Hollyweird on Hiatus During the Fires
No writing advice or hot takes while the city is burning.
Looks like I picked the wrong week to come back from vacation.
As much as I’d love to be sharing my thoughts about writing and the arts, and as much as that would feel like some semblance of normalcy during this insane week, I have too many friends and colleagues who’ve evacuated their homes and lost everything to be feeling particularly inspired.
The view from our home in Mount Washington wasn’t quite as photographically horrendous as it was for many in Los Angeles, but our neighborhood was already covered in ashes raining down on us from fires that were miles away when I decided it would be safest to pack up the car and get out of town.
The Palisades Fire and Eaton Fires combined have, as of the time I’m writing this, burned over 34,000 acres, or a little more than twice the size of Manhattan.
I’m currently writing to you from the safety of Orange County, where there are currently no fires, but the miles-long trail of smoke from the Palisades can be seen blowing out across the Pacific ocean.
We are of course a city, country, and world in the midst of a devastating climate crisis. The effects of which will only continue to come. And if you haven’t personally felt them yet, you will.
I’m sure eventually I’ll have thoughts about how artists can and should be depicting this precarious time in human history (what else is art for, after all?) but I don’t have it in me right now. If you feel in the mood for this kind of thing, you can read my quite recent piece “Why make art while the world is burning?” But if you don’t, I get it.
For those of you in Los Angeles, I love you, stay safe. Do everything you can to avoid breathing the smoke (which is toxic!). Mask up. Pack up. Be ready to go. Here is a big list from Mutual Aid LA of all the organizations on the ground either distributing relief (if you need it) or looking for volunteers / donations (if you can).
For those of you not in Los Angeles, the best way you can help immediately is money. The LA Times has compiled a good list of all the different organizations you can donate to — including a link to all of the various GoFundMes that have been set up by those effected by the fires. If I were to highlight one good org I’d recommend Direct Relief, which is currently distributing masks throughout the city, and does great work for all California Wildfires. If you specifically want to help other writers — Humanitas has put together this list of writers who’ve been effected and need help.
Stay safe friends.