Los Angeles wildfire: 30,000 people forced to flee as massive blaze engulfs cars, homes; emergency declared | 10 points

Pacific Palisades Fire in Los Angeles: More than thirty thousand people were forced to flee from their homes after a massive wildfire engulfed their homes and cars in Los Angeles, California.

The rapidly growing blaze has destroyed numerous buildings and created chaos across the city, leading to traffic jams and panic among people. The situation worsened when a second blaze doubled in size some 30 miles inland, reported Reuters on Wednesday.

Pacific palisades wildfire in Los Angeles: Top 10 updates

-Fire in the Pacific Palisades region of Los Angeles has destroyed approximately 2,921 acres of area between the coastal towns of Santa Monica and Malibu, reported Reuters citing officials.

-The officials have also warned that the situation can worsen due to powerful winds that arrived following extended dry weather. A fire official told local television station KTLA that several people were injured, some with burns to faces and hands. The official added that one female firefighter had sustained a head injury.

-Amid raging wildfire, Acting Mayor and Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said that the American city has declared a state of emergency over the fire.

-Dawson also added that LA is “well prepared” to fight the wildfire which intensified by the gust. However, emergency declaration will aid in freeing up resources.

-The second blaze, dubbed the Eaton Fire, broke out some 30 miles (50 km) inland near Pasadena and doubled in size to 400 acres (162 hectares) in a few hours, according to Cal Fire.

-The wildfire broke from a fire that broke out Tuesday evening near a nature preserve in the inland foothills northeast of LA spread.

-The traffic jam on Palisades Drive also prevented emergency vehicles from getting through and bulldozer was brought in to push the abandoned cars to the side and create a path.

-Later, a third wildfire began around 10:30 pm (ET) which led to swift rescue operation of people in Sylmar, a San Fernando Valley community that is the northernmost neighborhood in Los Angeles.

-Due to the emergency situations, Los Angeles Fire Department took the rare step of putting out a plea for off-duty firefighters to help. It was too windy for firefighting aircraft to fly, further hampering the fight.

-The massive wildfire also led to power cut in the country. According to Associated Press, nearly 167,000 people were without power in Los Angeles county on Tuesday.

Recent dry winds, including the notorious Santa Anas, have contributed to warmer-than-average temperatures in Southern California, where there’s been very little rain so far this season. Southern California hasn’t seen more than 0.1 inches (0.25 centimeters) of rain since early May.