A brain surgeon and his son chose to disregard evacuation orders to implement their emergency plan aimed at protecting their oceanfront home and that of a neighbor in the picturesque Malibu area near Los Angeles. For two consecutive days and nights before firefighters could arrive, they, along with a neighbor, battled to extinguish fires that erupted amid the fierce Santa Ana winds.
Dr. Chester Griffiths, a brain surgeon, emphasized that their success against the Palisades Fire was not merely due to physical courage. He had spent years preparing for a wildfire by acquiring high-pressure hoses, professional firefighting gear, and flame-resistant building materials. Additionally, they trained extensively in disaster preparedness.
Thanks to these efforts, the father-son team, along with neighbor Clayton Colbert and local firefighters, managed to save five homes along the beach while many others were reduced to ashes. Exhausted but triumphant, Dr. Griffiths exclaimed, “We did it; our houses are here!”
Fortunately, the winds have calmed in California, enabling firefighters to bring 40,000 acres of wildfires under control.