While the Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles County occurred more than 2,400 miles away from Gainesville, their impacts have been felt by students at the University of Florida.
Since the wind-fueled firestorms ignited on Jan. 7, 57,636 acres burned and at least 29 people have died, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Although the fires have since been contained, the devastation extends far beyond California, affecting people across the nation, including UF students with ties to the state.
“It’s been pretty horrific for most of my family, and especially my mom’s friends,” Harrison Moritz, a 21-year-old finance junior, said. “One of my mom’s friends, her husband, was actually in the hospital while the fires were going on, because he was having a surgery, and he ended up passing away while in surgery because they couldn’t deal with the fires.”
Moritz, who was born in LA and lived there for about five years, still has most of his family inside the fire-stricken county.
As an out-of-state student, who is already far from home, a crisis like this only amplifies the distance. Specifically, staying in touch with loved ones has been difficult because their minds are elsewhere, Moritz said. When you add balancing school, work and a social life to this mix, it takes an emotional toll.
“I would say, when it first began, I would say it really did impact me,” Moritz said. “I mean, it was tough seeing them and not being able to help.”
While the wildfires may feel distant to Floridians, Ludie Bond, a public information officer with the Florida Forest Service, explained that wildfires are not isolated to California. Florida, in fact, sees more wildfires than most people realize.
The majority of wildfires occur in the Southeastern United States. Florida, in particular, has the highest number of naturally occurring wildfires because it has the highest number of lightning strikes, according to Bond.
Florida, contrary to California, has fewer catastrophic fires due to differences in geography and Florida’s proactive wildfire management. While Florida’s wildfires occur more frequently, they don’t reach the scale of California’s flames.
Florida’s infrastructure breaks up natural areas, preventing fires from spreading extensively, whereas, in the western U.S., there are vast, uninterrupted stretches of land spanning hundreds and millions of acres, allowing wildfires to grow much larger.
Florida’s history with wildfires shows the importance of fire prevention. In 1998, over half a million acres burned in Florida, requiring more than 10,000 firefighters from across the country to help contain the fires, according to Bond.
“We were California 25 years ago,” Bond said. “But since then, our state has developed the most robust prescribed fire program in the nation.”
Annually, Florida treats over two million acres with prescribed burns, which are controlled fires that reduce vegetation and help prevent the spread of uncontrolled wildfires.
The use of prescribed fire is the number one tool to prevent wildfires from becoming catastrophic in Florida, Bond said. Although there are a few temporary inconveniences, such as smoke and ash, it’s nothing compared to the impact wildfires can have.
While Florida has not assisted with California’s fires, Bond said her agency is ready to offer support if needed.
Typically, with natural disasters, an agency or organization has an agreement to call on the resources closest to them. Therefore, resources that have responded to the LA wildfires are coming from Oregon, Washington, Canada and then the interior of a little bit of Idaho and over to Texas, Bond said.
Beyond the emotional strain, misconceptions have also spread about the Palisades community, adding to the frustration many residents feel.
Reya Brauer, a 20-year-old psychology junior, said she has encountered negative assumptions about how Palisades residents can afford to rebuild since it is an affluent community.
However, both Moritz and Brauer emphasized these residents have not only lost their homes but also their livelihoods. While some assume that only wealthy homeowners are affected, many people that aren’t as well off own older homes, Moritz said. He also pointed out that not everyone has insurance claims to fall back on, leaving them with no safety net to rebuild.
For Brauer, staying informed about the fires has become a part of her routine. She relies on the “Watch Duty” app to monitor the wildfires and look out for her family’s safety.
The app has helped bridge the distance between LA and Gainesville, allowing her to track evacuation orders and identify safe locations for her loved ones.
However, despite this technological aid, traveling between Florida and California has added another layer of stress. When Brauer had to return to Gainesville during winter break, securing a flight was difficult as her house sits directly between the Palisades and Eaton fires.
“Flying out sucks because when I flew out, the Palisades fire still didn’t really have any containment,” Brauer said. “So, I didn’t know how the winds would change, or how it could possibly go in the opposite direction towards my grandparents, or if it would keep going down towards my uncle and his family.”
Though the adversities that Brauer and Moritz face may seem distant to many at UF, the university has taken steps to support its students from California, ensuring they have access to proper resources. According to an email sent from the UF Dean of Students, Chris Summerlin, Jan. 9, the university is monitoring and considering the impact the wildfires may have on its students.
Beyond UF’s outreach, Gainesville residents and students can contribute to relief efforts in various ways.
As Florida’s wildfire season approaches due to drought conditions and residual hurricane damage, Ludie Bond hopes people will recognize the importance of wildfire awareness. She said that Floridians should stay informed and prepared in any way possible. Small precautions, such as clearing debris from roofs and gutters and creating defensible spaces around their homes, are a simple way to start.
Contact Amanda Roman at aroman@alligator.org. Follow her on X @mandy_romannn.
Amanda Roman is a sophomore sports journalism major and the Spring 2025 women's basketball reporter. This is her second semester at the sports desk for The Alligator, and she previously interned for Fort Lauderdale United FC. In her free time, she enjoys lifting, shopping and reading.
