‘We are screwed’: Melbourne-born film editor Glen Whelan heartbroken after LA wildfires ravage his home

A Melbourne-born film editor’s life has been uprooted after he watched his neighbourhood be devoured by the California wildfires on CCTV footage.

A Melbourne-born film editor has spoken of his harrowing ordeal of losing his home in the California wildfires, revealing he was overcome with dread when he watched security footage of the blaze ravaging his neighbourhood.

Glen Whelan was at work in his Burbank office last week when he received a text message alerting him to an out-of-control fire near his Pacific Palisades home.

Speaking to the Herald Sun from a hotel in Los Angeles, an emotional Mr Whelan said he was filled with fear.

“I looked out the window at work and I could see all this smoke rising above the hill that separated LA from The Valley,” he said.

“I thought it was too far away from our place and it would have to burn through a whole neighbourhood before it got to us.

“When I finished work, I went outside and the wind nearly blew me down the street and I just thought ‘we are screwed’, that wind was so powerful.”

Glen Whelan’s property was destroyed in the wildfires.

The Melbourne-born man said he was devastated to see the ruins.

Mr Whelan said a neighbour sent him CCTV footage of the blaze approaching his estate.

“That’s when I got really scared,” he said.

“You could see it burning someone’s house and I thought it was going to get us. I thought we were royally screwed.”

Mr Whelan’s partner Denise was swiftly evacuated from the area, only having enough time to grab their cat, three tops, socks and underwear.

The blaze destroyed 175 homes in their estate and another 80 next to it.

Mr Whelan, who bought the property four years ago, said it was difficult returning to the ruins days later.

“Everything was vaporised, I thought there would be something salvageable but it was all gone,” he said.

“The house wasn’t much but it was right across the road from the beach, I loved that place.

“You work so hard and you just don’t know what’s going to happen.”

CCTV footage that was sent to Mr Whelan from a neighbour.

Mr Whelan moved from Bayswater to Los Angeles 12 years ago to pursue a career in the film industry, editing movies and television shows.

A GoFundMe page, created by Mr Whelan’s sister, Cathy Cruse, had raised more than $5000 for the couple as of Wednesday.

Ms Cruse said she was heartbroken for her brother’s loss.

“They are currently staying in a hotel which is not sustainable and trying to find rental accommodation in a city where thousands are in the same predicament,” she said.

“I don’t know if people here understand the gravity, we all see pictures on TV and think ‘oh that’s sad’ but when it’s a family member, it really hits home.

“He has worked really hard to establish a life there but now it’s all just gone.”

It comes as the death toll from the wildfires rose to at least 25 with eight people dead in the Pacific Palisades blaze and 17 dead in the Eaton fire.

More than 5200 firefighters were deployed to battle the Pacific Palisades fire alone, which burned through almost 9600 hectares since it ignited on January 7.

Originally published as ‘We are screwed’: Melbourne-born film editor Glen Whelan heartbroken after LA wildfires ravage his home