Los Angeles:

A-list actors, musicians and other celebrities were among the tens of thousands of people affected by terrifying wildfires in Los Angeles this week that killed at least five people. Over 70,000 people were evacuated from Los Angeles and the Greater Los Angeles areas of California in the last 24 hours due to four to five major fires that remain uncontained as the wind speed is very high in Palisades, Eaton and Hurst areas. 

Los Angeles is fighting the largest blaze in its history amid water and firefighting shortages. A state of emergency has been declared in the area, with Washington sending help to bring the situation under control. Retired firefighters with experience in firefighting, have been called for help. More than 1,000 buildings have burned in fires that have broken out around America’s second-biggest city, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes. The situation remains tense in the areas, with a blanket of smoke covering the skies. 

Firefighters Struggle To Contain Situation

Hurricane-force winds whipped up fireballs that leapt from house to house in the upmarket Pacific Palisades area, incinerating a swathe of California’s most desirable real estate favoured by Hollywood celebrities. Gusty winds pushed the flames, pushing embers hundreds of meters and sparking new spot fires faster than firefighters could quell them.

According to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, his crews were overwhelmed by the scale and speed of the unfolding disasters.

“We’re doing the very best we can. But no, we don’t have enough fire personnel in LA County between all the departments to handle this,” he told AFP.

The blaze raging in Pacific Palisades had consumed around 16,000 acres as of Wednesday afternoon, taking 1,000 homes and businesses with it. A separate 10,600-acre fire was burning around Altadena, north of the city, where flames tore through suburban streets.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said an earlier death toll of two had now increased, with more deaths feared. “Unfortunately, it’s grown to five as we continue through this area,” Luna told radio station KNX.

“And remember, this is still a very fluid situation, there’s zero containment on this fire. I’m really praying we don’t find more, but I don’t think that’s going to be the case,” he added.

Evacuation orders were in place for about 70,000 people across the area. A large number of people who did not heed warnings to leave had suffered “significant injuries,” Marrone said.

Water Shortage

As a pall of dark smoke hung over Los Angeles, hydrants were drying as the water supply dropped in the area. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power chief executive Janisse Quinones pleaded with people to save water after hydrants in Pacific Palisades ran dry.

“We’re fighting a wildfire with urban water systems, and that is really challenging,” she said.

Joe Biden, who was in Los Angeles with California Governor Gavin Newsom, was briefed on what the president called an “astounding” situation.

“We’re doing anything and everything, and as long as it takes to contain these fires,” Biden told reporters.

Hollywood Screeched To A Halt

The showbiz capital has been besieged by multiple out-of-control blazes, with Hollywood events including a glitzy awards show and a Pamela Anderson film premiere among those cancelled as firefighters battle flames in hurricane-force winds.

Hundreds of homes were destroyed in the swanky Pacific Palisades area, a favourite spot for celebrities where multimillion-dollar houses nestle on beautiful hillsides, while other infernos sprang up across the north of the city.

Tesla boss Elon Musk showed the aftermath of the fire in one of the suburban areas in LA with cars, homes and trees completely charred.

A friend in LA just took this video pic.twitter.com/WJBWCHmCUs

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 8, 2025

Mandy Moore, the singer and “This Is Us” actress, told followers on Instagram she had fled with her children and pets from the path of a blaze that had left her Altadena neighbourhood “levelled.” 

“My sweet home. I am devastated and gutted for those of us who’ve lost so much. I’m absolutely numb,” she wrote, in a caption to footage of the destruction.

Emmy-winning actor James Woods posted a video on X showing flames engulfing trees and bushes near his Pacific Palisades home as he got ready to evacuate, and shortly afterwards said all the fire alarms were going off.

“I couldn’t believe our lovely little home in the hills held on this long. It feels like losing a loved one,” Woods said.

“Star Wars” star Mark Hamill told followers on Instagram that he had fled his Malibu home with his wife and pet dog, escaping down a road flanked by active fires.

Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis was also forced to evacuate, later writing on Instagram: “Our beloved neighbourhood is gone. Our home is safe. So many others have lost everything.”

Meanwhile, next week’s unveiling of the Oscar nominations was pushed back until January 19, to give Academy members affected by fires more time to cast their ballots this week. 

More than 30,000 people evacuated their homes as a wildfire ripped through an upscale coastal area of Los Angeles on Tuesday (January 7, 2025) and into Wednesday (January 8, 2025), with Hollywood celebrities among those fleeing by car and on foot as flames engulfed homes and set hillsides ablaze. Two other fires inland were also spreading fast, officials said.

Numerous buildings were destroyed and nearly 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares) burned in the Pacific Palisades area between the beach towns of Santa Monica and Malibu, officials said. Roads were jammed with people fleeing the inferno, some abandoning their cars as flames licked the edges, and plumes of smoke and flames rose in the night sky over Los Angeles and its suburbs.

Firefighters has not contained the blaze by the early hours and Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency.

(With inputs from agencies)