Wildfires are raging in LA, forcing thousands to flee as homes, businesses burn

Dozens of wildfires ravaged the Los Angeles area on Wednesday, destroying more than 1,000 buildings and killing at least two people as desperate residents fled flames, high winds and huge clouds of smoke.

At least four separate blazes were burning in major cities, from the Pacific coast inland to Pasadena, home of the famed Rose Parade. With thousands of firefighters already battling the blaze, the Los Angeles Fire Department has issued a call for off-duty firefighters to help. The weather was so windy that firefighting planes could not fly, further disrupting the fighting. Fire officials say they hope to have planes up by Wednesday.

In addition to the two dead, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a press conference Wednesday morning that many others were injured in the fire, which threatened at least 28,000 structures.

Images of the damage that emerged overnight showed luxury homes destroyed by a storm of burning coal. The tops of the palm trees fluttered against the red sky.

At least 70,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate, officials said. The flames marched toward the densely populated and wealthy home of California's rich and famous. Hollywood stars, including Mark Hamill, Mandy Moore and James Woods, were among those forced to flee.

Vice President Kamala Harris' home in Los Angeles was included in one of the evacuation zones, although no one was there, according to a spokeswoman.

Flames that broke out Tuesday evening near a conservation area in the hills of northeast LA spread so quickly that nursing home workers had to push dozens of residents in wheelchairs and hospital beds down the street to the parking lot. Residents – as old as 102 – waited in their pajamas as coal fell around them until ambulances, buses and construction vans arrived to take them to safety.

Another fire that started in the last few hours tore through the city's Pacific Palisades neighborhood, which is a hilly coastal area dotted with celebrity residences. As people rushed to get to safety, the roads became difficult as many people abandoned their cars and fled on foot, some carrying suitcases.

A third wildfire started around 10:30 pm PT on Tuesday and prompted the evacuation of Sylmar, a community in the San Fernando Valley that is the northernmost point of Los Angeles.

Fires cancel programs, including presidential ones

The causes of all three fires are still under investigation. The fires were not contained early Wednesday and there was too much wind for firefighting aircraft.

The flames were fanned by Santa Ana winds of up to 129 km/h in some areas Wednesday morning, according to reports received by the National Weather Service in Los Angeles. They can go up to 160 km/h on mountains and hills – including places that haven't seen much rain in months.

California's wildfire season typically begins in June or July and runs through October, according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association, but January wildfires are not unheard of. There was one in 2022 and 10 in 2021, according to Cal Fire.

The season starts earlier and ends later due to rising temperatures and reduced rainfall associated with climate change, according to recent data. Rains that normally end fire season are often delayed, meaning fires can burn in winter, the association said.

The situation prompted the Los Angeles Fire Department to take the rare step of calling in off-duty firefighters to help.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X morning Wednesday that California has deployed more than 1,400 firefighting personnel to fight the flames, which he described as an “all hands on deck” situation.

US President Joe Biden had to cancel plans to visit Riverside County, where he was going to announce the establishment of two national monuments. He stayed in Los Angeles, where smoke could be seen from his hotel, and he was told about the wildfires. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved funding to help reimburse California for firefighting costs.

Film studios canceled two movie screenings because of the fire and windy weather, and the Los Angeles Unified School District said it temporarily evacuated students from three campuses in the Pacific Palisades area.

'They were crying and screaming'

The Pacific Palisades fire started around 10:30 a.m. PT and quickly burned through about 11.6 square miles west of Los Angeles, sending thick plumes of smoke visible across the city.

Traffic on Palisades Drive prevented emergency vehicles from entering and tractor-trailers were brought in to push abandoned vehicles to the side and create a path.

Pacific Palisades resident Kelsey Trainor said the only road in and out of the neighborhood is closed.

“We looked across and the fire was jumping from one side of the road to the other side of the road,” Trainor said. “People were getting out of cars with dogs and children and bags, crying and screaming.”

Pacific Palisades, on the border of Malibu about 32 kilometers west of downtown Los Angeles, combines hillside streets of homes packed with winding roads that border the Santa Monica Mountains and access beaches along the Pacific Ocean.

An unprecedented situation, said a long-time resident

Palisades resident Will Adams said he was downtown when the fire started and went to pick up his two children from St. Matthews Parish when he heard that the fire was near. Meanwhile, he said coals flew into his wife's car when she tried to get out.

“He left his car running,” Adams said. He and many other villagers went down towards the sea until it was safe.

Adams said he has never seen anything like this in his 56 years living there.

“It's crazy, it's all over the place, all over the Palisades. One home is safe, one is on fire,” Adams said.

In the evening, the fire had spread to neighboring Malibu and several people were being treated for burn injuries and a firefighter had a serious head injury and was taken to the hospital, according to Captain Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The Eaton fire, which started around 6:30 p.m. PT the day before, has quickly burned four square miles, according to fire officials, and the Hurst fire has grown to 202 acres.

As of Wednesday morning, more than 200,000 people were without power in Los Angeles County, according to the PowerOutage.us tracking website, due to high winds.