5 killed in Southern California wildfires

Xinhua, Philippine News Agency

FILE: Palisades Fire viewed from the shoreline. (Photo by CAL FIRE_Official – Palisades Fire/Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

LOS ANGELES – Devastating wildfires are ravaging the Los Angeles area in Southern California, claiming lives and forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes amid roaring flames and choking smoke.

With at least three major fires raging, rescue efforts from multiple US states are racing against time to contain the rapidly spreading blaze, which experts attribute to a combination of climate-related factors.

Authorities said Wednesday that at least five people have been killed and more than 1,100 buildings damaged in the Los Angeles area.

The Pacific Palisades fire, a major blaze starting Tuesday, had spread to 15,800 acres (63.9 square km.) by Wednesday afternoon, with no containment reported, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

The fire destroyed about 1,000 structures, including many expensive homes built between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, and forced thousands to flee with new evacuation warnings issued for Malibu, a coastal city in Southern California known for its stunning beaches and luxurious homes.

The Pacific Palisades fire turned out to be the most destructive in modern Los Angeles history, more devastating than the Sayre Fire of 2008, which destroyed 604 structures, according to data from the Wildfire Alliance.

The Eaton fire, which broke out Tuesday evening north of Pasadena, had burned more than 10,600 acres (42.9 square km.) near Altadena and Pasadena, two neighboring cities of Los Angeles, killing five people and seriously injuring many others, according to fire and police officials.

Meanwhile, the Hurst fire, which spread quickly during high winds overnight in Sylmar, had scorched more than 700 acres (2.83 square km.) as of Wednesday afternoon.

At least 70,000 people were ordered to evacuate, with the majority in Pacific Palisades.

All schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District will be closed on Thursday due to the fires, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho announced during a media briefing.

He also confirmed that two elementary schools in the district had been destroyed by the fire.

In a rich community located 32 km. west of Los Angeles downtown, many landmarks, including the sumptuous Getty Villa museum showcasing Greek and Roman antiquities, and the mid-century modern Eames House, were threatened by fire.

The organization behind the Oscars has extended the voting period for Academy Awards nominations and postponed the announcement of nominations, which was originally scheduled for next week.

Local TV station KTLA reported that widespread power outages in Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties in Southern California were impacting more than 4 million customers as of Wednesday afternoon.

Air quality in the Los Angeles area has reached hazardous levels. On Wednesday morning, the air quality index for much of the Los Angeles metropolitan area exceeded 300, a level deemed harmful to the general public, according to AirNow.gov. (Xinhua)