USA, California. Raging fires in Los Angeles. Fatalities, injured, evacuations

Four separate fires are raging in the Los Angeles area. At least two people died in one of them, called Eaton. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the situation was unprecedented. – This is a tragic time in the history of Los Angeles. We must be patient, we must unite and focus on saving lives, he emphasized.

The fight against the fire is hampered by gusty winds. In addition to the Palisades fire, which is the largest and broke out near the Pacific Palisades district, inhabited mainly by American celebrities, California firefighters are also fighting the Eaton, Hurst and Woodley fires.

– In case of danger, get in your car and leave. The fire is moving incredibly fast, it can cut off your path before you know it, said Robert Foxworthy, a California firefighter, in an interview with NBC on Wednesday, advising those at risk of fire to leave dangerous places as soon as possible. Nearly 100,000 residents were under evacuation orders.

Firefighters on leave and taking days off were asked to report their readiness to return to work.

“People who did not evacuate from areas affected by the fires suffered serious injuries,” said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone.

1.4 thousand firefighters are fighting the fire. As CNN writes, rescuers are on the verge of exhaustion. At least 1,000 buildings were destroyed in the Palisades fire, CNN reported.

In the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in west Los Angeles, there is a lack of water in hydrants, which prevents firefighters from working.

– We have brought the system to maximum strength – commented Janisse Quinones, head of the Department of Water and Power (DWP) of the city of Los Angeles, on the lack of water in the hydrants. Quinones explained that water demand “was four times the norm within 15 hours, which caused the pressure in the pipes to drop.”

The services appeal to residents to save water, because in some parts of the city there is not enough water to extinguish fires that have still not been controlled due to very strong winds. – We are fighting the fire using the city's water supply infrastructure and it is not easy – admitted Quinones.

A laboratory in the city of Pasadena is also at risk of fire NASA designs and builds its robots and capsules for space missions. The space agency said the facility was closed and only a few workers remained on site.

One Los Angeles resident, Sheriece Wallace, didn't realize the fire was already engulfing her neighborhood until her sister called her just as a helicopter dropped water over her house. “I thought it was raining,” Wallace said. She added that her sister told her: “No, it's not raining. There is a fire in front of your house. You have to run.” At night, when residents of one of the neighborhoods were evacuating, there was a traffic jam on Palisades Drive. Ash fell around people stuck in cars. Suddenly, the fire jumped from one side of the road to the other. – People were getting out of cars with dogs, children and bags, crying and screaming – one of the residents described the scene. The abandoned vehicles were later pushed to the side of the road by a bulldozer, making way for firefighters. Mayor Karen Bass warned on social media that weather conditions were likely to worsen, CNN reported. “The wind's picking up,” Bass warned. – Pay attention to weather alerts – she added.

Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service in Los Angeles, described the three fires raging in the county as “one of the worst situations we've ever seen.” In an interview with CNN, Cohen explained that many “unstable” factors have come together, including drought and “some of the most extreme, destructive and life-threatening storms to hit the area.” The California Fire Association warned onlookers not to try to approach areas engulfed in flames. – Don't go sightseeing. Smoke is like a poisonous soup. Not only bushes are burning, but houses containing plastic are burning. Inhaling them is dangerous, warned the association's president, Brian Rice. At least 1,400 firefighters are fighting the unprecedented fire, said California Governor Gavin Newsom. The state attorney's office reminded merchants that speculatively raising prices on essential items during a declared state of emergency is a crime. The prosecutor's office considers increases of more than 10 percent to be excessive. – If you see such prices or fall victim to sellers, we encourage you to immediately file a complaint with our office – the office said. Those found guilty may face a fine of up to PLN 10,000. dollars, up to a year in prison.

According to local services, the chances of controlling the fire with the current wind are slim, and firefighters are focusing on saving human lives.

Due to the spreading fire, it was completely closed, among others. the picturesque Pacific Coast Highway running along the ocean coast. Dozens of people abandoned their cars. Firefighters told them to get out and flee on foot as the flames approached.

Photos from the fire show the fire spreading to trees in the immediate vicinity of the Villa de Leon residence, just 300 meters from the famous Getty Museum.

The raging element is increasingly paralyzing the functioning of some regions of California. According to CNN, schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District have decided to switch to remote learning, and some roads are impassable. The rapidly spreading fire consumes everything in its path. Among other things, one of the seafood restaurants in Malibu burned down. Flames also engulfed the famous movie set at The Palisades Charter High School.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said that hundreds of firefighters, firefighting planes, helicopters and heavy equipment are fighting the fires in this state. The authorities of The Angeles Forest appealed for the immediate evacuation of people in its area.

– The smoke was unbearable […]. There was chaos, branches and trees were lying on the streets – one of the evacuated residents of Pasadena describes to CNN.

Oscar-nominated actor James Woods wrote on social media that he was forced to evacuate. “Thank you to all the wonderful people who contacted us for such great interest,” he wrote on the X platform.

“We managed to evacuate successfully. I don't know at the moment if our house is still standing, but unfortunately the houses on our small street are not,” he added, posting a photo.

Woods isn't the only celebrity living in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. According to “The Hollywood Reporter”, the affluent neighborhood is home to, among others, Jennifer Aniston, Bradley Cooper, Eugene Levy, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Adam Sandler and Michael Keaton.

Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said 13,000 buildings were at risk of fire. The fire is fueled by strong winds and low humidity.

Gusts could reach speeds of around 90 to nearly 120 kilometers per hour, and even up to 100 mph in several parts of Southern California, according to forecasts. – If we manage to evacuate people safely, it could mean the difference between life and death – said Margaret Stewart, spokeswoman for the fire brigade, quoted by CNN.

Among others, the following buildings were transformed into shelters for evacuated people and small animals: recreation center in Los Angeles – Westwood Recreation Center. Students and staff from many schools were moved to safe places.

In December, residents of the West Coast of the USA had to deal with the Franklin fire. It destroyed over twenty buildings, including many houses, in an area of ​​over 1,600 hectares.