Los Angeles, United States – Video filmed by X user Rick Dickert, a meteorologist covering Southern California weather, captured a dramatic sunrise rising through thick smoke and haze above Los Angeles International Airport on the morning of May 19, 2026.

The time-lapse footage, recorded from a high vantage point overlooking LAX, shows a bright orange sun slowly emerging through dense layers of smoke and particulate matter. The sky glows in deep shades of orange and red as the sun appears partially obscured by the polluted atmosphere.

Parking lots packed with vehicles, multi-story buildings, roads, overpasses, and airport infrastructure are visible beneath the smoky light while a lens flare drifts across the frame as the camera slightly moves.

The caption accompanying the video stated that an air quality alert was in effect across Los Angeles and Orange counties due to smoke and particulate matter from the Sandy Fire.

The wildfire ignited on May 18, 2026, in the hills above Simi Valley in Ventura County, around 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Fueled by strong winds, the blaze rapidly expanded to more than 1,300 acres with zero percent containment during the initial stages of the fire.

Evacuation orders were issued for thousands of residents in Simi Valley neighborhoods, while warnings extended into parts of Los Angeles County.

Smoke from the wildfire drifted southward, triggering air quality alerts and unhealthy conditions for sensitive groups in areas including the San Fernando Valley, Calabasas, and coastal communities.

Authorities reported no injuries and no major structural damage beyond at least one home. The fire response included helicopter water drops and ground crews battling the fast-moving blaze as smoke continued to color the skies above Southern California.

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