'Wildfire pollution is making me consider moving'

A man whose house survived the Los Angeles wildfires, while his neighbours' homes burned down, has said the area's poor air quality made him reconsider living there.

Danny Meigh, originally from Worcester, owns a house in Altadena and fled to San Diego with his partner and one-year-old baby when the fires started.

The family returned to LA, however Mr Meigh said life remained far from normal.

"It's hard and it's worrying, more fires are emerging everyday, people are wearing masks, it's like Covid again."

On Wednesday, a new, fast-moving wildfire erupted in Los Angeles County, which prompted 31,000 people in the area to be placed under a mandatory evacuation order.

Mr Meigh said there were air quality warnings in place which meant his son was unable to play outside.

"He goes to daycare and he's not allowed to run around and play.

"I hate keeping him inside, he loves the outdoors."

"We are thinking about going somewhere else to escape this and allow our kid to have a normal life", he added.

His vulnerable property in Altadena is let out to tenants and Mr Meigh lives with his family in an apartment about eight miles (12.8km) away.

The tenants escaped safely from the house, but until recently a barricade blocked the roads towards the house and prevented anyone from returning.

Mr Meigh said he planned to visit the house at the weekend, but to do so he would need to adhere to the safety requirements in place.

"It's a mandatory order to wear a specific mask, goggles and hazmat suit", he said.

"It's making me question whether we want to stay here, because we can't see things getting better any time soon."

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