Weatherman who Predicted Killer L.A. Infernos Praised for Saving 'Hundreds of Lives' — As He Unveils Warning Sign EVERYONE Missed
Altadena local Edgar McGregor has been praised for saving 'hundreds of lives' after warning local residents about wildfires before they hit the region.
Jan. 14 2025, Published 12:30 p.m. ET
A young weatherman has been hailed a hero for saving "hundreds of lives" after urging his community to flee ahead of the Los Angeles inferno.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Altadena local Edgar McGregor, 24, was sharing updates on his community Facebook page on January 7, hours before several megafires erupted throughout southern California.
McGregor warned his neighbors not to go to sleep, to pack a bag and be prepared to evacuate in an instant.
He warned his neighbors not to go to sleep, to pack a bag and to be prepared to evacuate in an instant.
McGregor said it dawned on him a week prior to the fires that the weather event could be "cataclysmic," and began the arduous task of convincing anybody who would listen.
He said: "I knew on December 30 that when this windstorm hit, the conditions would be carbon copies of the conditions that were on the ground in Lahaina, Hawaii, and in Paradise, which both were completely leveled and lost around a hundred people each."
McGregor feared the worst after checking out how high winds were expected in the weather forecast around New Year's Day.
The dry brush had been piling up for months, and without any rain leading into winter, when McGregor saw the winds in the forecast around New Years Day, he knew the risk was enormous.
He continued: "I told people, if a wildfire breaks out, there'll be a thousand homes burned down. This would be cataclysmic."
McGregor feared his warnings may have been a little "excessive", but he has since clearly been proven devastatingly correct.
Miles Teller, Mel Gibson and Paris Hilton are among the A-list celebrities who lost their homes in the blazes.
The Eaton fire which tore through his neighborhood and Pasadena at the foot of the mountains has already burned through 14,117 acres, destroyed at least 7,000 structures and cost 16 people their lives.
Actress Mandy Moore's home was among those charred beyond recognition in the Eaton fire.
And a larger fire which was the first to break out in the ritzy celebrity enclave of Pacific Palisades has destroyed 24,707 acres of land stretching from Santa Monica to Malibu.
Miles Teller, Mel Gibson and Paris Hilton are among A-list celebrities who lost their homes in the infernos.
McGregor feared his warnings may have been a little 'excessive', but he has since been proven devastatingly accurate.
McGregor watched as the fire tore through his community, destroying his neighbor's homes along with hundreds in the blocks surrounding his house.
Miraculously, his own home survived the inferno.
McGregor is an avid hiker and has been watching with dismay as his local canyons fill with brush and dead leaves, which serve as ignition for a fire.
He said: "For years I've been telling people this canyon, it's been decades since we last had a wildfire, and the fuels are abundant,."
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McGregor watched as the fire tore through his community, destroying his neighbor's homes along with hundreds in the blocks surrounding his house.
"I see dead trees that have accumulated everywhere. So I knew this was coming.
"I certainly didn't think January was the month it would occur, but I hope that I did my job in warning everybody.
In the Facebook group where McGregor initially posted his warnings, he has been inundated with comments from grateful locals who credit him with saving their lives.
One local said: "Your warnings saved so many lives and allowed us to prepare for evacuating well ahead of time. Glad you're finally getting the widespread recognition that you deserve."
Another added: "Your update was the first notification I got for the fire and we acted immediately. We cannot thank you enough. you are a HERO."
