Massive Wildfires Devastate Los Angeles Area: 80,000 Evacuated, 2 Dead

Massive wildfires ravaged the Los Angeles area early Wednesday, destroying over 1,000 structures and claiming at least two lives. Ferocious winds and towering flames forced more than 80,000 residents to flee, as firefighters battled four separate blazes stretching from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena. High winds grounded firefighting aircraft, hampering efforts to contain the flames.

Santa Ana winds, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph in some areas, propelled the fires through densely populated neighborhoods, including Pacific Palisades and Sylmar. Flames engulfed multimillion-dollar homes, businesses, and iconic locations like Temescal Canyon and Palisades Charter High School. Traffic jams left some residents fleeing on foot, carrying pets and children through thick smoke and falling embers.

In Sylmar, staff at a senior living center rushed to evacuate elderly residents, some in wheelchairs and hospital beds, to safety. Similar scenes played out across the region as firefighters struggled to keep up with the rapidly spreading blazes. The Los Angeles Fire Department issued a call for off-duty firefighters, while neighboring departments sent reinforcements.

More than 180,000 residents in Los Angeles County lost power, with Southern California Edison implementing preemptive shutoffs for over 500,000 additional customers due to fire risks. Dry conditions and a lack of rain since May worsened the fire danger.

Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency and deployed over 1,400 personnel to combat the blazes. President Joe Biden, who was in Los Angeles for unrelated events, canceled plans to travel and was briefed on the wildfires.

As of Wednesday morning, none of the fires had been contained. The Palisades Fire alone scorched 4.5 square miles, while others threatened thousands of structures across the region. Emergency officials continue to prioritize evacuations and life-saving efforts as winds are expected to persist.

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