What’s Happening In Los Angeles

Here are 10 points on this big story:

1. A fresh fire erupted Thursday evening in the West Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, rapidly consuming over 900 acres within hours. Firefighters have been stretched thin across Southern California as they battle multiple wildfires that have destroyed thousands of structures and forced mass evacuations.
2. The Pacific Palisades fire has scorched over 19,000 acres, while the Altadena fire has consumed 13,000 acres. Combined, these fires have displaced tens of thousands of residents.
3. California’s National Guard has been deployed to assist in managing the crisis.  “We’re throwing everything at our disposal – including our National Guard service members – to protect communities in the days to come,” Governor Gavin Newsom said. He also issued a warning against looting, which has reportedly broken out in some evacuation zones.
4. Among the hardest-hit areas are Pacific Palisades and Altadena, where multi-million-dollar homes have been reduced to ashes. Celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Anthony Hopkins, and Billy Crystal are among those affected. Nearly 180,000 residents remain under evacuation orders, and the death count continues to climb. “This is absolutely an unprecedented, historic firestorm,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
5. President Joe Biden has pledged federal resources to aid California’s response to what he described as the most devastating wildfire in the state’s history. “This is the most widespread, devastating fire in California’s history,” Biden stated during a White House briefing.
6. The fires have also ignited a political clash. President-elect Donald Trump took to his Truth Social network to criticise Governor Newsom, dubbing him “Gavin Newscum” and accusing him of mismanagement. Trump’s claims included allegations about water mismanagement and fire prevention efforts. President Biden urged Americans to avoid politicising the disaster.
7. Amid President-elect Trump’s aggressive campaign to incorporate Canada as the 51st state of the United States, Justin Trudeau, who recently decided to step down as PM, offered a helping hand to douse the California fires. “Neighbours helping neighbors,” Mr Trudeau wrote on X and shared a video of Canadian firefighters engaged in LA.
8. Shelters have been overwhelmed with donations from generous locals, though officials have begun redirecting supplies to other locations. The Sunset Fire in Hollywood Hills, which erupted Wednesday night, prompted the evacuation of thousands before containment efforts allowed residents to return briefly on Thursday.
9. As the fire rages, conspiracy theorists on social media have made unsubstantiated claims of firefighting equipment being sent to Ukraine or firefighter teams being understaffed due to diversity issues. 
10. Experts note that two decades of drought, followed by two exceptionally wet years, have created an abundance of dry vegetation that now fuels these massive blazes. Southern California’s lack of heavy rainfall over the past eight months has exacerbated the problem. Meteorologists warn that conditions remain “critical,” with strong winds and dry weather likely to persist.