A devastating wildfire that erupted along the California coast has rapidly spread over the past two days, fueled by strong winds. The blaze has consumed an area roughly thirty-seven times Yeouido and claimed at least five lives.
Local media outlets, including AP News, report that over 1,000 structures have been destroyed, and five lives have been lost so far.
The exact number of injuries remains undetermined. This fire has now been recorded as the most destructive in Los Angeles history, surpassing the damages from the wildfires of November 2018.
The initial blaze was detected on Tuesday morning in the affluent coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades in West LA. The flames quickly spread to other areas propelled by the notorious Santa Ana winds. Fires had erupted in Hurst and Woodley (north of Pacific Palisades) and Eaton (northeast of L.A.) by nightfall. Local media reported that multiple large wildfires raged in four locations near L.A., with strong winds hampering firefighting efforts. The burned area has reached approximately 41 square miles, prompting evacuation orders for 150,000 residents. 1.5 million people are without electricity, affecting both homes and businesses.
L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said, “L.A. County, and all 29 fire departments in our county, are not prepared for this type of widespread disaster. There are not enough firefighters in L.A. County to address four separate fires of this magnitude.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Tuesday. In a statement released on Wednesday, President Joe Biden pledged federal assistance for firefighting efforts.
President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office on January 20, criticized Newsom in a post via his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday. Trump alleged that Newsom had refused to divert water resources from Northern California for conservation purposes. He wrote, “As of this moment, Gavin Newscum and his Los Angeles crew have contained exactly zero percent of the fire. It’s burning at levels even worse than last night. This is not government. I can’t wait until January 20th!”
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