Wildfires sweep through upscale Los Angeles area, home to Hollywood elites PHOTOS

A string of multiple wildfires in Los Angeles that are raging simultaneously forced over 30,000 people to evacuate as flames have burned over 1,000 hectares of land. Highways were gridlocked with fleeing residents from burning buildings in the upscale coastal Pacific area. 

Multiple people have been injuried by the fires, which have erupted in the Palisades, Altadena and Sylmar neighbourhoods, Caliber.Az reports citing US media reports. All fires are located between Santa Monica and Malibu, an area famous for being home to many Hollywood actors and celebrities, who have also been among the evacuated. 

Californian Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as containment efforts struggled. Over 220,000 homes and businesses have lost power on January 7 as the fires intensified. Experts told the publication that low humidity, dry vegetation, and strong winds created severe perfect conditions for such fires to spread. 

The crisis also impacted President Joe Biden’s travel plans, grounding the presidential airplane, Air Force One in Los Angeles. Biden had planned to travel inland to announce two new national monuments but had to adapt due to the fire and wind conditions. The president told reporters that a federal grant had already been approved to help reimburse the state of California for its fire response, while Governor Newsom emphasized that resources, including personnel, firetrucks, and aircraft, had been deployed across Southern California to address the widespread danger.

By Nazrin Sadigova