‘The chaos’: Sask. man recounts wildfires in California

WATCH: A man with Saskatchewan roots living in Hollywood shares what he saw during the wildfires. Mick Favel has the story.

Raging flames and billowing smoke were the sights and sounds that Samuel Tipewan experienced, before he was forced to leave Los Angeles amid the historic wildfires.

Watching the flames approach from the top of his apartment in Hollywood, the film student with ties to Saskatchewan described a difficult experience, fleeing the area for his family’s safety.

“The chaos that ensued out there. Getting the alerts that we were forced to evacuate our home and to move inland, it took a toll on us,” he told CTV News.

Tipewan and his family grabbed what they needed and are now traveling back to Saskatchewan where they have family and support.

“Me and my family just wanted to get out of L.A. just to have a mental break. We were told to stay indoors because of the poor air quality, and we felt confined,” he explained.

“It was almost like the pandemic, [all] over again.”

He caught the flames and smoke from the top of his apartment in Hollywood, before forced to evacuate due to danger approaching his neighborhood.

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The fire is now being considered one of the most destructive fires in California history.

At least 25 people have died and it is estimated to be at least $100 billion in damages.

Answering a request for help from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre on Tuesday, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) has offered to send a crew and equipment to battle wildfires that have scorched thousands of homes.

The SPSA’s offer includes a Birddog aircraft, 3,000 lengths of 100-foot hoses and 10 firefighters.

More than six million people in the Los Angeles area are still under a critical fire threat.

Tipewan recalled witnessing many people helping each other through the evacuation – which gives him hope for the future.

“As much as the fire destroyed, the community came together, [it] is coming together to rebuild and be there for people,” he said.

“That was a beautiful thing to see and know there are supports out there.”