By Corina Knoll, Soumya Karlamangla, and Judson Joner
Uncontrolled wildfires have been ravaging the Los Angeles region for a second consecutive day, with dwindling water resources and fierce winds hampering firefighting efforts. Authorities warned that the fires, which have already consumed over 1,000 structures, are far from being under control.
At least two fatalities have been reported due to the fires, and tens of thousands have been forced to evacuate. Although wind gusts that have reached hurricane speeds were predicted to subside by mid to late morning, even reduced winds could still pose dangers into the evening, with severe wildfire conditions expected to persist into the afternoon.
“This will be a heartbreaking loss for all of Los Angeles,” remarked Traci Park, a member of the Los Angeles City Council representing the Pacific Palisades area, which is experiencing the largest fire.
The extensive Palisades fire ignited Tuesday morning in the wealthy neighborhood west of downtown Los Angeles, rapidly expanding to nearly 3,000 acres by evening and exhibiting an alarming rate of spread that surprised fire management teams.
Here’s additional information:
— Other fires: East of Los Angeles, in Eaton Canyon near Pasadena, the Eaton fire erupted Tuesday evening, spreading quickly to over 10,000 acres by Wednesday morning, with two deaths reported according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Additionally, the Hurst fire in Sylmar, located in the San Fernando Valley, began Tuesday night and expanded to 500 acres. Authorities are also dealing with smaller fires in areas such as Santa Paula, Fontana, and Sun Valley.
— One fire under control: The Woodley fire, a smaller incident which initiated in a park approximately 20 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, is now contained, said Kristin M. Crowley, the chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department. This fire had reached 75 acres, according to Cal Fire.
— Evacuations: Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna announced that around 37,000 residents were under evacuation orders due to the Palisades fire.
— Initial damage reports: Multiple structures have suffered damage, including several local landmarks along the Pacific Coast Highway, Crowley noted. Sheriff Luna also reported that roughly 15,000 structures were at risk from the Palisades fire as of Wednesday morning.
— Power outages: Approximately 400,000 customers across Southern California experienced power outages early Wednesday, primarily as a result of strong winds, or because utility companies had proactively shut off electricity to avert additional fires.
— Rapid spread: Research indicates that wildfires in the region have become increasingly fast-moving over recent decades.
