California family wrestling with devastation left behind by wildfires
Jan 9, 2025, 6:11 PM | Updated: 6:52 pm
A resident hoses down hot spots in a fire-ravaged property after the Palisades Fire swept through in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)
SALT LAKE CITY — As wildfires wreak havoc across California, residents are dealing with more than the threat of losing their homes — they’re also wrestling with how to talk to their children about the devastation.
California wildfires taking an emotional toll
When evacuation orders went out, Noah Sheer and his family quickly gathered what they could and fled their home in Brentwood, uncertain of what they would return to.
For Sheer, the most difficult part of the ordeal has been watching his children struggle to make sense of the chaos around them.
“You do the best you can to explain to them that we’ll be okay… at least we still have each other,” Sheer shared with KSL NewsRadio during a phone call.
Related: Dozens of Utah firefighters off to help with deadly California wildfires
The emotional toll has been immense for Sheer and his wife Rachel.
It’s one thing to see their home at risk. But it’s been harder to witness the loss of places filled with memories.
One of the hardest hits for Sheer has been seeing a Palisades gym, where he used to meet friends for basketball games every Sunday, now reduced to nothing but ashes.
In the midst of it all, Sheer has been grateful for the support they’ve received from their children’s schools.
“My son’s school is setting up a Zoom call for him and his classmates to talk things through. That’s what they’re planning to do during this time,” he said, acknowledging the comfort such gestures provide.
The weight of disaster
The high school Sheer’s son would have attended was engulfed in flames last night. The thought of his son’s future school, now gone, is another emotional blow.
And even for those whose homes have been spared, Sheer noted, it’s hard not to feel the weight of the disaster.
“It’s tough knowing that no matter where you are, someone you know or a place you cherish hasn’t been so lucky,” he explained.
The fire’s reach is far, and the devastation stretches beyond what’s visible, touching everyone in ways seen and unseen.
