16 Dead in California Fires: An English Conversation for IELTS and TOEFL

If you like learning about the current news and improving your English for your next English conversation, this English lesson is for you. While watching a news report about the tremendous amount of damage caused by the California fires, you will learn English phrasal verbs, English idioms,, and other advanced English vocabulary that can really stump English learners.
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California Fire
1. Devastated
: Very sad or completely destroyed.
: The Pacific Palisades community was devastated after the fires destroyed many homes.
She was devastated after her good friend lost her house in the fire.
2. Unprecedented
: Something that has never happened before.
: The firefighters faced unprecedented challenges because the fire spread so fast.
It would have been unprecedented if Kamala Harris would have won the election. She would have been our first female president.
3. Get Access
: To be able to enter or use something.
: People could not get access to their homes because of the evacuation.
4. Structures
: Buildings or things people build.
: Over 1,000 structures, including homes and stores, were burned in the fire.
5. Unimaginable
: Hard to believe or imagine.
: The damage caused by the fire was unimaginable for the people living there.
6. Synagogue
: A place where Jewish people pray. Like a church for Christians or a mosque for Muslims.
: The fire damaged a synagogue in Pacific Palisades, and people were very sad.
7. Pacific Palisades
: A neighborhood in Los Angeles, California.
: The fires in Pacific Palisades were some of the worst in California this year.
8. Swell
: To get bigger or larger in number.
: The number of people leaving their homes started to swell as the fire got worse.
9. Renew
: To start again or make something new.
: People are working to renew their community after the fire destroyed so much.
10. Looting
: Stealing during a disaster.
: Police stopped people from looting empty homes during the fire.
11. National Guard
: A part of the military that helps in emergencies.
: The National Guard came to help people leave safely during the fire.
12. Bathroom Tiles
: Flat pieces used on bathroom walls or floors.
: The fire was so hot it cracked bathroom tiles in many homes.
13. Exposing Vulnerabilities
: Showing weaknesses or problems.
: The fire showed vulnerabilities in the city’s emergency plans.
14. Hampered
: Made something harder to do.
: Strong winds hampered firefighters trying to stop the fire.
15. Water Pressure
: How strong water flows through pipes.
: Firefighters had trouble because the water pressure was too low.
16. Volumes of Water
: Large amounts of water.
: They needed huge volumes of water to fight the fire.
17. Magnitude
: The size or importance of something.
: The magnitude of the fire made it one of the worst in California.

[@AmericanEnglishBrent]

Major U.S. Snowstorm: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpOQfIqep7Kiq9k

[@Uliianna]

Hi, Brent! Thank you so much for the lesson. It’s heartbreaking to see the devastation and the impact on both people and animals. My heart goes out to everyone affected by this tragedy.

[@AmericanEnglishBrent]

Ulia, my wife is saw an alert about all of the animals without homes. I think some are coming to us here in Maine.

[@mahmood3651]

I can't imagine the pain homeowners felt. My heart goes out to everyone affected. 😢

[@HayaNasir-s4q]

Thank you very much, I appreciate it 🙏

[@nawelboulahbal3430]

Best Channel ❤❤ I like your videos, they are very useful, From Canada 🇨🇦 Quebec

[@AmericanEnglishBrent]

Glad you like them! Thanks so much!

[@donisjuliancarrascolameda1229]

Great lesson. Thanks so lot.

[@U0017017]

Great lesson. Thanks so lot

[@axmedabuukar7319]

Thank you very much teacher

[@edmilsonip]

Congrats! Excellent video.

[@gladysgriffin7347]

Thanks for the update

[@AmericanEnglishBrent]

Thanks for watching.

[@flavioaguiar6165]

Thank you

[@Джамиш-о9п]

I like this tipe of news. Спасибо

[@DenKrylov-n3t]

condolence victims 😢 and thanks for the great English lesson 🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@nawelboulahbal3430]

The most difficult word in English is : Onomatopoeia

[@pssilva3973]

Hi Brent, your English videos are fine to practice American English pronunciation

[@AminaAli-fd8dn]

Hi Brent, it’s so sad 😢. I hope everyone is doing well.

