Over 30,000 Flee Due to LA Wildfires
Authorities report that at least 30,000 residents were ordered to evacuate amidst a wave of wildfires sweeping across the Los Angeles area on Wednesday morning.
A swift wildfire surged through a high-end neighborhood in Los Angeles on Tuesday, causing extensive damage to buildings and leading to severe traffic delays as over 30,000 people evacuated. Simultaneously, a second fire, located about 30 miles inland, experienced a rapid increase in size.
As of Wednesday morning, nearly 3,000
acres in the Pacific Palisades area, situated between Santa Monica and Malibu, had been consumed by the Palisades Fire, officials reported, following previous warnings of extreme fire risk due to powerful winds following a prolonged dry spell.
The second fire, known as the Eaton Fire, ignited near Pasadena about 30 miles inland and quickly expanded to 400 acres (162 hectares). A map indicated that over 2,000
acres had burned as of Wednesday morning.
Cal Fire’s
website provides a list of evacuation orders for areas affected by the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire.
Fire officials also reported a third blaze,
the Hurst Fire, which started in Sylmar, located in the San Fernando Valley northwest of Los Angeles. This fire has already burned approximately 500 acres.
At the same time, around 160,000 residential and commercial customers in the Los Angeles area are experiencing power outages, likely due to the combination of fires and high winds,
as reported by Poweroutage.us.
Governor Gavin Newsom, who
proclaimed a state of emergency, stated that the state has deployed personnel, firetrucks, and aircraft to various locations across Southern California due to the fire’s threat to the broader region.
Newsom warned of “a highly dangerous windstorm” contributing to an “extreme fire risk,” stating, “We’re not out of danger yet.” He emphasized, “The Pacific Palisades fire has already shown its destructive potential, escalating in mere moments.”
President Joe Biden, in a statement on Tuesday night concerning the fires, mentioned, “I have offered any federal support necessary to combat the devastating Pacific Palisades fire.” He added that a federal grant had been approved to assist California’s fire response efforts.
The City of Santa Monica issued a
statement indicating that “an evacuation order has been declared between the city’s northern boundary and San Vicente Boulevard, from Ocean Avenue to 26th Street.” This order remained in effect as of 5 a.m. local time on Wednesday, according to an update.
Similarly, Malibu officials noted in a 6:30 a.m.
update that the Palisades Fire remains “uncontained,” urging residents, even those not under evacuation orders, to prepare to evacuate should conditions deteriorate. Officials also indicated that the fire is likely moving towards the Franklin Fire scar.
The National Weather Service reported wind gusts reaching up to 80 mph on Thursday morning, with potential peaks exceeding 100 mph in mountainous and foothill regions. Areas that have not experienced significant rainfall for months are facing red flag
warnings indicating critical fire weather conditions.
According to Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist with the weather service, these conditions include extremely low relative humidity levels. He stated that winds are expected to persist into Thursday, providing minimal relief.
Red flag warnings, which signal heightened fire risks due to winds and dry conditions, have been issued for foothill areas above Los Angeles, as well as near Lompoc, Santa Maria, and Oxnard, as stated by the weather service.
Several Hollywood luminaries have spoken out about their experiences during the fires in interviews and on social media. Actor Steve Guttenberg recounted to KTLA television how friends struggled to evacuate because others had left their cars abandoned on the road.
Longtime actor and conservative commentator James Woods tweeted on X that he managed to evacuate from his Pacific Palisades home but expressed uncertainty about whether his residence still stands.
Mark Hamill, known for his role in “Star Wars,” mentioned on
Instagram that he was evacuated due to the wildfires, describing the situation as “last-minute.” He noted that he witnessed “small fires on both sides of the road as we approached [the Pacific Coast Highway].”
Reporting contributed by Reuters and The Associated Press.
