Los Angeles County is facing a catastrophic wildfire crisis as seven major blazes continue to spread, forcing hundreds of thousands of residents to flee their homes.
The Palisades Fire, which erupted on Tuesday afternoon, triggered mandatory evacuations and highway closures as it tore through neighborhoods. Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire broke out later in the foothills of Pasadena, adding to the chaos on the other side of the county.
As of Wednesday, the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire remain at 0% containment. Tragically, the Eaton Fire has already claimed at least five lives. Other active fires in the county include the Hurst Fire, Lidia Fire, and Sunset Fire. Though the Sunset Fire near Hollywood Hills appears to be under control, officials are urging caution as shifting winds could reignite danger.
CAL FIRE reports that the flames are being fuelled by powerful Santa Ana winds, making containment efforts more challenging. More than 28,000 structures are currently at risk. Southern California Edison confirmed that over 3 million residents were left without power by Wednesday afternoon due to fire-related outages.
To aid in the emergency response, the California National Guard has mobilised hundreds of military police and firefighting units. Approximately 600 service members, along with 10 rotary-wing aircraft and two C-130 planes equipped for aerial firefighting, have been deployed. Additional ground support is arriving from Joint Task Force Rattlesnake to bolster CAL FIRE’s containment efforts.
Officials have warned that the worst may be yet to come, with conditions ripe for further devastation. Residents are urged to follow evacuation orders and stay informed as emergency crews work tirelessly to combat the inferno and protect lives and property.
🚨 #BREAKING: Los Angeles fire hydrants are OUT OF WATER because the county REFUSED to refill reservoirs, per Rick Caruso
“You can’t fight a fire without water!”
The Mayor did ZERO prep despite the advanced warning of winds and fire risk.
This is EXACTLY what happened on Maui! pic.twitter.com/fBj445yGgw
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 8, 2025
https://nypost.com/2025/01/08/us-news/how-la-ran-out-of-water-in-the-middle-of-the-palisades-fire/
Same playbook as Maui.