Raging wildfires, fanned by strong winds, swept through Los Angeles' affluent Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Tuesday, burning homes and forcing the city to order the evacuation of 30,000 people, the Financial Times reports, UNN writes.
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More than 1173 hectares have burned in the hills around the Palisades, a wealthy coastal area with some of the most expensive real estate in the United States, the Los Angeles Fire Department said on Tuesday. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Smoke has blanketed the skies over the area and wind gusts are expected to increase overnight, to the strongest for Southern California in at least a decade.
Firefighters reported that about 13,000 buildings are under threat in the Palisades, home to Hollywood stars such as Tom Hanks and James Woods. California Governor Gavin Newsom said that "many buildings [have] already been destroyed.
Спалахнули масштабні лісові пожежі у районі проживання голлівудських зірок у США08.01.25, 01:04
Newsom declared a state of emergency, as did Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
After sunset, Santa Monica issued an evacuation order for the area closest to the Palisades Fire, warning residents of an "immediate threat to life.
Another large fire spread in Altadena, east of Pacific Palisades. The fire, which has burned about 162 hectares, also prompted evacuations.
After the fire broke out on Tuesday morning, traffic jams quickly developed on the roads that snake through the canyons of Pacific Palisades as residents rushed to evacuate. According to eyewitnesses, many cars were also abandoned as drivers fled on foot to the coast.
The fire service sent trucks to remove abandoned cars to improve access to the fires.
The fire threatened the Getty Villa, and some trees and plants on the hilltop burned. But the art collection and museum staff remained safe, the museum's president said.
Helicopters and airplanes dropped water on the fires, although strong winds proved to be a problem for the aircraft. Utility companies cut off power to more than 8,000 homes to prevent an increased risk of fire due to exposed electrical wires.
The Pacific Palisades fire is believed to have started at around 10:30 a.m. local time. Evacuees say it spread quickly, forcing parents to rush to schools and pick up their children. Some of those who fled say they cannot be sure if the homes they left are still standing.
According to firefighters, it could take several days before firefighters get the fire under control and even longer before people are allowed to return home.
The US National Weather Service has warned of "deadly storms" that have accelerated the spread of the fire across scorched terrain that has received very little rainfall in recent months.