L.A. Fires: Anxious evacuees wonder when they’ll be able to return home

Angelenos who were forced to evacuate their homes due to the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires are beginning to wonder when they will be able to return home to begin rebuilding their lives.

But fire officials say it’ll be at least a week before repatriation begins, and that’s only for a very select few homes. Though there are no active fires in the area, officials say it is still not safe due to air quality concerns.

Frustration is growing among evacuated residents in Encino, who have been staying at local hotels or with family and friends since being evacuated, despite no active fires near their homes.

“I think in the beginning it was a good idea, because from my house, you see the smoke, you saw the orange glow and stuff. So it’s very concerning for a lot of us and the neighbors too,” Ronnen Miz, an evacuated resident, said. “But then it got to a point where, honestly, it was a little too much. During Monday, Tuesday, the past couple of days, you couldn’t smell the smoke, couldn’t see it. So we’re all kind of confused. All neighbors are like, ‘Why can we get in?'”

Michael Ruby, an evacuated Brentwood resident just outside the mandatory evacuation zone, is also wondering when he will be allowed back home.

“We’re thankful that we have a house to go back to, and we feel for all the people that have lost so much. But it’s just frustrating,” he told KTLA’s Kareen Wynter. “There’s no answers. The Department of Water and Power just says the Fire Department will tell them when it’s safe to turn the power back on, and they’re not really giving much answers.”

Despite complaints about lack of communication, the Los Angeles County Fire Department says it is continuing to work on a plan to get evacuees back home as soon as it’s safe. But Chief Anthony Marrone says they shouldn’t expect everyone to return at once.

“The repopulation of residents in the evacuation order areas will not occur for at least one more week for the areas that are deemed safe,” Marrone said during a recent press conference. “So when I say one more week, that that does not include the entire evacuation order area. We’re doing our best as we know that this is a challenge for our residents.”

Residents are hopeful that they will receive an update on when they can return to their homes soon, but officials stress that any decisions will hinge entirely on whether it is safe.