Aiexpress – More than 30,000 residents are under evacuation orders in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades neighborhood after a wildfire fueled by high winds swept through the area on Tuesday evening.
According to the Los Angeles fire chief, the conflagration in the upscale neighborhood, which is peppered with celebrity mansions, has the potential to destroy 10,000 homes.
California Governor Gavin Newsom stated that he discovered “many structures already destroyed” on a visit to the affected area, but that it was too early to determine the extent of the damage.
Winds were predicted to pick up overnight in what the National Weather Service warned might be one of the most “life-threatening” and powerful storms to hit Southern California in more than a decade. Winds are spreading two fires in the Palisades and another about 40 km northeast in Atladena, prompting evacuation orders.
By Wednesday morning, the fire department had reported a growing third fire in Pasadena.
Celebrities went to social media to share their experiences with the fire, including actor James Woods, who posted footage of flames burning through plants and palm trees near his home. “Standing in my driveway, getting ready to evacuate,” Woods stated in a brief video on X, before releasing a video showing flames outside his pool.
Mark Hamill, a Star Wars actor, issued an update, stating that he managed to evacuate his home at the last minute and witnessed “small fires on both sides of the roads.”
Newsom announced a state of emergency on Tuesday, indicating that the worst was yet to come, with high winds forecast overnight.
The Pacific Palisades fire has consumed around 11.5 square kilometers of land in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, which is located in western Los Angeles.
The fires also caused jammed highways as locals fled to leave, with some jumping out of their vehicles to avoid harm.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden stated that he and his staff are engaging with state and local officials and have offered “any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire.”
There were some trees and vegetation on the grounds of the Getty Villa, but Getty President Katherine Fleming assured that the museum collection was safe. The museum is a separate branch of the world-famous Getty Museum dedicated to the art and culture of ancient Greece and Rome.
Due to the wildfires, the Screen Actors Guild Awards canceled their live in-person nominations announcement, which will now be held online, according to a statement from the organization.
Due to the fire and windy weather, two film premieres were canceled, and the Los Angeles Unified School District said that pupils from three campuses in the Pacific Palisades region would be temporarily evacuated.
Recent dry winds and a protracted period of drought have contributed to above-average temperatures in Southern California.
