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Families fleeing California wildfires arrive in Massachusetts "feels like the apocalypse"

Families fleeing California fires arrive in Massachusetts
Families fleeing California fires arrive in Massachusetts 02:29

BOSTON - They were exhausted, both physically and emotionally, as they waited for their luggage on Wednesday night. Hundreds of passengers landed in Boston after evacuating the deadly wildfires in Los Angeles.

Homes destroyed   

"It really feels like the apocalypse," said Laurie David. "I can count five friends now whose homes are gone, and I have a lot of friends who have no idea if their homes are gone."

David said she raised her family in the Pacific Palisades and several family members still live there. The community is currently engulfed by flames and experiencing near total devastation. Her sister's home burned down, and her daughter's home is now at risk. "This was a bustling wonderful community, and I don't understand myself how this happened so quickly," she said.

Sebastian Antony said he was at Disneyland when the fires first started and by the time he hit the interstate to head home smoke and ash filled the air. "It feels a little hectic out there because there is so much going on," Antony said. "I have had some experience with wildfires before but not like this."

"People are struggling"

While some got out of Los Angeles altogether, others decided to stay. Madison Greene is from Boston but moved to West Hollywood in August. During her interview with WBZ-TV from her rooftop, you can see smoke cast a cloud over the city. 

"It's so smoky I can feel it in my lungs," Greene said. "I could smell it right away. I looked outside and everything is just covered in smoke. A lot of people's houses have burned down, people don't have anywhere to go, homeless people, animals. People are struggling."

We found some who were on flights to LA, including a couple who is moving there. The timing is less than ideal for a move planned months ago. "Yesterday we were watching the news and the day before we are supposed to leave and the whole city is on fire," Mike described. "There are obviously a lot of people who aren't safe, and we feel terrible for them." 

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