She said people on the plane were silent, and some were crying.

Australian woman Kathryn Salmon was wrapping up a family trip to America when the fires hit.

“We had travelled from New York and done a cross country trip and finished in LA. On the Monday night the fires were quite bad so we had to be alert to know if they were coming around to Hollywood Hills.

“There was a lot of smoke, we were staying in Hollywood, and then the day we left there was an outbreak near us. It was progressively getting bigger,” Ms Salmon said.

“Santa Monica pier almost shut down because of the fires,” he said.

LAX passengers Barry Epperson (left) and John Fowler who know people who lost their homes in the LA fires. Picture: Emily Kowal

American friends Barry Epperson and John Fowler said they personally knew people whose homes were part of the more than 9,000 homes that have burnt down.

“I have friends who lost homes, my daughter teaches at a school in Palisades which burnt down.

“So many people are affected. I flew over last night and the [plane] cabin was filled with smoke, you could smell it,” Mr Fowler said.

“It’s just devastating,” said Mr Epperson, “but the firefighters are doing an amazing job,” he said.

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