Fires threaten dozens of neighborhoods as LA braces for high winds


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New fires in Los Angeles have forced evacuation orders in the upscale neighborhoods of Brentwood and Bel Air, as the region braces for strong winds that could create more problems for emergency responders. fought several fires throughout the county.

The death toll from the fire rose to 11 as the crisis entered its fifth day. The Palisades fire, which started Tuesday morning, has burned 22,000 acres and is only 11 percent contained, officials said.

The fires are believed to be the most destructive in LA’s history.

Helicopters dumped water on Saturday in Mandeville Canyon, an exclusive area where actor and former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger lives.

Brentwood’s evacuation orders raised concerns about landmarks including the Getty Center, home to an art collection that includes works by Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Monet.

A helicopter drops water on the Palisades Fire near the Sullivan Canyon area of ​​Los Angeles on Saturday. © Bloomberg

Karen Bass, mayor of LA, said the Palisades fires were “slowly contained,” with about 11 percent contained. But he warned that the area is “most vulnerable” to dry, strong Santa Ana winds expected to return Saturday afternoon. He urged residents not to try to “wait out the fires” and to evacuate immediately.

The National Weather Service warned that the latest wave of strong winds will also hit the coast of Topanga and Malibu canyons. It also predicted more “wind events” between Monday night and Wednesday that could reach 60 to 70 miles per hour.

Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom tried to deflect criticism of the fire response. Firefighters in Pacific Palisades were frustrated this week to discover that hydrants were running out of water — a big problem during periods of high winds that ground helicopters and planes used to drop water on fires. The city’s reserve tanks were quickly depleted as firefighters on the ground battled the blaze without support from the air.

A man walks down a street after the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, © AP

Newsom said Friday that he has ordered an investigation into the causes of the water supply problems. Newsom called the problems “very troubling,” adding that they “likely undermined the effort to protect some homes and evacuation routes.”

The city’s water and electricity authority issued a statement saying any claims that fire hydrants had broken before the fires were “misleading and false”.

The water pressure dropped due to the “unprecedented and severe need for water to fight the wildfire without air support”, the LA Department of Water and Power said in a statement.

A firefighter stands near the remains of a destroyed home in Pacific Palisades © REUTERS

Firefighters from other US states and Mexico came to LA to help more than 7,500 emergency workers from California. The National Guard was also deployed in the Palisades to protect the area from thieves.

The city has imposed a 12-hour curfew from 6 p.m. in areas under the evacuation order. “Not only do we have to protect ourselves from the fire, we also have to make sure that no one goes in there and tries to steal,” Bass said. So far around 20 robbers have been arrested.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said they will lead the investigation into the cause of the Pacific Palisades fire. The federal agency said there are fire investigators on the scene.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the Sunset fire, which threatened the Hollywood Hills and several landmarks, including the Hollywood sign. They also extinguished the Lidia fire north of Los Angeles, while two others were about 80 percent contained, according to Cal Fire.



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