Palisades fire live updates: Two dead and ‘high number’ injured in wind-fueled blazes spreading across Los Angeles
‘Multiple burn victims’ are among the first reported injuries as the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires rage southern California, leaving schools closed and more than 300,000 without power
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Your support makes all the difference.The Los Angeles Fire Department has reported injuries as the fast-moving Palisades Fire spreads to almost 5,000 acres at 0 percent containment, leaving more than 30,000 residents evacuating their homes.
Two fatalities were reported in the Eaton Fire, which had spread through Altadena, Pasadena, Arcadia, and Sierra Madre. Significant injuries were also reported.
A 25-year-old female firefighter and “multiple burn victims” are among the injured, LAFD spokesperson Erik Scott said Wednesday morning.
Thousands of residents have been forced to flee LA and more than 300,000 energy customers were left without power after several fires exploded across the county on Tuesday evening.
The LAFD is bracing for bruising Santa Ana winds of up to 60mph through Thursday, leaving those on the ground fearing it will fan the flames and increase the spread. In response, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the deployment of more than 1,400 firefighting personnel in an attempt to extinguish blazes across LA. President Joe Biden has been briefed and said the county can leverage “any federal assistance.”
Several Hollywood stars have been forced to flee as the blaze impacts some of the most known neighborhoods in the area.
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‘Unprecedented’ weather conditions are ‘unpredictable,’ officials caution
The “unprecedented” weather conditions in the region are also “unpredictable,” Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell warned.
“As the fire continues to spread and pop up in different locations, none of us know where the next one is going to be,” he said. “Because with these winds, once it starts small, it will be very big very quickly.”
Wind conditions and poor visibility have hampered firefighting efforts.
Biden receives briefing on Palisades wildfire
This morning, President Joe Biden received a briefing from his team on the latest developments of the Palisades wildfire.
The White House said he would also be briefed by Cal Fire officials at a Santa Monica Fire Station before he and First Lady Jill Biden leave Los Angeles.
Palisades basketball teams make escape before wildfire: ‘The wind was bad'
Jeff Bryant, the boys’ basketball coach at Palisades High, was about to hold practice on Tuesday morning in the school gym before security told him they needed to evacuate, he told The Los Angeles Times.
“We saw fire above our parking structure,” he said. “The wind was bad. I had my 2-year-old with me. I ran straight to the car and got on the road.”
‘This is not a normal Red Flag,’ emergency management director says
Kevin McGowan, the Director of the L.A. County Office of Emergency Management, told reporters that the region is “facing a historic natural disaster [which] cannot be stated strongly enough.”
“This is not a normal Red Flag,” he said.
Municipal water systems work effectively but are not designed to fight wildfires, LA officials say
“The municipal water systems that service our homes and businesses continue to work effectively. However, they are not designed to fight wildfires. A firefight with multiple fire hydrants drawing water from the system for several hours is unsustainable. This is a known fact,” Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella said.
He said that’s why air support is critical to firefighting efforts.
Customers are being asked to conserve water.
Trump hits Newsom over water policy
Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way. He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!
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