Three vegetation fires are rapidly spreading in Los Angeles, and thousands of firefighters are battling the flames, but struggling to cope. Authorities have declared a state of emergency in the city, with around 30,000 residents ordered to evacuate. Among the evacuated area is the residence of American Vice President Kamala Harris.
The three fires threatening the city of Los Angeles cannot be stopped as the wind continues to blow strongly, firefighters have reported.
The fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the north of the city, has so far consumed over 1,200 hectares of land.
Almost 3,000 locals in this area have been ordered to evacuate, including in Altadena, 40 kilometers away, after the flames began to spread over more than 80 hectares last night, reports Sky News.
The Eaton fire started near a nature reserve last night around 6:30 PM local time, and a third blaze has ravaged the Sylmar area in the city's north. The Los Angeles Fire Department stated that the fire has affected over 40 hectares of land here and is spreading rapidly.
In the eastern part of the evacuation zone in Pacific Palisades lies the Los Angeles residence of Kamala Harris. The American Vice President is in Washington DC and has issued a statement pledging federal assistance. Harris is from California and served as a district attorney in the state until 2017.
According to the LA Fire Department, the three fires have resulted in injuries to several civilians and firefighters, but no deaths have been reported so far.
A state of emergency has been declared in Los Angeles, allowing local authorities to quickly receive resources to manage the crisis. "We hope we are wrong, but we anticipate the simultaneous appearance of other fires," said Governor Gavin Newsom in a press conference.
Moreover, the state of emergency enables authorities to immediately provide intervention forces with resources to save, evacuate, shelter, and provide essential goods such as heating, fuel, and food. Additionally, if the state is unable to handle the situation, it can request the US President to declare a major disaster. In fact, Joe Biden has announced that he is being constantly briefed on the situation in Los Angeles.
The Governor confirmed that the state will receive federal funds to deal with the fires, but there is no information on the amount the Federal Emergency Management Agency will allocate to California.
Over 1,400 firefighters are battling the massive flames. In the efforts to contain the fire's spread, 46 intervention vehicles and five helicopters are involved, as well as water-dropping planes.
Intervention teams have also used a bulldozer to push nearly 200 abandoned vehicles on the famous Sunset Boulevard and Palisades Drive. A firefighter told local TV station KTLA that the cars were left without keys, blocking the evacuation route and hindering firefighting crews from reaching the area.
The California Governor wrote on X that there are no chances that the fires will be soon under control, with intervention forces focusing on saving people.
Asked by CNN if there is any possibility of isolating the flames given the strong winds, David Acuna, the battalion chief and public information officer at CAL Fire, replied: "No. Honestly, there isn't."
"We are mostly concerned with ensuring that everyone gets out of the area, as life safety is paramount, and we are assisting people in planning their (departure) so that their pets also have a safe shelter," he added.
The Pacific Palisades fire has burned 190 hectares of land and is in the "0% containment" phase, announced the Los Angeles Fire Department. The institution warned that the fire exhibits "extreme behavior" and continues to pose a challenge for emergency services.
Strong wind gusts of up to 96 km/h will continue on Wednesday, which could further spread the flames.
"Los Angeles is currently facing an extreme fire weather situation, with a red flag alert. The fire is fueled by a combination of strong winds and surrounding topography, making it extremely challenging for our personnel assigned to this event," said fire chief Kristin Crowley.
Recent dry winds have contributed to temperatures warmer than average in southern California, where there have been very few rains this season. In an update sent this morning, the Los Angeles County Fire Department stated that wind gusts of 90 to 160 km/h were recorded, and these may continue into Thursday, although their intensity will decrease.
According to CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam, the next six hours will be critical for firefighters, with strong winds driving the fires' expansion.
The wind has also caused power outages. Nearly 300,000 people have been left without electricity across California, according to PowerOutage.us.
Officials have warned that strong wind gusts will increase the risk of tree falls, potentially leading to power line disruptions.
In the coming hours, residents of the famous Malibu city could also be evacuated. "The city of Malibu urges all residents not currently under evacuation orders to be prepared to evacuate," authorities in the city announced, according to Sky News. They have set up six evacuation shelters, three of which can accommodate pets.
Authorities may also decide to evacuate a youth detention center in Los Angeles. It is in the path of the fire, but there is currently no direct threat.