Fires Rage in Los Angeles, Hollywood Hills Under Threat with 150,000 Evacuations

Los Angeles, Jan 9 (NationPress) The devastating fire currently engulfing Los Angeles, renowned as the entertainment capital of the United States, has spread into the Hollywood Hills, putting cherished landmarks at risk as of Thursday.

As of Wednesday night, nearly 150,000 individuals were under evacuation orders as the flames consumed 7,000 hectares, resulting in at least five fatalities and the destruction of over 1,000 structures, including celebrity residences, places of worship, and schools.

On Tuesday, hurricane-force winds propelled the fires that ignited earlier in the week on the outskirts of Los Angeles, causing them to leap across suburbs and neighborhoods, finally reaching the Hollywood Hills as winds began to calm.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell remarked, "I've never witnessed anything of this magnitude -- fires fueled by winds reaching up to 100 miles per hour (160 kmph)."

On Wednesday, the winds diminished, aiding firefighters and enabling helicopters to combat the flames.

The area where Vice President Kamala Harris has her personal residence was placed under evacuation orders on Tuesday night due to imminent danger; however, her spokesperson confirmed that no one was present.

Los Angeles is also the hometown of US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, who previously served as its mayor.

The concentration of entertainment figures amplified the fires' impact, as singer Mandy Moore and socialite Paris Hilton lost their homes.

Director Steven Spielberg and actors Tom Hanks and Ben Affleck were among those with properties in the evacuation zones.

While the studios avoided direct damage, production activities came to an abrupt halt.

A two-day extension for Oscar nominations was granted due to the ongoing fire situation.

Southern California has experienced virtually no rain since May, which has dried out vegetation, turning it into perfect tinder for fires.

In scenes reminiscent of a Hollywood disaster film, against a backdrop of orange flames illuminating the hillsides, an exodus of people fleeing their homes by car and on foot clogged the streets, while helicopters dropped water on the flames and emergency responders struggled to navigate through the chaotic traffic and damaged roads.

Firefighters and the National Guard across the region joined forces to tackle the blaze.

After some neighborhoods saw the fires extinguished, residents returned to find their homes reduced to charred remnants.

In a common occurrence during US tragedies, looters infiltrated evacuated areas, prompting police intervention.

By Wednesday night, the flames in Hollywood Hills were located just a kilometer from the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Bowl amphitheater.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden visited the area, stopping at a fire station in Santa Monica.

He remarked on recovery efforts, stating, "It's going to be a long road ahead, it will take time, but the federal government is committed to providing support for as long as necessary and for everything you need."

For him, the fires were personal: his son, who recently moved to the area, was ordered to evacuate, while his granddaughter welcomed a new son on Wednesday.

Biden canceled a trip to Italy due to the wildfire crisis.

At various locations, fire hydrants ran dry, a situation local officials attributed to unprecedented demand.

President-elect Donald Trump, however, placed blame on California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom for the water scarcity.

In a post on Truth Social, he claimed that Newsom had declined to approve a "water restoration declaration" to protect an endangered fish species called smelt, prioritizing it over human safety, which hindered Southern California's water supply.

While Newsom's spokesperson did not dispute that water projects had been halted, they clarified that such a declaration was nonexistent.

A striking example of how the fires and mass evacuations impact lives was seen when CBS TV reporters covering the event hurried to evacuate their families or check on them between their on-air segments, with one weather reporter bringing her family to the studio after receiving evacuation orders.

Those ordered to evacuate found shelter in public buildings located outside the fire zones.