A mandatory evacuation order has been issued in the Hollywood Hills following the spread of raging wildfires in Los Angeles, with the fire chief saying the blaze is “expanding rapidly.”
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) said there was an “immediate threat to life” in the area and that the area was legally closed to the public.
At least five fires are currently active in Los Angeles, and five people have been killed.
More than 130,000 people have already had to be evacuated and the homes of many celebrities, including Paris Hilton and Billy Crystal, have been destroyed.
California Fire Chief David Acuna told the BBC that progress in containing the Hollywood Hills fire was “zero” and that it was spreading rapidly.
“The wind has been blowing constantly between 95 and 160 km/h since yesterday morning,” Acuna said. “It actually blew harder last night.”
Wind speeds have now dropped to around 30 mph, but Acuna added that “it’s still significant and because there are a lot of open areas, it’s extremely dangerous.”
The first fire broke out Tuesday in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood near Malibu, and others later broke out in the north of the city.
As of 8:15 p.m. local time (0400 GMT), four fires in the Palisades, Pasadena, Sylmar and Hollywood Hills areas covered more than 27,000 acres (42 square miles; 109 km2) and were 0% contained. , according to the LAFD.
One fire in the Acton area had been partially contained, while two others had been completely contained.
The fire in Hollywood Hills – a residential area overlooking the city’s historic Hollywood district – broke out around 6:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
Less than two hours later, much of the heart of Hollywood was covered in thick smoke and the tops of the palm trees that lined its streets were barely visible.
People used sweatshirts to cover their faces to help them breathe, while others, visibly surprised by the fire, wore only pajamas. Many carried bags and suitcases, talking on the phone while planning where to go.
Many roads near the fire, including Hollywood Boulevard, where the Hollywood Walk of Fame is located, were clogged with traffic. Some people even drove on the wrong side of the road trying to leave the area.
Resident Anna Waldman told the BBC she decided to walk her dog, but smelled smoke almost instantly when she went outside.
She went back inside and, looking out her back windows, saw fire and watched it move quickly while thinking of the Hollywood Hills, coming within a block of her house.
She packed what she could: food, clothes, blankets, food for her three little dogs.
“I can’t believe this,” she said exhaustedly, lowering her mask.
Makayla Jackson, 26, and her two-year-old son Ramari had been evacuated from a homeless shelter that was in danger of being burned down. people.
“They just told us to get out and leave,” she said.
Firefighters battling the fires experienced water shortages and had to resort to water from swimming pools and ponds.
Officials said three separate million-gallon tanks were full before the fires started, but the scale of the fires meant water could not move quickly enough to hydrants in the areas affected.
The city also doesn’t typically see fires of this magnitude — the Palisades fire is already the most destructive in its history — and its systems are designed for urban use, not wildfire fighting.
