A relentless series of wildfires continues to ravage Los Angeles County, fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Thousands have been forced to flee their homes, iconic landmarks are threatened, and the death toll continues to climb.
As of Thursday morning, at least five separate fires were burning across the region, scorching more than 45 square miles and prompting evacuation orders for roughly 179,000 residents.
Grim Statistics:
- Five fatalities have been confirmed, with the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena accounting for all of the deaths.
- Over 1,300 structures have been destroyed, and more than 60,000 remain threatened.
- Three major fires – the Palisades, Eaton, and Sunset – remain uncontained
This massive Palisades blaze, which erupted Tuesday morning, has consumed nearly 27 square miles and destroyed hundreds of structures in the Pacific Palisades area.
Burning in the hills above Altadena, the Eaton Fire has tragically claimed five lives and destroyed almost 1,000 structures. It has burned over 16 square miles and remains a major threat.
This Sunset Fire ignited Wednesday evening in the Hollywood Hills, prompting new evacuations and threatening iconic landmarks such as the Hollywood Bowl and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Evacuation orders for this fire were lifted Thursday morning, but firefighters continue to work to contain the blaze.
The Hurst and Lidia fires have also caused significant damage, burning hundreds of acres. Containment efforts are underway for these blazes.
The intensity of the fires is evident in NASA satellite images, which show massive heat signatures emanating from the burn areas. The fires are so intense that they are visible from space.
Several Los Angeles schools have sustained “significant damage” from the fires, and iconic landmarks like the Hollywood Bowl and the TCL Chinese Theater were threatened by the flames.
As of Thursday morning, roughly 179,000 residents were under evacuation orders, and thousands more were under evacuation warnings. Widespread power outages continue to plague the region, with more than 300,000 customers without electricity.
Firefighters from across the state are working tirelessly to contain the blazes, but the situation remains challenging due to the dry conditions and the potential for new fires to ignite.
The coming days will be critical in the fight to bring these devastating fires under control.
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