Three devastating wildfires tore through the Los Angeles area Wednesday, killing five people and destroying more than 1,000 structures as hurricane-force winds pushed flames through affluent neighborhoods and forced thousands to flee, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
The fires, which erupted Tuesday, have consumed approximately 22 square miles – about half the size of San Francisco – stretching from the Pacific Coast inland to Pasadena. One of the blazes has become the most destructive fire in modern Los Angeles history.
"This morning, we woke up to a dark cloud over all of Los Angeles. But it is darkest for those who are most intimately impacted by these fires. It has been an immensely painful 24 hours," Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said.
Video: Satellite images of the wildfires in Los Angeles. Credit: Reuters
With gusts reaching 80 mph and potentially climbing to 100 mph in mountainous areas, the Los Angeles Fire Department issued an urgent request for off-duty and out-of-state firefighters to assist the more than 1,400 personnel already battling the flames.
At least 70,000 residents were ordered to evacuate, though officials said that number continued to fluctuate as new evacuation orders were issued. The fires threatened several prominent neighborhoods including Calabasas and Santa Monica. "We are prioritizing life over everything else," Sheriff Robert Luna said.
The most severe blaze swept through Pacific Palisades, an upscale coastal neighborhood. As flames approached, roads became gridlocked with residents abandoning their vehicles to escape on foot. "People were getting out of the cars with their dogs and babies and bags," Kelsey Trainor, who fled as ash rained down and fires burned on both sides of the road, said.
In Pasadena, emergency workers evacuated a senior living facility, pushing residents in wheelchairs and hospital beds to safety. Many of those evacuees were temporarily housed at the Pasadena Convention Center on Wednesday.
The unseasonable timing of the fires reflects California's changing climate patterns, according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association. While the state's traditional fire season typically runs from June through October, warming temperatures and decreased rainfall have extended the threat of wildfires throughout the year.
President Joe Biden pledged to sign a federal emergency declaration during a briefing with Gov. Gavin Newsom at a Santa Monica fire station. Newsom announced on X that he had deployed National Guard troops and was seeking assistance from neighboring states.
"We are absolutely not out of danger yet," Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley said. Officials urged residents to limit water usage, as the city's water systems were struggling to meet both residential and firefighting needs. More than 100 schools were closed, and Southern California Edison cut power to thousands of customers, warning that up to 500,000 could face shutoffs depending on weather conditions.
