Out-of-control Los Angeles wildfires burn thousands of homes and other structures
LOS ANGELES — A fast-moving fire broke out in the hills above Hollywood Boulevard, threatening some of Los Angeles’ most popular tourist spots, as firefighters fought to gain control of two others major fires killing five people, evacuating 130,000 people and devastating communities from the Pacific coast to inland Pasadena.
The Sunset Fire began around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday when officials held a news conference to update residents on efforts to battle the massive fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena and to warn that fire danger remained high. Kristin Crowley, chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department, hurriedly left after announcing the new fire, and an evacuation order was issued shortly after.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame was busy and the streets around the TCL Chinese Theater and Madame Tussauds were packed with stop-and-go traffic as sirens blared and low-flying helicopters flew overhead to dump water on the flames, which were only about a mile away. had been removed. away. People carrying suitcases left hotels, while some onlookers walked toward the flames and recorded the blaze on their phones.
Within a few hours, firefighters had made great progress. Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott said they were able to contain the fire because “we hit it hard and fast and Mother Nature was a little nicer to us today than she was yesterday.”
A day earlier, hurricane winds blew embers through the air, setting fire to block after block in the Pacific Palisades coastal neighborhood of Los Angeles and about 25 miles to the east in Altadena, an unincorporated community near Pasadena.
Nearly 2,000 homes, businesses and other structures have been destroyed in the Eaton and Palisades fires, and that number is expected to increase. The five deaths recorded so far were the result of the Eaton fire.
The Palisades Fire is already the most destructive in Los Angeles history, with at least a thousand buildings destroyed.
More than a half-dozen area schools were damaged or destroyed, including Palisades Charter High School, which has been featured in many Hollywood productions including the 1976 horror film “Carrie” and the TV series “Teen Wolf,” officials said . UCLA has canceled classes for this week.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said air operations extinguished the flames. She warned they were still experiencing “erratic winds,” but not like Tuesday night, when planes were grounded and much of the destruction occurred.
In Pasadena, Fire Chief Chad Augustin said that of the city water system was stretched and was further hampered by power outages, but even without these problems, firefighters would not have been able to stop the blaze due to the intense winds fanning the flames.
“Those erratic gusts threw the embers miles ahead of the fire,” he said.
As flames swept through his neighborhood, Jose Velasquez sprayed his family’s Altadena home with water as embers rained down on the roof. He managed to save their home, which is also home to their family business selling churros, a Mexican pastry. Others were not so lucky. Many of his neighbors were at work when they lost their homes.
“So we had to call a few people and then we started getting messages from people asking if their house was still standing,” he said. “We had to tell them that this is not the case.”
In Pacific Palisadesa hilly area along the coast dotted with celebrity homes, the extent of the devastation was just becoming clear:
Block after block of Mission Style homes and bungalows in California were reduced to charred remains. Ornate iron balustrade wrapped around the smoldering frame of a house. Swimming pools were black with soot and sports cars collapsed on melted tires.
The apocalyptic scenes spread for miles.
The flames marched toward densely populated and affluent neighborhoods, including Calabasas and Santa Monica, home to California’s rich and famous.
Mandy Moore, Cary Elwes and Paris Hilton were among the stars who lost homes. Billy Crystal and his wife Janice lost their home of 45 years in the Palisades Fire.
“We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our home was filled with love. Beautiful memories that cannot be taken away,” the Crystals wrote in the statement.
In Palisades Village, the public library, two large supermarkets, a few banks and several boutiques were destroyed.
“It’s just really strange to come back to a place that doesn’t really exist anymore,” said Dylan Vincent, who went back to the neighborhood to pick up some belongings and saw that his elementary school had burned down and entire blocks had been flattened.
The fires have consumed a total of about 42 square miles (108 square kilometers) — nearly the size of the entire city of San Francisco.
The flames moved so quickly that many barely had time to escape. Police took shelter in their patrol cars and residents of a senior living center were led to safety across the street in wheelchairs and hospital beds.
In the race to get away in Pacific Palisades, roads became impassable as dozens of people abandoned their vehicles and left on foot.
According to recent data, California’s wildfire season is starting earlier and ending later due to rising temperatures and reduced rainfall linked to climate change. Rain showers that normally end fire season are often postponed, meaning fires can burn throughout the winter months, according to the Western Association of Fire Chiefs.
Dry wind, included the infamous Santa Anashave contributed to warmer-than-average temperatures in Southern California, where no more than 1 inch of rain has fallen since early May.
According to reports received by the National Weather Service, winds increased to 80 mph (129 kph) on Wednesday. Forecasters predicted wind gusts of 35 to 55 mph (56 to 88 kph) that could rise higher in the mountains and foothills. Fire conditions could continue through Friday.
President Joe Biden signed a federal emergency declaration after arriving at a Santa Monica fire station for a briefing with Gov. Gavin Newsom, who sent National Guard troops to help.
Several Hollywood studios suspended production and Universal Studios closed its theme park between Pasadena and Pacific Palisades.
More than 456,000 people were without power in Southern California on Wednesday evening, according to the tracking website PowerOutage.us.
Several Southern California landmarks were heavily damaged, including the Reel Inn in Malibu, a seafood restaurant. Owner Teddy Leonard and her husband hope to rebuild the house.
“If you look at the big picture, as long as your family is healthy and everyone is alive, you’re still winning, right?” she said.
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Golden reported from Seattle and Watson from San Diego. Associated Press journalists Christopher Weber and Eugene Garcia in Los Angeles, Ethan Swope in Pasadena, John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas, Jeff Martin in Atlanta, Janie Har in San Francisco, Brian Melley in London, Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, Sarah Brumfield in Cockeysville, Maryland, and Tammy Webber in Detroit contributed to this report.