Flames Fought

Golling Brothers Recall the Day the Palisades Fire Began, Their Efforts Saving the Family’s Highlands Home

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

When the Palisades fire began on January 7, siblings Evan and Lucas Golling put in all their effort to save their family’s Highlands home.

When Evan first got news of the fire, he was in class at Pacifica Christian High School—where he is currently a senior. After class, he noticed the number of missed calls he had from his family and rushed home from Santa Monica.

“I parked the car at Vons and ran all the way up the hill,” Evan said to the Palisadian-Post. “I caught a ride up with a photographer … then my brother picked me up halfway up the hill, and we went straight home. We had our generator running the pool pump, and we were soaking the hill in front of [our] house and getting the house wet so nothing would burn down.”

Lucas, who currently attends school on the East Coast, was home for winter break when he and his family saw the fire, and learned it was closing in on their neighborhood from both sides.

“I thought it was going to be a repeat of the Skirball fire … I thought the fire would affect us, but wouldn’t be as bad as it actually was,” Lucas said. “But as it continued throughout the day, it kept getting closer to the house.”

When the fire started, the brothers said that their main goal was to get their water pump out and saturate the surrounding vegetation. With the winds picking up throughout the day, the brothers tried to limit the spread of ambers and avoid them igniting the house.

“While we were at the house and using the fire pump from our pool, a whole tree caught on fire,” Evan recalled. “We put it out before it got bad, but our backyard caught on fire like three different times … It was crazy.”

Evan said he returned to the house for four days following the fire—putting out any hot spots, protecting their home and surrounding areas.

The brothers explained that their father got the generator equipment months ago. They credited a science teacher for their preparation.

“The only reason my dad was able to learn about the fire pumps [and] technology, is because of this science teacher,” Lucas explained. “He advocates for wildfire awareness and actually came to our house one time. He took a 10-minute walk around the house, and pointed out all of the weak points, and showed us different plants and vegetation that would catch fire easily. I think the reason that he is willing to talk and learn from others is a big reason why the house is still standing. It’s little actions like that that can go a long way.”

“I’m so happy that my dad had that idea because without that, our house would have been gone that first night the fire started,” Evan said.

The Golling brothers spoke about memories in the Palisades—recalling time spent around town and what they enjoy most.

“I liked the amount of local establishments we had,” Evan said. “Everything was very personal.”

“Hanging out in the Village with friends and family, being able to get dinner … being able to do anything, it felt like a community,” Lucas added. “It just felt like home wherever you were, no matter what you were doing.”