Loved ones reunite at Vancouver airport as flights land from L.A.

A grim sight from above – the glow of endless flames and smoke.

It’s an unforgettable picture for many flying out of L.A. this week, as three major wildfires continue to ravage the county.

“It’s pretty upsetting to watch your home go up in flames and for them to still be at zero per cent containment – it’s terrifying,” one passenger arriving at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) told The Leader Spirit.

More flights out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) touched down at YVR Thursday.

As the fires continue to claim lives and destroy homes, loved ones reunited, embracing with flowers and hugs, as many hold on to what and who they still have.

“A lot of my family are locals. All our friends are locals. They’re spooked. No one’s ever … This is not common. This is an anomaly,” another arrival shared.

“I think we’ve gone through the thick of it, in terms of the Santa Ana winds. But stepping outside this morning was like breathing in an ashtray,” an L.A. resident shared.

Back at home in Vancouver’s West End, Mallory Penner is still unpacking after arriving Thursday from a visit with her partner in L.A. — the city she calls a second home.

“We decided especially because we have a pet, the best thing to do is to go to my partner’s parents’ house in Huntington Beach, just to get away,” Penner explained.

The couple was near the Hurst Fire in the north when they got the evacuation alert.

“It’s scary – and it’s sad. I kept offering for him to come up here. But his house is still there, and he’s got pets. It’s also hard leaving friends down there too who are worried about their places right now and are trying to find a place to live now,” Penner added.

Crushed in the vice of the catastrophe, firefighters in California have asked B.C.’s firefighters for help, with the Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar saying they requested senior-level expertise on the frontlines of the fire.

“I definitely thought about B.C. and how [fires have] always felt a bit distant living in Vancouver, you experience the smoke, and ‘I’m far enough away,’” Penner explained.

“But actually, being in it, in the evacuation area was scary, and emotional. You’re getting texts from friends who say their house just burnt down – and it really made it real.”

While being on the edge of the inferno can be grounding, for those touching down at YVR, the embrace of family and friends could be the most real thing in the world after living through the unthinkable.