Los Angeles Under Red Flag Warning as Fires Rage, Winds Expected Through the Week

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On Thursday, Los Angeles will continue under a Red Flag Warning due to numerous fires throughout the county that have left devastation and destruction never seen before, affecting an area equivalent to San Francisco (45 square miles). Tragically, five lives have been lost, with more expected, as these fires began on Tuesday and have ravaged over 27,000 acres of land. More than 2,000 homes have been destroyed, and approximately 180,000 residents have been forced to evacuate due to the flames under mandatory orders, as firefighters work tirelessly to control the blazes amid winds close to 100 mph.

A temporary decrease in wind intensity allows firefighters to slow down the expansion of the Eaton Fire around Pasadena. Regrettably, this fire, which has been responsible for five reported deaths since it started this week, remains uncontained in the Altadena-Pasadena region, having grown significantly over the last two days with no containment whatsoever.

According to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone, the Eaton Fire currently spans approximately 10,600 acres, and its expansion has been halted. Moreover, he mentioned that there have been numerous reported injuries and over a thousand structures either damaged or completely demolished.

According to Marrone, the National Weather Service has forecasted that the Red Flag Warning will continue to be active over Los Angeles County and the majority of Ventura County until Friday.

Although the Easton Fire continues to spread, the Palisades Fire in the coastal region between Santa Monica and Malibu has rapidly expanded over 17,000 acres and remains uncontained on its third day. Now classified as the most devastating fire in Los Angeles County’s history, it has caused damage to approximately 2,000 homes and structures, alongside the destruction from the Easton Fire.

Kristin M. Crowley, head of the Los Angeles Fire Department, stated at a press briefing this morning that it’s fair to conclude that the Palisades Fire ranks among the most devastating natural calamities in the city of Los Angeles’ past.

On Wednesday evening, a fire ignited in the Hollywood Hills, advancing towards the center of Los Angeles and its bustling residential districts. Known as the Sunset Fire, it posed a threat to landmarks like the Hollywood Bowl, Walk of Fame, and TCL Chinese Theatre. However, firefighters managed to contain the blaze after it scorched over 43 acres. By early Thursday morning, the Los Angeles Fire Department rescinded all evacuation notices for the area. Regrettably, several celebrities have suffered property losses in this fire, among them Billy Crystal, Cary Elwes, Mandy Moore, Anna Faris, James Woods, Diane Warren, Paris Hilton, and others.

On Thursday, LA Fire Department Captain Erik Scott stated, “We tackled the Hollywood Hills fire aggressively and swiftly, and fortunately, Mother Nature showed us some leniency today compared to yesterday.

On Thursday, winds are predicted to intensify across the affected area, persisting as gusty winds until at least Friday afternoon, based on forecasts from the National Weather Service in Los Angeles. After a brief lull on Friday evening until Saturday, winds could reach speeds of up to 50 mph, with some isolated instances of even stronger gusts possible in the late afternoon on Thursday. Another bout of Santa Ana winds is expected on Saturday night and into Sunday. These winds, while primarily affecting higher altitudes, may reintroduce dangerous and destructive fire conditions.

Approximately 15,000 residents across Malibu, stretching from the Brentwood Country Club to Pepperdine University, are at risk of having their gas supply cut off, as per the announcement made by County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath during a morning press conference.

On Thursday, 19 school districts in Los Angeles County were shut down, as confirmed by the Education Office, and four of these schools have already declared they will remain closed on Friday. Two schools in the Palisades area have been completely destroyed by the rapidly spreading fire, including Palisades Charter High School, a well-known venue for Hollywood filming.

As people started accusing California politicians for mishandling resources before the catastrophe, there were also unverified rumors spreading on the internet that a potential arsonist or eco-terrorist might have been responsible for some of the fires. Even Happy Days actor Henry Winkler joined in by posting this unsubstantiated claim on his social media platform (formerly Twitter), suggesting an unknown individual as the possible culprit.

An arsonist is present in Los Angeles, and this individual should receive severe punishment! The destruction and distress they’ve inflicted are unimaginable!! This was the message written by the actor.

So far, five fatalities have been confirmed due to the Eaton Fire. However, many burned regions remain unexplored, suggesting that the number of casualties may increase over the next few days. Moreover, these fires were fueled by strong winds and were made worse by tightly packed homes in dry vegetation-rich areas, which provided optimal conditions for a large fire to spread rapidly.

This is a developing story.

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2025-01-09 23:01