How Not to Die: Impressions from the Los Angeles Fire

The lucky ones have an hour to pack and think about what they would take with them if they returned to nowhere. The unfortunate ones have to run and hope they survive. Impressions of filmmaker Alexa Karolinski from Los Angeles.

Los Angeles on the afternoon of January 8, 2025. My friend Alex and I leave the house to get allergy medication for my son. The air is so thick it’s like you’re standing next to a chemically contaminated campfire. We’ve just pulled our N95 masks over our mouths and noses when we see 15 flashing police cars on the street. We fear the worst as we walk past the scene – until we notice that 20 police officers are busy arresting a man for trying to steal an old Honda.