A fast growing wildfire has been raging across an upscale section of Los Angeles since Tuesday, destroying numerous buildings and creating traffic jams as more than 30,000 people evacuated, while a second blaze increased in size about 30 miles inland.
At least 2,921 acres (1,182 hectares) of the Pacific Palisades area situated between the coastal towns of Santa Monica and Malibu were razed down by the Palisades Fire, according to the reports by officials. This was after they had already been warned of extreme fire danger from powerful winds that made their arrival after the extended dry weather.
Meanwhile, a fire-fighter official informed local television station KTLA that several people had sustained injuries, some with burns to faces and hands, adding that one female firefighter had sustained a head injury.
The second blaze nicknamed “the Eaton Fire” broke out about 30 miles (50 km) inland near Pasadena and increased in size to 400 acres (162 hectares) in a few hours, according to reports by Cal Fire.
Fire officials have said a third blaze named “the Hurst Fire” had started in Sylmar, in the San Fernando Valley northwest of Los Angeles, forcing evacuations of some nearby residents.
Before the fire began , the National Weather Service had issued its highest alert for extreme fire conditions for majority of Los Angeles County from Tuesday through Thursday, predicting wind gusts of 50 to 80 mph (80 to 130 kph) would arrive.
It was these powerful winds that changed President Joe Biden’s travel plans, grounding Air Force One in Los Angeles. The president had planned to make a short flight inland to the Coachella Valley for a ceremony to create two new national monuments in California but the event was rescheduled for a later date at the White House.
Biden had released a statement saying;
“I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire.”
Meanwhile, a federal grant has already been approved to aid in reimbursing the state of California for its fire response.
Pacific Palisades is home to many A-list Hollywood stars.
