Tracy Droz Tragos, a filmmaker, lost her home in the Palisades Fire and talks about her loss and healing.
1. Droz Tragos's house burned down in the Pacific Palisades Fire.
2. It burned down 10,000 homes and killed 10 people.
What did Tracy Droz Tragos do during the Palisades Fire?
The Pacific Palisades Fire destroyed Tracy Droz Tragos’s home on January 7. She is a documentary director best known for her work on Rebuilding Paradise.
Because of the fire, her family had to leave quickly, taking everything with them. Tragos had been writing about the fallout of the 2018 Camp Fire, but she never thought she would be directly affected by another disaster.
What did Droz Tragos do when they were told to leave?
Even though Droz Tragos had been through wildfires before, she thought at first that the escape was just a “dry run.”
She told The Hollywood Reporter that she didn’t think the fire would get to her house. Her family left with nothing.
She used what she knew from the past to make sure they had things like toilet paper, which she knew would be very useful after the fact.
What did the fire take away from Droz Tragos?
The fire burned not only her house but also important buildings in her neighborhood, such as the library, food store, and high school.
The loss was terrible for Droz Tragos, who said that it wasn’t just her house that was destroyed, but the whole area. While she deals with the loss, she has been living in an Airbnb near her family in Santa Barbara.
What does the name Pacific Palisades mean?
People often think of the Pacific Palisades as an exclusive coastal area, but it’s also home to a diverse group of people of all ages.
Droz Tragos talked about what made the neighborhood special, like the strange 4th of July parade and the welcoming high school.
The fire destroyed these points of contact, leaving people to mourn the loss of the places and memories they shared.
How does Droz Tragos deal with the loss?
Droz Tragos has been sharing about her sadness on Instagram, talking about the things she lost that she can’t get back, like family heirlooms and personal items.
She said the sadness came in waves, and each thought of her home hurt more than the last. Even though the damage is terrible, she is still focused on rebuilding and helping her community.
What does this have to do with the 2018 Camp Fire?
Droz Tragos’ documentary, Rebuilding Paradise, chronicled the recovery of Paradise, California, following the devastating 2018 Camp Fire that destroyed 95% of the town.
Her personal experience with people who had survived wildfires gave her a unique view of the difficulties of rebuilding.
The story of the Camp Fire will also be told again in the future movie The Lost Bus, which is based on Lizzie Johnson’s book of the same name.
How is the Palisades Fire doing right now?
Ten people have died and over 56 square miles have been burned down by the Palisades Fire since it started on January 7.
In Los Angeles County, multiple fires are still going strong, causing thousands of people to leave their homes. A lot of damage has left the town dealing with loss and doubt.
What is the Palisades Fire?
- Started in Pacific Palisades, California, on January 7.
- Took down 10,000 homes and businesses.
- Ten people died and a lot of people had to leave their homes.
- Burned an area bigger than San Francisco at 56 square miles.