LOS ANGELES — (AP) — At least five people were killed and nearly 2,000 structures were destroyed as fierce wildfires raged in the Los Angeles area, officials said. Fast-moving flames burned through homes and businesses as residents fled smoke-filled canyons and picturesque neighborhoods that are home to many celebrities.
Many of the towering fires that began Tuesday were fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds, which gusted to more than 70 mph (112 kph) in some spots. The winds persisted Wednesday and for a while made it too dangerous for aircraft to attack the fires from the sky, furthering hampering their efforts. The winds lessened Thursday, which might help, but the National Weather Service warned that even the reduced gusts could still spread fire rapidly.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state has deployed more than 1,400 firefighting personnel to battle the blazes. In a rare, urgent plea, the Los Angeles Fire Department asked all off-duty firefighters in the city to help. Oregon was sending 300 firefighters and Washington state 146 personnel. Utah, New Mexico and Arizona were also dispatching teams.
AccuWeather estimated $52 billion to $57 billion in preliminary damage and economic loss has occurred from the fires.
President Joe Biden canceled a trip to Rome and the Vatican to monitor the response from Washington.
Here's what to know about the fires:
An estimated 1,000 structures have been destroyed in the hilly coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, making it the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history.
The wreckage surpassed that of the Sayre Fire of November 2008, which destroyed 604 structures in Sylmar, the northernmost suburb of the city, according to statistics kept by the Wildfire Alliance, a partnership between the city’s fire department and MySafe:LA.
Some 25 square miles (40 square kilometers) burned in Pacific Palisades, which is dotted with celebrity homes and was memorialized by the Beach Boys in their 1960s hit “Surfin’ USA.” The flames torched part of Palisades Charter High School, which has been featured in many Hollywood productions, including the 1976 horror movie “Carrie” and the TV series “Teen Wolf.”
The fire destroyed the public library, two major grocery stores, a pair of banks and several boutiques in Palisades Village. Actor Billy Crystal and his wife Janice lost their home of 45 years.
Residents rushing to escape created a traffic jam, blocking emergency vehicles from getting through. Crews used a bulldozer to push the abandoned cars off to the side. Photos depict what some residents describe as an apocalyptic scene.
Farther inland, the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena burned between 200 and 500 structures, substantially damaged five school campuses in Altadena and scorched more than 16.5 square miles (43 square kilometers). Employees at a senior center pushed dozens of residents in wheelchairs and hospital beds to a parking lot to escape.
The Hurst Fire, which started Tuesday night, prompted evacuations in Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley and grew to 1 square mile (2.6 square kilometers).
Late Wednesday, another blaze broke out in the Hollywood Hills. Called the Sunset Fire, it was burning near the Hollywood Bowl and other iconic landmarks, but firefighters were able to hold that blaze to under 1 square mile (2.6 square kilometers).
At least 130,000 people were ordered to evacuate — a number that kept changing because evacuation orders were continually being issued.
Several hundred were at the Pasadena evacuation center by Wednesday afternoon. Many were elderly.
The flames marched toward highly populated and affluent neighborhoods, including Calabasas and Santa Monica, home to California's rich and famous. Hollywood stars including Mark Hamill, Mandy Moore and James Woods were among those forced to flee, and Moore later said she lost her home in Altadena.
The fires filled the air with a thick cloud of smoke and ash, prompting air and dust advisories for 17 million people across a vast stretch of Southern California, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The worst conditions were in the vicinity of the fires. In East Los Angeles, the air quality index hit an unhealthy 173. Good air quality is considered to be 50 or less.
Dr. Puneet Gupta, the assistant medical director for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said wildfire smoke causes heart attacks and worsens asthma, while burning homes can release cyanide and carbon dioxide.
The NHL postponed the Los Angeles Kings' home game against the Calgary Flames. They had been set to play at the Kings' downtown arena Wednesday night.
The Critics Choice Awards rescheduled their Sunday ceremonies for Jan. 26. They're due to be held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, only miles from Pacific Palisades.
The organization that puts on the Oscars has extended the voting window for Academy Awards nominations and delayed next week's planned nominations announcement.
Film studios canceled two movie premieres because of the fires and windy weather, the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park closed for the day because of smoky, windy conditions and the J. Paul Getty Trust said two of its museums, the Getty Villa and Getty Center, will remain closed for the next few days. But Disneyland, which is farther from the fires in Anaheim, remained open.
Universal Studios also canceled shooting for numerous series, including “Hacks,” “Ted Lasso” and “Suits LA.”
All schools will be closed Thursday in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Over 420,000 customers were without power in Southern California Thursday morning, with about half of them in Los Angeles County, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.
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