LA wildfires impact some with local ties

SOLEMN MOMENT — A photo captured by Katie Caleodis, a Hilliard native and junior at Miami University, shows Los Angeles firefighters watching the sun set over Venice Beach, after a long shift battling the Palisades fire on Jan. 10. -- Contributed
LOS ANGELES — To date, it’s responsible for at least 25 deaths, more than 40,000 acres being burned and the destruction of more than 12,300 structures. January’swildfire disaster has left the City of Angels clouded both in smoke and anxiety, as displaced residents find their way and others worry over their own safety and property.
Among those affected by the multiple fires, either directly or indirectly, are some individuals with ties to the area. During the past week, they described their unique situations and how they’re moving forward from the life-changing experience.
A 2006 Steubenville Catholic Central High School graduate, Rebecca (Vallera) Thompson attended Ohio State University before moving to Los Angeles. She grew up in the Bloomingdale area and now resides in Santa Clarita, working for Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Thompson first met Jonathan and Megan Denison while they were all students at OSU. Along with another OSU companion, Thompson started a GoFundMe campaign to aid her two friends, who lost their Altadena home in the Eaton wildfire.
On Jan. 7, when the first wildfire erupted near Pacific Palisades, Thompson received a call from her friends, concerned about the fierce winds that threatened to propel the fire. The Denisons, who were without cell service, used a hand-crank radio to learn that a fire was approaching their home.
“They looked out their window and could see fire,” Thompson recalled. “They literally just grabbed their kids, a couple of things of clothes and their kids’ favorite stuffed animals, got in their car and drove as fast as they could to get to our house.”
After staying the night in Santa Clarita, Jonathan Denison went with Thompson’s husband to recover any personal belongings from the family’s home, which the Denisons had purchased in September. What they found was “literally an ash pile.”
The Denisons are now staying in a hotel until they can find a more permanent living situation, but they bring their kids to play with the Thompsons’ during the day.
Thompson said of the fundraising campaign: “It’s for all the things that they don’t know they need yet. … They have so much they have to worry about right now, with finding a new place to live and explaining and hand-holding their kids through this. Their kids and my kids are scared because you always tell them you’re safe at home, and now they’e wondering if home is safe.”
Born and raised in Steubenville, Carol (Rine) Lawson moved to Columbus in 1983. The 1975 Catholic Central graduate was recently “in a panic” over her daughter and son-in-law’s family, which lost its home to the Palisades fire.
Introduced while students at Cincinnati Christian University, Markel and Brittany Croston moved to Los Angeles about five years ago. Brittany Croston is a clinical therapist, and her husband works as a youth pastor for a local church, which operates a school and owned the building the Crostons lived in.
Markel Croston recalled when evacuation orders interrupted the school day Jan. 7. It was “complete chaos” as the school hurried to reunite students with their parents. Meanwhile, Brittany Croston was fleeing from home with their 1-year-old daughter.
“It looks apocalyptic,” Markel Croston said of the neighborhood. “Everything is gone — homes, all the schools on our street, restaurants, shops. … Whatever you’ve seen in the news, it’s 1,000 times worse.”
Refused fire insurance due to the area’s high risk, the Crostons are now staying in a Santa Monica rental property as they search for permanent housing. The clock is ticking, with Brittany Croston expecting their son in February. Thankfully, Markel Croston said, the family has received unexpected support through a GoFundMe started by a friend.
Still serving as a pastor for the people of Palisades, Markel Croston lamented the intimate and “beautiful community” that’s been devastated. Much “ignorance” surrounds the disaster, which some believe only affected the wealthy. On the contrary, Croston said, many of Palisades’ residents moved in before costs skyrocketed and have worked hard to build their livelihoods.
Markel Croston’s mother-in-law, Lawson, said the loss of the tight-knit neighborhood she’s visited on numerous occasions “really makes me sick.” The Crostons are “just a Midwest family trying to make it,” and any support people can offer is welcome.
Vicki (Ress) Ahlers was born in Steubenville and graduated from Steubenville High School in 1957. Ahlers attended OSU and spent time in Mexico City before moving to Los Angeles, where she worked as a language teacher.
The threat of fires spreading through high winds has residents on alert, recalled Ahlers, who lives in a complex of about 800 condominiums in Chatsworth
“Everybody is very uptight and worried. We’ve had fires here before, but the winds weren’t a factor. We in Chatsworth know this is an area that’s dry and bushy and up against the hills and there have been fires in the past, but nothing like what’s occurred here this year. This is just incredible.”
Ahlers has preemptively packed some belongings and secured emergency lodging with a friend, but so far, she’s remained safe.
“Right now, where I’m located, we have not had any flames — thank God — and I’m just holding my breath,” Ahlers said, adding later: “A home is a home, and not to be able to come back here would break my heart. … These places are so precious to you when you make memories through the years.”
Katie Caleodis grew up in Hilliard, though her father, Scott Caleodis, hails from Steubenville. She’s a junior studying media and communications with a minor in digital marketing at Miami University.
The school offers a 2 1/2-week program called Inside Hollywood, which brings students to Hollywood for networking, tours and career exploration. Caleodis embarked on the trip Jan. 2 with 15 other students.
Less than a week after their arrival, the students witnessed the Palisades fire’s outbreak over the television, while touring a camera systems rental facility. Later, when the Sunset fire erupted two miles away from their Hollywood Hills lodgings, the professor had students quickly pack up and leave for Anaheim.
Students returned two days later, upon the Sunset fire’s containment, and they’ve continually been monitoring the Palisades and Eaton fires while trying to reschedule program activities.
“As much as you wanted to be sad about (missing two days), there are people who are in much worse situations,” Caleodis said. “And we’re just thankful we could pick up and go and come back, and that so many people have been willing to reschedule.”
With the exception of two who returned early, the Inside Hollywood students are expected to return on Sunday, Caleodis said.
A sobering moment for Caleodis occurred Jan. 10, while the group was visiting a connection in Venice Beach. There, the group saw an engine full of firefighters pull in front of the beach, sit atop their vehicle and watch the sun set. Some students thanked the firefighters, who’d just returned from a long battle with the Palisades fire.
“It was one of those situations that wanted to make you cry,” she said.