Los Angeles wild fires made worse by 80mph winds, sweeping through county. Photo Credit Facebook Los Angeles County Fire Department
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo has confirmed that five people have died in the Los Angeles fires with more deaths anticipated as multiple fires rage on nearly 40 hours after they first started.
Officials have said that the Palisades wildfire is the most destructive in Los Angeles’ history and that all four active fires are zero percent contained.
Victor Gordo also announced that in the Eaton fire zone, 100,000 people have been given mandatory evacuation orders so far and another 100,000 have been warned they may need to flee. This is on top of the 37,000 people that had already been evacuated from the first inferno in the Palisades.
More than 1.5 million people have been without power during Wednesday and there are more than 1000 homes and buildings recorded as being destroyed, at the moment- that figure will rise. It has been confirmed that at least five schools have been burnt to the ground.
The Santa Ana winds have caused massive destruction as they whip wildfires across Los Angeles at tornado force speeds.
Firefighters have been battling for a second day, against a growing number of Los Angeles wildfires in 80mph winds, darkness and even through water shortages on Wednesday afternoon.
Los Angeles Fire Fighters are now battling not two but four simultaneous blazes that have overwhelmed not only the Palisades where the first fire took hold but Eaton, near Altadena, Hurst fire, just North of San Fernando and the latest fire, Woodley.
Pasadena Fire Chief, Chad Augustin has said that “more than 750 firefighters are currently working to fight the Eaton fire – which is now more than 10,600 acres in size.”
And says that the winds have died down enough for aircrafts to resume dropping water onto the fire. He suggests that “good progress” will be made towards containing the fire over next few days.
In a news briefing from Los Angeles officials, LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger has called damage in the Pasadena area “surreal” and Congresswoman Judy Chu has asked that everyone obeys evacuation orders.
See where the fires first took hold and follow the progress of firefighters battling the blazes here.
