In Los Angeles, wildfires have ravaged over 17,000 acres, destroying residences and businesses. Massive firefighting efforts are underway on Thursday. According to reports, the fire reached the homes of several esteemed celebrities by Thursday evening.
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Satellite images from Maxar Technologies and Planet Labs PBC display the extensive damage across high-profile areas. Emergency crews are battling the out-of-control blaze, leading to immediate evacuations and reports of at least five casualties. Though wildfires are a part of life in Southern California, this level of threat to urban areas is rare. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated, "This fire is fierce."
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Over 100,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate, with power outages affecting millions. Dense black smoke has turned day into night, with embers illuminating the sky like lightning.
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Out of the six separate wildfires in Los Angeles, three were completely out of control. These include two massive blazes on the eastern and western edges of the city, and the smaller Sunset Fire, sitting above the famed Hollywood Boulevard and its Walk of Fame.
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According to Cal Fire, 836 firefighters, seven helicopters, 149 fire engines, and four bulldozers and water tenders have been deployed. Firefighting air tankers from across California are flying missions to combat the flames.
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The Palisades fire, spanning 15,000 acres and destroying over 1,000 structures, is considered the most disastrous in Los Angeles' history according to The New York Times.
By Thursday morning, approximately 16 million individuals in Southern California were under a red flag alert, the highest fire-related warning. The agency predicted that the destructive fires would only subside overnight due to strong winds and dry conditions, with severe fire risks remaining at least through Friday.
Source: aajtak
