Meteorologist hailed a hero as he predicted impending LA fires and urged his community to flee ahead of the inferno.
In a remarkable story from Altadena, California, a young meteorologist named Edgar McGregor has gained recognition for his timely warnings about the recent wildfires in Los Angeles.
At just 24 years old, McGregor took to social media to alert his neighbors about the dangerous fire conditions, potentially saving hundreds of lives.
Edgar McGregor issued urgent warnings online.
On January 7, McGregor posted urgent messages on a local Facebook group, advising residents to stay awake, pack their belongings, and prepare to evacuate.
He had been observing the weather closely and realized that a significant windstorm could lead to catastrophic fires.
This situation could be similar to the ones that had previously devastated communities in Hawaii and Paradise, California.
Edgar McGregor identified fire risks early on.
McGregor explained that he first recognized the danger on December 30, when he noticed that dry conditions and strong winds were predicted.
He warned his community that if a fire broke out, it could destroy thousands of homes.
Despite his concerns, he initially feared that his warnings might come across as an overreaction.
“I knew on Dec. 30th that when this windstorm hit, the conditions would be carbon copies of the conditions that were on the ground in Lahaina, Hawaii, and in Paradise, which both were completely leveled and lost around a hundred people each,” he said.
“I told people, if a wildfire breaks out, there’ll be a thousand homes burned down. This would be cataclysmic.”
The fires quickly spread, causing devastation.
As the fires began to spread, McGregor’s fears turned into reality.
The Eaton fire engulfed his neighborhood, burning over 14,000 acres and destroying around 7,000 structures, resulting in the loss of 16 lives.
Many well-known figures, including actress Mandy Moore, lost their homes in the inferno.
The community expressed deep gratitude for McGregor.
Miraculously, McGregor’s house survived the flames.
He watched as the fire consumed nearby properties, but he remained grateful that his home was spared.
In the aftermath, many locals reached out to him, expressing their gratitude for his warnings.
Comments flooded in on social media, with residents thanking him for alerting them in time to evacuate safely.
The man’s passion for weather science
McGregor’s passion for weather science and his keen understanding of fire danger stem from years of hiking in the local canyons.
He has seen how dry brush and dead trees accumulate, creating a perfect environment for wildfires.
“For years I’ve been telling people this canyon, it’s been decades since we last had a wildfire, and the fuels are abundant”‘ he said.
“I see dead trees that have accumulated everywhere. So I knew this was coming.
I certainly didn’t think January was the month it would occur, but I hope that I did my job in warning everybody.”
Residents remained vigilant against potential wildfires.
As the fires continued to burn, McGregor also warned about the potential for more disasters in the coming weeks.
He mentioned that if the dry conditions persisted and another windstorm occurred, areas like Hollywood and Santa Barbara could face significant threats from wildfires.
He emphasized that the danger was far from over, urging everyone to remain vigilant.
‘In the next couple of weeks, if we get another major windstorm, it could be Hollywood that faces disaster next.
Santa Barbara. Any of these foothill towns. And then when it rains, we have the mudslides to get through.’
“This is not over yet,” he concluded.