Firefighters in Los Angeles are currently battling several wildfires across the city’s suburbs, forcing the mandatory evacuation of over 80,000 residents.
The fires, ignited by dry conditions and strong winds, have caused significant damage, with more than 2,000 structures destroyed and at least five fatalities reported. Authorities have stated that some fires are beyond control at this time.
According to BBC, seven fires are actively being fought:
- The Palisades fire was first reported at 10:30 (18:30 GMT) on Tuesday. Within 20 minutes, it spread from 20 acres to over 200 acres, and by Wednesday night, it had reached nearly 16,000 acres. More than 30,000 people have been evacuated.
- The Eaton fire, which started in Altadena near Pasadena at around 18:30 local time on Tuesday, grew rapidly to cover 1,000 acres within six hours. By Wednesday night, it had spread to over 10,000 acres, with five deaths confirmed.
- The Hurst fire, located just north of San Fernando, began on Tuesday at 22:10 local time. It has grown to 850 acres, prompting evacuation orders for neighboring Santa Clarita.
- The Woodley fire broke out in Woodley Park at 06:15 local time on Wednesday. The LA Fire Department (LAFD) has reported that it is now contained.
- The Olivas fire erupted in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles, burning approximately 11 acres of land but has since been contained.
- The Lidia fire started around 14:00 on Wednesday in the Acton area, north of Los Angeles, spreading to nearly 350 acres. As of 21:00, it was 40% contained.
- The Sunset fire began around 18:00 in the Hollywood Hills, near the iconic Hollywood area. It currently covers about 50 acres and is 0% contained, with a mandatory evacuation order in effect.
Many celebrities, including Ben Affleck, Paris Hilton, Adam Brody, Eugene Levy, Miles Teller, Leighton Meester, Anna Faris, Billy Crystal, and others, have been forced to evacuate their homes, some of which have been destroyed by the fire.