[@easy6339]

I loved the lesson ❤🎉

[@AmericanEnglishBrent]

Aw, thanks. 🙏

[@tessabauer1100]

What a nightmare😢

[@AmericanEnglishBrent]

So sad, Tessa.

[@gopalashetty3592]

Live mulching is the only solution to keep forests away from fire disasters

[@Cheng-Learning-English]

feel so bad for this heartbreaking tragedy.

[@AmericanEnglishBrent]

So many families are homeless. It’s very sad.

[@muhammadmehdi1112]

Thank you for such an amazing lesson however what was the fire reason can you share Brent please?

[@AmericanEnglishBrent]

I'm not sure if anyone knows. Maybe from power lines. There is video of a man using a blowtorch, but I don't know if he was the reason. Everything is so dry out there.

[@mehdi256]

Anyways its so sad

[@ZerevanKory]

What is the cause of that fire ?

[@SebleLulseged-ox1wv]

Thank you! I have a question When I hear your lesson or any English teachers lesson, I have no problems to understand, but normal talks in the day to day office, I don’t even hear a single word. What do you think is the problem? I am very frustrated.

[@AmericanEnglishBrent]

There is no problem. It is all part of the learning process. You will understand one day. Keep up the hard work.

[@Etienne_Beaumont]

Very sad 😢

[@yasser582]

God save the people of America 🙏

[@MendeMaria-ej8bf]

I've been or more realistically was to California twice. The wild fires resemble general imagination of hell. Thank you for the tutorial. ❤

[@AmericanEnglishBrent]

Great comparison. I feel so bad for the people affected.

[@MrDen-lv5uj]

4:13 I have a question about this sentence. "It WOULD have been unprecedented if Kamala Harris WOULD have won the election". Why is "would have" used in the if-clause instead of "had"? This is the 3rd conditional, so "...if Kamala Harris HAD won the election" is a correct option according to the rules. Can you clarify this, please?

[@AmericanEnglishBrent]

Oh, boy. I’m not exactly sure. Sorry.

[@abduraoofp7084]

It's indeed heart-wrenching news! My heart goes out to those who've been affected. Mr. Brent, I've got a question! Isn't it okay to say " It would have been unprecedented if Kamala Harris had won the election. She would have become our first female President."? If it is right, which one is more common in the US ? Also, is it possible to use "It would be unprecedented....."? Thanks

[@AmericanEnglishBrent]

Thanks for the kind words. That sounds good to me.

[@dan93431]

"At least 10000 structures have been destroyed so far, causing billions of dollars in damage." I think it's a reduced present participle clause. The full clauses are 1) "At least 10000 structures have been destroyed so far, which is causing billions of dollars in damage." Is it correct? 2)Can I say in another way "At least 10000 structures have been destroyed so far while it is causing billions of dollars in damage"? Are both of the sentences as well as the tense correct?

[@nifutaka]

We are deeply saddened by the tragedy in California and want to express our sincere condolences from Ukraine to the American people. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have suffered loss or are going through difficult times. May you find strength and comfort during this challenging period. Stay strong, brothers and sisters 🫂

[@AmericanEnglishBrent]

That is very kind for you to say. I follow Drew Bensky on KZbin. He just filmed a video in Lviv. Such a beautiful city.

[@fayewu7505]

Great

[@abasdhok4068]

🥹🥹🥹🥹🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@Khitkonaing-24]

Thank you for the leason Brent❤❤.This leason is really great But News are very sad😢😢. Nothing will worse 😭😭than the 2025 . 2025 is bad 🤬🤬year. People get trouble with something in 2025.

[@mahmoudiabdennacer1470]

❤❤👍👍

[@babacarmbaye4991]

Ciao ti

[@ФедорСкиба-н4щ]

Please tell me if the looters feel any sympathy for the affected people.