LA Wildfires: Aussie expats describe terrifying destruction sweeping Los Angeles

An Aussie living in Los Angeles has broken down during a live interview after receiving a phone call that confirmed every person’s worst nightmare.

Expats living in Los Angeles say they’ve never before witnessed anything as severe as the wildfires ripping through parts of California.

Despite hailing from Australia, Tahlia Maguire — who moved from Byron Bay to Venice Beach along with her mother Melinda and sister Kobi in 2022 — said the fires were “terrifying” and ripping through her neighbourhood at a rapid pace.

With her car packed and on standby to evacuate, the 32-year-old said the atmosphere in Venice Beach — which sits just 12km from Pacific Palisades — was eerie, full of smoke, without power and spotfires were popping up everywhere.

“I have never experienced fires like this on this scale, especially in a city or urban area,” Ms Maguire, who is the co-founder of fashion label Hope and May, told news.com.au.

“These winds are over 100mph (160km/h) and it’s devastating to see how quickly the destruction is happening.”

In a bid to help those impacted by the fires or without clothing or essentials, Ms Maguire and her family — through their brand Hope and May — have partnered with more than 30 Australian brands to collect and donate new products to those who have lost everything.

Aussie expat Tahlia Maguire is with her sister and mum on standby to evacuate amid wildfires ripping through parts of Los Angeles.

The Palisades Fire burns vehicles and structures in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood of Los Angeles. Picture: Photo/Ethan Swope.

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At least five people have been killed and more than 1000 buildings burned in rampaging wildfires around Los Angeles, officials said Wednesday, with firefighters overwhelmed by the speed and ferocity of multiple blazes.

Evacuation orders are now in place for about 70,000 people across the area.

“We’re doing the very best we can. But no, we don’t have enough fire personnel in LA County between all the departments to handle this,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said on Wednesday afternoon.

Tahlia Maguire, right, is prepared to evacuate with her sister Kobi, left.

The Getty Villa art museum is threatened by the flames of the wind-driven Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, California. Picture: David Swanson / AFP.

Ms Maguire said that while she and her family are currently safe, “it’s been a very scary 24 hours” with the worst still to come.

“We saw the fire start around 10.30am yesterday and since then have seen the fire grow extremely quickly,” she said.

“The views from our rooftop yesterday were flames for most of the afternoon from about 1pm until midnight.

“We packed our bags, first aid kits and food in to the car last night if the fires were to escalate badly so we could get out quickly in case the freeways come to a gridlock like we saw in Palisades.”

Thousands have lost their homes to the fires in Los Angeles. Picture: AP Photo/Ethan Swope.

Ms Maguire described the atmosphere around LA as ‘eerie and ‘terrifying’. Picture: AP Photo/Richard Vogel.

The fashion business owner said her neighbourhood was weirdly “eerie” with not many cars on the road.

“We know friends of friends who have lost everything in the Palisades,” she said.

“We aren’t sure if the worst is behind us. I think we are safe in our home in Venice, but small fires are still popping up everywhere like the one in Altadena.

“Atmosphere is eerie. No one is on the streets, everyone is indoors as per instruction unless evacuating.

“There’s lots of debris on the streets, strong winds and fallen trees and the skies are smoke filled.”

The biggest inferno, known with the Palisades fire, had consumed around 16,000 acres — fanned by gusty winds and dry conditions — in the Santa Monica Mountains as of Wednesday afternoon.

Australian man’s community ‘burnt to a crisp’

A separate 10,600-acre fire was burning around Altadena, just north of Pasadena, where flames tore through suburban streets.

Australian man James Willis, who also lives in Los Angeles, said his entire community had been “burnt to a crisp” in the devastating wildfires.

Thousands of homes and structures have been ‘burnt to a crisp’. Picture: JOSH EDELSON / AFP

Appearing on Channel 9’s Today Show, Mr Willis said he was able to get his dog out as he escaped his home.

“Four houses north of me, the whole stretch of the beach is gone,” he told Today.

“He [neighbour] said it’s very unlikely my house is still there. The whole community has been burnt to a crisp.

“You’ve got your bag packed not thinking it would be as horrific as it was. This is losing, you know, your whole life,”

Mr Willis, a restaurant owner in Los Angeles, confirmed later on Thursday morning that he had in fact lost his home entirely, along with thousands of others.

In an emotional interview on radio show 3AW, Mr Willis explained that someone from Channel 9 [who he was in contact with] was nearby to his home, and offered to check if it had survived the flames.

James Willis was able to get his dog out but said his house had likely been destroyed.

Mr Willis films from his neighbourhood, where thousands have lost their homes.

“[He called and said] there is nothing left of your house,” Mr Willis told radio host Tony Jones through tears.

“Yesterday we were on the deck having a surf. And now, nothing. I’ve lost everything, everything is gone.”

Mr Willis said before receiving confirmation his house had been destroyed, he held on to hope that perhaps the flames didn’t quite reach his property.

“I thought there was a little bit of hope, all the houses north and south of me were gone but we couldn’t get any confirmation about mine.

“It is just insane what is going on. It’s just crazy, my whole community in Malibu is burnt down. It’s my little Australia there, and everyone has lost their house.”