Over 30,000 people fled their homes as a wildfire swiftly engulfed a coastal area in Los Angeles, while another fire spread 30 miles inland on Wednesday.
The blaze destroyed numerous buildings and scorched nearly 3,000 acres in the Pacific Palisades area, known for its celebrity residents. The inferno jammed highways as residents evacuated under a sky lit by flames. By Wednesday morning, the fire remained uncontained, prompting Governor Gavin Newsom to declare an emergency.
Pacific Palisades resident Cindy Festa described fleeing close to the fires, with flames near the evacuating vehicles.
A fire official reported several injuries from the Palisades Fire, including burns and a head injury to a female firefighter, to KTLA.
Actor James Woods tweeted about evacuating his home, unsure if it survived.
The Eaton Fire broke out in Altadena, rapidly expanding to 1,000 acres and prompting the evacuation of nearly 100 nursing home residents in Pasadena.
Another fire, the Hurst Fire, started in Sylmar, leading to further evacuations.
PowerOutage.us reported that over 220,000 homes and businesses in Los Angeles County were without electricity by late Tuesday.
According to the Los Angeles Times, fires reached Malibu and Santa Monica, causing additional evacuations and injuries near Duke’s restaurant.
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley reported the fires threatened over 25,000 people in 10,000 homes. Firefighting aircraft and bulldozers were deployed to manage the flames.
The Getty Villa noted minor damage to its grounds, but the art collection was safe due to preventive measures.
The National Weather Service had issued an extreme fire condition alert for the area, predicting severe fire weather.
Governor Newsom emphasized the state’s preparedness with resources positioned across Southern California.
