Los Angeles firefighters battle to control devastating fires
Severe wildfires in the Los Angeles area have forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes. Strong winds are making it difficult for firefighters to battle the flames.
Fires tear through Los Angeles area
Severe wildfires are raging around Los Angeles, as more than 100,000 residents have been forced from their homes. Thousands of emergency services are battling the inferno, with yet another blaze breaking out in the past few hours. Officials say at least five people have died in the wildfires.
Sunset Strip on fire
The flames have also spread to the famous Hollywood Hills, where many residents have already left the area. The Sunset Fire is raging north of Hollywood Boulevard near the Hollywood Bowl and other iconic landmarks, posing a major challenge for emergency services. Fires across LA have consumed some 42 square miles (108 square kilometers), an area nearly the size of the entire city of San Francisco.
'Not enough firefighters in LA'
On Wednesday, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone admitted the emergency services were overwhelmed by the scale of the fires. "We were prepared for one or two major brush fires," he told reporters. "There are not enough firefighters in LA County to address four separate fires of this magnitude." Due to the intensity of the fire, air support has been deployed.
Urgent evacuation
Patients at the Brighton Care Center in Pasadena were evacuated as the fires raged in the city near LA. Authorities have reported several fatalities, and fear the number could rise. Entire streets have been destroyed, with homes and cars falling victim to the flames. Before the evacuation order for Hollywood, residents of other areas had already been called to leave their homes.
Cities send help
In Pacific Palisades, an exclusive district west of Los Angeles where prominent actors such as Jennifer Aniston, Bradley Cooper and Tom Hanks live, the fire has caused severe damage. Support to fight the flames has also come from further afield, with the San Francisco Fire Department and other cities sending firefighters to help out.
Nothing left
All that remains of this house in Malibu is a smoldering skeleton. US President Joe Biden has declared the affected regions in California a disaster area. This means that communities and survivors can immediately access federal funds to support reconstruction.
Fears fires will spread further
The powerful Santa Ana winds, typical of the Californian winter, continue to fuel and accelerate the flames, adding to fears the fires will spread further. These winds drive temperatures in Los Angeles up to 30 degrees Celsius (around 90 Fahrenheit), even in the winter months.
Thousands of buildings at risk
US media are calling the wildfires one of the worst fire disasters in Los Angeles history. According to LA fire chief Anthony Marrone, at least 2,000 buildings have already been destroyed, while a further 28,000 are considered to be at risk. Among the threatened buildings are two German cultural institutions: the Thomas Mann House and the Villa Aurora.
Not enough water
Many water hydrants have already dried up, and water is becoming scarce. Although wildfires are common in the western US and a natural part of the ecological cycle, scientists have said human-caused climate change is altering weather patterns and exacerbating the fire season.