California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as ferocious wildfires ravaged Los Angeles, particularly the Pacific Palisades area, forcing thousands to evacuate. Driven by extreme winds, the fires destroyed homes, clogged evacuation routes, and left residents fleeing on foot. Newsom warned, “By no stretch of the imagination are we out of the woods.”
The wildfire erupted on a windy Tuesday morning, consuming about 4.6 square miles of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. The blaze’s proximity to celebrity residences and multi-million-dollar mansions added urgency to evacuation orders, affecting over 30,000 residents and endangering 13,000 structures. Sections of major highways like Interstate 10 and the Pacific Coast Highway were closed to non-essential traffic, further complicating escape routes. The Los Angeles Fire Department deployed a bulldozer to clear abandoned vehicles that blocked emergency responders.
Eyewitness accounts painted a grim picture. Kelsey Trainor, a resident, described how ash fell around them as flames engulfed both sides of the only road out. “People were crying and screaming,” she said. Other residents recounted scenes of embers igniting vehicles, forcing them to flee on foot.
Actor James Woods shared video footage of flames near his home, while actor Steve Guttenberg urged evacuees to leave car keys behind to aid fire trucks. “This is not a parking lot,” Guttenberg said, emphasizing the urgency of clear roads for emergency access.
The winds, part of a powerful Santa Ana windstorm, reached gusts of up to 100 mph in some areas. The National Weather Service called the storm “life-threatening,” the strongest in over a decade. The fire’s cause remains unknown, but dry conditions and months without rain exacerbated its spread. Officials reported no injuries, though the exact number of destroyed structures is still unclear.
Governor Newsom surveyed the devastation firsthand, witnessing the destruction of numerous structures. He announced the emergency declaration to expedite resources and support. President Joe Biden, who was in Los Angeles for unrelated events, canceled plans to travel to Riverside County and instead stayed to address the situation. Biden’s administration approved a FEMA grant to reimburse California for firefighting costs and offered federal assistance.
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Strong winds caused significant power disruptions. Over 28,000 households in Los Angeles were without power, while utility companies preemptively shut off electricity to 15,000 customers to minimize fire risks. More than 500,000 customers across Southern California faced potential outages.
Beyond Pacific Palisades, another fire in Altadena spread across 200 acres, prompting additional evacuations. Schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District temporarily relocated students from affected campuses, and film studios canceled premieres due to the hazardous conditions.
The Getty Villa museum in Pacific Palisades suffered minor vegetation burns but reported no damage to its art collections. Museum staff and visitors were unharmed.
Residents of Pacific Palisades witnessed harrowing scenes as the sky darkened with smoke and homes burned. Will Adams, a long-time resident, described his wife abandoning her car to escape on foot with embers flying into her vehicle. “It’s crazy,” Adams said, noting that fire seemed to infiltrate every corner of the neighborhood.
With conditions expected to worsen overnight, firefighters braced for a prolonged battle. “The worst of the winds are expected between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.,” Newsom said, urging residents to remain vigilant. Helicopters dropped water over flames, but gusts made containment efforts challenging.
Southern California’s notorious dry winds and minimal rainfall since early May have heightened fire risks. Experts warn that more extreme weather events could follow, given the region’s vulnerability to climate change. For now, Los Angeles remains on edge as residents and emergency crews confront the immediate crisis.
Governor Newsom’s declaration of emergency underscores the urgency of coordinated action to protect lives and property. As President Biden pledged federal support, the community’s resilience will be tested in the days to come.
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