Wildfires devastate Los Angeles County, claiming five lives, displacing thousands
Los Angeles: Wildfires sweeping across Los Angeles County have destroyed or damaged more than 2,000 homes, businesses, and other structures, leaving at least five people dead, California Governor Gavin Newsom told CNN.
The fires, driven by intense winds and dry conditions, have been described as among the most destructive to impact the region in recent memory.
At least five casualties have been reported, with the fires leaving entire communities devastated.
Nearly 130,000 residents are under evacuation orders as multiple fires continue to burn. Red flag warnings remain in effect for Los Angeles County and much of Ventura County through Thursday, reported LA Times.
Firefighters have been working relentlessly to control the blazes, but the largest fires remain largely uncontained.
Strong winds with gusts reaching up to 100 mph, combined with low humidity, have created challenging conditions.
Speaking to CNN, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service in Los Angeles Ariel Cohen explained that record rainfall in 2024 contributed to the fires' ferocity by spurring vegetation growth.
“Brush grew from all that precipitation,” he said, adding that the subsequent dry conditions turned this vegetation into fuel.
The Palisades fire has consumed 17,234 acres, stretching from Pacific Palisades westward along the Pacific Coast Highway toward Malibu.
This is what’s left of the Pacific Palisades. The mall survived. Most everything else is gone. Homes, apartment complexes… businesses. pic.twitter.com/Vfz721V48J
— Jonathan Vigliotti š (@JonVigliotti) January 8, 2025
Major parts of Pacific Palisades has essentially been wiped off the map as the sun rises in Los Angeles
Countless homes and businesses have been turned to ash
Major parts of Pacific Palisades has essentially been wiped off the map as the sun rises in Los Angeles
Countless homes and businesses have been turned to ash
The Eaton fire has scorched over 10,000 acres in Pasadena and Altadena. In Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills, the Sunset fire has burned 60 acres, prompting mandatory evacuations, while the Hurst fire has destroyed 855 acres near Sylmar.
Governor Newsom has underscored the immense toll of the wildfires, both in human lives and property. Despite round-the-clock efforts by firefighters, no immediate end is in sight for the largest blazes.
These wildfires are part of a broader crisis related to prolonged dry conditions following Los Angeles' highest recorded rainfall in two years.
Thousands of displaced residents face an uncertain future as they cope with the devastation.
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