The Indonesian Consulate General Said 163 Indonesian Citizens Affected By The Great Los Angeles Fire

Illustration of the Los Angeles fire extinguished by firefighters. (Matt C-Unsplash)

The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) in Los Angeles said that there had been an increase in the number of Indonesian citizens who reported being affected by forest and land fires (karhutla) in Los Angeles, Badminton, United States.

"So far, 163 Indonesian citizens have been recorded, both diaspora and students, who were affected by forest fires," said Consul for Information and Cultural Social Affairs of the Indonesian Consulate General in Los Angeles Afina Burhanuddin when contacted Wednesday, January 15, as reported by Antara.

This number shows an increase from the previous number reported on Saturday 11 January as many as 97 people. The affected Indonesian citizens reportedly settled in the Pasadena, Altadena, Sylmar, and Calabasas areas.

According to Afina, the weather conditions in Los Angeles are still not conducive considering Santa Ana's wind, which is one of the factors worsening forest and land fires in Los Angeles, is expected to still appear tonight until Thursday afternoon local time.

"It is estimated that on Saturday, January 18, there will be drizzling rain," he said.

Meanwhile, most of the affected Indonesian citizens reportedly fled to evacuation centers provided by the local government and were open to all victims regardless of nationality.

There are also Indonesian citizens who take refuge in relatives and relatives' homes, hotels, or look for new temporary shelters.

The Indonesian Consulate General in Los Angeles is also preparing refugee camps and logistical supplies for people in need.

"However, we suggest that (the affected Indonesian citizen) can go to the official shelter because the facilities there are definitely better, then they can be recorded and get the latest information, and definitely get help," said Afina.

He also stated that the Indonesian Embassy in Los Angeles always urges Indonesian citizens to always follow the authorities' directions considering that a number of locations are still designated as emergency zones by the local government.

Fundraising

In an effort to ease the burden on the Indonesian community and the local community in Los Angeles, the Indonesian Consulate General will host a joint fundraising and prayer event from representatives of various religions on Sunday, January 19 local time.

The Indonesian Consulate General stated that the agenda will be open to the public, especially the Indonesian people in Los Angeles. It also did not set a specific target regarding the number of participants or funds collected in the event.

A deadly forest fire in Los Angeles that has been ongoing since January 7, 2025, hit more than 40,000 hectares of land on fire and damaged about 12,000 buildings. It is reported that the death toll from this natural disaster reached 25 people as of Tuesday January 14.