Amid the devastating wildfires that scorched southern California, a remarkable symbol of hope and faith emerged from the ashes of a California family’s home—a statue of biblical Mary.

California Wildfires: Statue of Biblical Mary Remains Standing Amid Charred Ruins Source: Facebook

In a video that has gone viral on Instagram, the statue remained standing, nearly unscathed, surrounded by smouldering ruins.

It all started when the Halpins’ home of 37 years was reduced to rubble by the destructive Eaton Fire.

Peter Halpin, the family patriarch, shared the emotional story during a media interview, describing the miraculous sight.

“It was remarkable how everything had gotten fried, but the statue of Mary and another of Saint Joseph were in perfect condition,” he said.

However, their unwavering faith led them back to the site last week, despite restrictions from the government.

Surrounded by their six children and other loved ones, the family sang a hymn to the statue, captured in a heartfelt video that has since gone viral on Instagram.

“Our intention was not for this thing to go viral at all,” Peter noted. “It was pretty much just a family thing, but the response from the community has been unbelievable and so heartfelt.”

Peter’s wife, Jackie, recounted her reaction to discovering the statues still standing.

Her son-in-law had visited the site the day before and snapped a photo of the Mary statue, inspiring the family to make their pilgrimage.

“I fell to my knees,” Jackie said. “I knew we had to go there to thank God for the years we spent in that home.”

The family, deeply rooted in their faith, dedicated their home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus years ago, with Jackie sharing her gratitude for the life they built in the house.

“We have entertained a lot for years. We feel very strongly about the virtue of hospitality, so I just wanted to pray and say, ‘If we can do it again, that would be great.’”

Malibu home untouched by LA wildfires

In an almost similar story, a stunning photo of a lone Malibu mansion standing intact while neighbouring homes lay in ruins went viral online.

The house was photographed in the aftermath of the Los Angeles wildfires which have continued to rage for days.

Details indicate that the $8 million (KSh 1 billion) mansion, built in 2000, is owned by waste management CEO David Steiner.

A middle-aged man, identified as a suspected ‘Yahoo boy’ (Internet fraudster) was apprehended in Agwan Sarki Orozo, a community near Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, after the discovery of his girlfriend’s severed head.

Security agents, acting on an intelligence tip-off, raided an uncompleted building in the area, where the gruesome find was made.

The man, whose identity remains withheld, allegedly confessed to the crime, further revealing that the rest of the victim’s body was located at his residence.

The incident has left the Orozo community in shock, with locals expressing disbelief over the horrific crime.

Comrade Abwami Nuhuson Daniel, Secretary of the community, shared the disturbing news on Facebook, recounting his shock at witnessing such a crime in person.

“I thought I only saw things like this in movies, but today it happened right in my community,” he wrote.

While details remain scarce, the case has raised serious concerns about the dark intersection of ritual killings and Internet fraud within the region.

At least 24 people have died as major wildfires continue to ravage the Los Angeles area in the US state of California, the city’s medical examiner said on Sunday.

No fewer than 16 of the fatalities are related to the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, and eight others to the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades district.

There have been several major fires in the region since Tuesday, but these two are the most severe.

Officials fear the death toll may continue to rise, since it may take days before emergency services can safely access all areas impacted by the fires.

Firefighters were preparing for gusts to pick up again in the coming days, exacerbating what officials say could be one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history.

The U.S. weather service forecast wind speeds of up to 110 kilometres per hour for Sunday, which, combined with dry vegetation, favours the rapid and unpredictable spread of both existing and new fires.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Cal Fire warned of “critical fire weather” through to Wednesday.

“Life-threatening winds and dangerously low humidity are forecast for much of Southern California – from Ventura to San Diego – creating a significant risk of rapid fire spread,” the department wrote on X.

It warned the wind would increase fire activity and urged people to avoid mowing their lawns and parking their vehicles on dry grass and to ensure all campfires were extinguished.

According to Cal Fire officials, some 12,300 buildings have been destroyed or damaged. Since Tuesday, almost 163 square kilometres of land have gone up in flames – a space almost the size of Washington D.C.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, speaking to broadcaster NBC, said the wildfires would be the worst natural disaster in U.S. history, in terms of the “scale and scope,” as well as the costs it has caused.

Newsom went on to sign an executive order to temporarily suspend environmental regulations for destroyed homes and businesses.