‘Catastrophic’ situation unfolds as LA wildfires intensify overnight

California firefighters battled wind-whipped wildfires that tore across the Los Angeles area, destroying homes, clogging roadways as tens of thousands fled and straining resources as officials prepared for the situation to worsen overnight.

The flames from a fire that broke out Tuesday evening near a nature preserve in the inland foothills northeast of the city spread so rapidly that staff at a senior living center had to push dozens of residents in wheelchairs and hospital beds down the street to a parking lot. The residents waited there in their bedclothes as embers fell around them until ambulances, buses and even construction vans arrived to take them to safety.

Another blaze that started hours earlier ripped through the city’s Pacific Palisades neighborhood, a hillside area along the coast dotted with celebrity residences. In the frantic haste to get to safety, roadways became impassable when scores of people abandoned their vehicles and fled on foot, some toting suitcases. The traffic jam on Palisades Drive prevented emergency vehicles from getting through and a bulldozer was brought in to push the abandoned cars to the side and create a path.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that the mandatory evacuation zone for the fire had expanded.

The fast-moving fire prompted the Los Angeles Fire Department to take the rare step of putting out a plea for off-duty firefighters to help. It was too windy for firefighting aircraft to fly, further hampering the fight.

Flames were being pushed by Santa Ana winds topping 60 mph (97 kph) in some places. The winds were expected to increase overnight, producing isolated gusts that could top 100 mph (160 kph) in mountains and foothills — including in areas that haven’t seen substantial rain in months.

Officials didn’t give an estimate of structures damaged or destroyed in the Pacific Palisades wildfire, but they said about 30,000 residents were under evacuation orders and more than 13,000 structures were under threat. Gov. Gavin Newsom visited the scene and said many homes had burned.

By evening the flames had spread into neighboring Malibu and several people there were being treated for burn injuries and a firefighter had a serious head injury and was taken to a hospital, according to Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott.

“By no stretch of the imagination are we out of the woods,” Newsom warned residents, saying the worst of the winds were expected between 10 p.m. Tuesday and 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency to support the communities impacted by the Palisades fire.

President Joe Biden said that he was being frequently briefed on the wildfires in west Los Angeles and that he and his team and I were in touch with state and local officials.
Biden also offered any federal assistance needed to help suppress the Pacific Palisades fire.

Actor James Woods posted on X, “To all the wonderful people who’ve reached out to us, thank you for being so concerned.”

He added that they were able to evacuate successfully but did not know if their home was still standing

Source: Firstpost