So, California is on fire. Again. Not “a little campfire by the beach” fire—no, we’re talking “biblical plague meets the apocalypse with a side of roasted marshmallows” fire. The Palisades Fire has chewed through over 23,700 acres, sent 32,500 people packing, and drained more resources than your favorite brunch spot after bottomless mimosas. Losses? Oh, just a casual $250 billion. You know, pocket change.
But here’s the kicker: it’s January 16, 2025, and somehow, wildfires that were front-page news a hot minute ago are now buried somewhere between a story about a celebrity’s weird diet and a piece on “what your sleep position says about you.” Spoiler: it says you’re stressed because California is still on fire!
Let’s talk about this phenomenon—disaster amnesia. The media loves a good “breaking news” story, but the minute something shinier pops up, it’s like, “Fire? What fire? Have you heard about this new AI that paints cat portraits?” This isn’t just a problem for journalism majors; it’s a problem for everyone left behind, like the 15,000 firefighters battling flames so big they have their own Instagram account.
And donations? Oh, people are generous… at first. Two months in, charities are swimming in cash. Six months later? Crickets. It’s like everyone RSVP’d to a wedding but forgot to show up to the marriage. Meanwhile, entire neighborhoods are still smoldering, and the only thing hotter than the flames is the frustration of evacuees wondering why no one’s talking about them anymore.
Then there’s social media—because what’s a natural disaster without influencers filming “My Evacuation Day Routine” for TikTok? Instead of amplifying vital updates, platforms like X (formerly Twitter) are busy serving you trending content like, “Is this cloud shaped like a dog, or is it just ash?” Important information gets buried under a mountain of memes and misinformation. But hey, at least the memes are spicy.
Now, don’t get me wrong—wildfires are terrifying. But what’s even scarier? The fact that the media and public have the attention span of a caffeinated squirrel. We can’t just move on like this is a blockbuster movie that’s been out for three weeks and already streaming. People are losing homes, jobs, and ecosystems. This is their life, not an afterthought.
So here’s the deal: we need to keep paying attention. Stay angry. Stay engaged. Share the real updates, not just the viral ones. The victims of these fires can’t afford for us to swipe left on their reality. And who knows? Maybe we’ll actually fix something for once instead of just scrolling past it.
Oh, and if you’re wondering what your sleep position says about you, I’ll save you a click: it means you’re not sleeping well—because California is still on fire.
