Los Angeles is facing an unprecedented emergency due to wildfires driven by strong Santa Ana winds, which have ravaged urban and natural areas, leaving thousands evacuated and homes destroyed.
The fires started on Tuesday afternoon in several locations, including a nature reserve northeast of the city, the coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, and the Sylmar area in the San Fernando Valley.
Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, declared a state of emergency as over 1,400 firefighters work to contain the wildfires, reported the agency AP.
Extreme weather, with winds reaching up to 112 km/h (70 mph), has complicated firefighting efforts, forcing the Los Angeles Fire Department to request support from off-duty firefighters. Firefighting aircraft remained grounded due to the strong winds, intensifying the challenge.
Devastating impact on the community
The fire in Pacific Palisades destroyed 11.6 square kilometers of land and forced the evacuation of more than 30,000 residents.
In some cases, evacuees fled on foot as the roads became impassable due to abandoned vehicles. An excavator was used to clear Palisades Drive and allow the passage of emergency teams.
The flames also reached neighboring Malibu, where several people were hospitalized for burns. A firefighter suffered a serious head injury and was taken to a local hospital. In the area, multimillion-dollar mansions burned as helicopters attempted to combat the flames by dropping water.
In Sylmar, a fire that started around 10:30 p.m. forced mass evacuations. Meanwhile, the Eaton fire, northeast of Los Angeles, rapidly scorched four square kilometers of land. As of Wednesday morning, none of the fires were contained, leaving the population on edge.
Crisis and Response
The president Joe Biden canceled his schedule in Riverside to remain in Los Angeles and coordinate the federal response. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved a grant to reimburse California for the costs of fighting the fires.
Meanwhile, nearly 200,000 people remain without electricity in Los Angeles County. The combination of prolonged drought, abnormally high temperatures, and strong winds has created an ideal environment for these devastating wildfires, which threaten to worsen.
Governor Newsom warned that stronger winds were expected during the early hours of Wednesday and urged residents to remain alert: “In no way are we out of danger.”
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