Los Angeles is facing one of the worst fires in history, forcing 100,000 people to abandon their homes. As of 6:40 PM Los Angeles time on Wednesday, five people have been confirmed dead in this incident. Firefighters desperately use their limited resources and water supplies to contain the raging flame.
Due to the region not having any significant rainfall since October and powerful Santa Ana winds from the east have been fanning the flames since Tuesday, firefighting operations have become difficult. According to state officials, the city is facing five separate fires in the area that are being contained at a minimum.
Among these flames, two of which are the biggest ones. First is the Palisades Fire, which consumed 15,832 acres and 1,000 structures in the hills between Santa Monica and Malibu. Second is the Eaton Fire, which claimed 10,600 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and the lives of five people.
As for the other three, there are the Woodley Fire located at Sepulveda Basin, the Hurst Fire at Sylmar, and the Lidia Fire at Acton. These separate fires have stretched the resources, as Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone confirms that the city does not have enough firefighters to handle all these flames.
In Pacific Palisades, the water in the three large water tanks (containing 3.78 million liters each) has already run dry, making the firefighting operations more challenging. Many celebrities living in the area, such as Mandy Moore and Mark Hamill, were forced to abandon their homes.
Director of Emergency Management for Los Angeles County, Kevin McGowan, announced in a press conference that this is “a historic natural disaster.” Local officials also announced that the forecast of gusty winds persisted throughout the day. Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley stated “We are absolutely not out of danger yet.”
Since Tuesday, the roads have been jammed with people evacuating the area, some even willing to abandon their cars. President Joe Biden, who is in the area, announced to bring any support he could provide, marking this as his final work before Donald Trump takes office on January 20.
