Marika Erdely, a resident of Topanga, had a harrowing experience as she watched the Palisades Fire engulf her neighborhood and approach her home near the Getty Villa Museum. Using her Ring doorbell camera, Erdely witnessed the devastation unfold in real-time.
Upon checking her Ring camera at the behest of her daughter, Erdely saw the alarming sight of plants on fire and her neighbor's belongings ablaze behind her home. The home next to hers, which was under construction, appeared to be in flames as well. The Ring video footage shared by Erdely captured embers flying and massive flames rapidly advancing towards her property.
The cameras abruptly cut off around 5:51 p.m. local time, leaving Erdely uncertain about the fate of her home as of Wednesday morning. Despite the uncertainty, Erdely, along with her cousin, dog, and granddaughter, managed to evacuate safely around 11:15 a.m. local time after receiving evacuation notices.
Describing the moment of evacuation, Erdely recounted seeing a giant orange glow outside her window, prompting her to investigate. The sight of a smoke plume emanating from the Pacific Palisades heightened the urgency of the situation. Upon receiving the evacuation alert, Erdely and her cousin swiftly gathered their essentials in bags and laundry baskets before leaving the area.
The evacuation process was fraught with challenges as the northbound lane was congested with traffic, hindering the movement of first responders. Erdely described the atmosphere as eerie and apocalyptic, with the sounds of emergency vehicles adding to the sense of fear and urgency.
The videos shared by Erdely vividly depict the rapid encroachment of flames and smoke from the Palisades Fire towards her residence within a span of six hours, underscoring the intensity and swiftness of the wildfire's progression.
