‘My childhood home is gone forever’: Woman and her dog barely make it out alive after she desperately tries to save house amid Palisades Fire

The horrific Palisades wildfires are ravaging vast parts of the Los Angeles area in a natural disaster that’s proving very hard to contain. The response so far has been wide-ranging: People have been evacuated, prisoners have been recruited to help the response, and Canada has even sent firefighters across the border in a touching display of international aid.

Yet despite concrete gains in fighting the fires, the tragedies on the ground continue, as an overwhelmed fire department simply can’t keep up with the intense and widespread demand for action. Many celebrity homes have been burned to the ground, their pictures or videos plastered all over the Internet for the world to see, but lost in the noise are the many ordinary people whose homes have also burned down in the blaze.

One TikTok user posted a heart-wrenching video of her mom in the middle of a blazing house fire as she desperately tries to save the house and dog from the flames, claiming to be “ignored” by the fire department.

The harrowing video shows trees and shrubs surrounding the house completely ablaze as the narration describes how the overworked and stretched far too thin LAFD is simply unable to attend the property. Despite the mom’s best efforts, there’s nothing she can do to avert the blaze, and the house — along with everything inside — burns down.

Although the house and all its contents are gone, the video’s caption states what’s really important — that the people you love and cherish are safe even in the face of catastrophe. Natural disasters like the Palisades wildfires are a stark reminder of the ferocity of the natural world, and although the material cost is massive, the only things truly irreplaceable are people.

Many in the comments offered words of comfort and consolation to the family. Some offered straightforward condolences: “So sorry for your loss but thankful you and your family are safe. Please let us know how we can help.” Others took the time to address claims that the LAFD “ignored” the family. One user said “They hadn’t ignored you baby. They just couldn’t get to you,” and offered prayers, while many reiterated that people had been told to evacuate: “That’s why they tell you beforehand to leave. There are tons of people and tons of things to do, they can’t just drop it to help someone, unfortunately.”

When faced with a natural disaster on this scale, the best thing to do is listen to the expert advice given and evacuate as quickly as you can. It’s human nature to want to save our homes and our treasured belongings — many of which have precious memories attached — but fire is all-consuming and emotionless. No ornament is worth the loss of a husband, mother, sibling, friend, or pet.

The family in the video is safe and sound, albeit devastated at the loss of their family home. Others haven’t been quite so lucky, and the true toll of these dangerous and destructive fires is unknown currently and likely will be for quite some time as the fires continue to rage.