Wildfire in Los Angeles forces evacuation of 30,000 people, several homes destroyed

A fierce wildfire in a suburb of Los Angeles destroyed structures and caused frantic evacuations on Tuesday as hurricane-force winds ripped over the area.

Frightened homeowners abandoned their cars on one of the few routes into and out of the wealthy Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, fleeing on foot from the almost 3,000-acre (1,200-hectare) fire that was consuming an area densely packed with multimillion-dollar mansions in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Firefighters used bulldozers to push scores of automobiles to one side, including pricey models such as BMWs, Teslas, and Mercedes, leaving many crushed and their alarms ringing.

Despite the chaotic evacuation, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley stated that no deaths or injuries had been reported.

Hundreds of firefighters swarmed the area, attacking the blaze from the ground and from the air, while crews worked in steep terrain to cut back vegetation and create firebreaks.

More from World

Earthquake of magnitude 5.9 jolts Assam, tremors felt in Bhutan and north Bengal 5 US F-35 jets land in Puerto Rico amid tensions with Venezuela

Around 30,000 people were ordered to evacuate the fast-spreading flames, which levelled multiple homes as powerful winds spread embers far and wide.

“We are not out of danger,” said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, speaking at an afternoon press conference, adding that the winds are expected to pick up.

‘Everyone panicked’

The fire erupted midmorning and swelled quickly, taking many residents by surprise.

One man, who gave his name as Gary, told broadcaster KTLA, hot ashes were raining down on his community of Sea Ridge.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

“There was smoke in the distance, and I was assured that it would not come over the hill… Five minutes later, it’s coming down the hill,” he said. “Everyone panicked, that’s when everybody made a run and went to go and pack their houses up.”

Evacuee Kelsey Trainor said she saw the fire explode in size as she was fleeing.

“By the time we got to the bottom of the hill, which is about two or three miles, there were flames on both sides of the road, and it became gridlocked,” she said.

“No one knew what to do. Everyone was honking their horns. There’s flames all around you.

“I could see people walking with suitcases, with their dogs, children. An elderly woman was really visibly upset and in tears.”

Pacific Palisades resident Andrew Hires told AFP he got a text alerting him to the fire as his child was at the dentist about to have a tooth extracted.

“We pulled off the mask and ran to the car,” he said.

‘A rough night’

The fire came as the area was being hit by seasonal Santa Ana winds that forecasters said could develop into the worst windstorm in a decade, with gusts of up to 100 miles (160 kilometers) an hour expected.

“This looks pretty, pretty concerning,” said meteorologist Daniel Swain.

“It’s going to be, I think, a rough night. And what’s going on now is only just the beginning, because weather conditions are going to get a lot worse.”

With a huge pall of smoke visible over the whole of Los Angeles, events throughout the area were cancelled, including a red-carpet premiere of Jennifer Lopez’s new film “Unstoppable.”

US President Joe Biden – who was in Los Angeles for a planned announcement on new national monuments – was briefed on the incident, the White House said.

The president has approved federal aid to help California tackle the blaze, Governor Gavin Newsom said.

“No politics, no hand wringing, no kissing the feet. The president of the United States said, ‘Yes. What else do you need?’” he told reporters.

Donald Trump, the incoming president, has repeatedly threatened to withdraw wildfire help from Democrat-led California.

Wildfires are a normal part of life in the American West, and they perform an important function in nature.

However, experts believe human-caused climate change is affecting weather patterns.

Southern California saw two decades of drought, followed by two extraordinarily wet years, which stimulated frenetic vegetative growth, leaving the region stocked with fuel and ready to burn.