Singaporean Shabnam Melwani recounts her experience after deadly wildfires in Los Angeles damaged her home and the homes of others. The 55-year-old businesswoman’s house in Pacific Palisades was left smoke-damaged as the fires ravaged the second-largest city in the US, claiming at least 24 lives.
“I was in fear and disbelief. But when I had time to process everything, I realised I wanted to pay it forward – what the firefighters and neighbours did for me. They are my true heroes and I want to help others,” Ms. Melwani said.
Photo credit: Shabnam Melwani
Another Singaporean, Cheryl Uyesugi, shared her distress as the flames razed her family’s holiday home in Malibu, leaving behind only rubble and concrete foundations. She lamented the loss of cherished items passed down through generations, reflecting on the tragic impact of the wildfires: “I’m so shaken by the wildfire situation. I spent most of my life in Singapore, where there are rarely any natural disasters. I never imagined the wildfires would come so close to us.”
Likewise, e-commerce director Winnie Puah described the harrowing moments as she and her husband contemplated evacuating from their home in Arcadia, amid the ferocious Santa Ana winds fueling the fires. “The gate weighed about 80kg to 100kg, and we struggled to grab it, pull it onto the ground track and lock it,” she recounted.
Photo: Winnie Puah
For movie producer and director Thomas Lim, the escalating danger prompted a voluntary evacuation as he left West Los Angeles to seek refuge with friends in East Los Angeles. Amidst the looming threat, he expressed his anxiety, stating: “It’s like hell is here.”
Photo: Thomas Lim
These personal accounts from Singaporeans impacted by the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles shed light on the resilience, compassion, and challenges faced amidst a natural disaster of unprecedented scale.
