At least five people have died as a series of massive wildfires broke out in and around Los Angeles (LA), the largest city in the western United States. The wildfires, which started along the coast, have been rapidly spreading due to localized gusts known as the 'Devil's Wind.' As multiple other fires erupted simultaneously in various locations, the situation is spiraling out of control. President Joe Biden has canceled his trip to Italy to coordinate a federal government response.
According to local media including CNN on the 8th (local time), the death toll from the wildfires has risen to five. On the morning of the previous day, a wildfire that broke out in Pacific Palisades on the LA coast quickly spread due to the localized gusts called 'Santa Ana.' Additional wildfires broke out in Eaton and Hearst the previous night, and on this day, fires were also reported in Woodley, Olivas, and Lydia. In the evening, multiple simultaneous wildfires broke out near Hollywood Hills, where the iconic Hollywood sign stands, and the fire was named the 'Sunset Fire.'
On the 8th (local time), the wheels of a tire melted due to the Eaton wildfire in Altadena, California. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
원본보기 아이콘Kristin Crawley, Chief of the LA Fire Department, explained that the Palisades Fire alone has burned over 15,800 acres and destroyed more than 1,000 buildings. This is the largest wildfire damage in LA's history. About 1,800 firefighters have been deployed in the area. The Eaton Fire has consumed 10,600 acres, the Hearst Fire 260 acres, and the Lydia Fire 340 acres. CNN reported that the Woodley Fire burned 30 acres and has now been contained, stating, "Excluding Woodley, there are currently six ongoing wildfires in LA County. Firefighters are battling the flames in a historic wildfire situation." According to CNN's own tally, more than 150,000 people in LA County have been ordered to evacuate due to the wildfires.
The New York Times also reported, "By this evening, five people had died due to the wildfires, more than 25,000 acres had burned, over 100,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders, and hundreds of thousands of households experienced power outages." The outlet noted the difficulty of firefighting, saying, "Trees along the roadside are burning like giant torches, hydrants for firefighters are nearly dry, and helicopters dropping water from the air have had their flights suspended due to the gusts."
On the 8th (local time) in Altadena, California, a Los Angeles County firefighter is spraying water on a burning house to suppress the Eaton wildfire. Photo by AFP
원본보기 아이콘In particular, as the flames remain largely uncontrolled, there are concerns that casualties may increase further. Following Governor Gavin Newsom's declaration of a state of emergency, California has deployed over 7,500 rescue and emergency personnel, including firefighters and the National Guard, and expanded emergency shelters. However, these efforts are considered seriously insufficient compared to the scale of the fires. Anthony Marrone, Chief of the LA County Fire Department, said, "We were prepared for one or two large wildfires, but not for four," highlighting the shortage of personnel and resources. However, the strong winds that initially hampered firefighting have somewhat subsided, allowing helicopters and other resources, previously grounded, to be redeployed.
President Joe Biden has declared California a major disaster area and ordered federal recovery assistance. According to the White House, this action will provide federal funds, temporary housing costs, low-interest loans for various repairs and property loss compensation, and other support programs to residents affected by the wildfires in LA County.
On the 8th (local time), coastal homes are burning in the Palisades wildfire that spread along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California. Photo by AFP
원본보기 아이콘President Biden, who had been visiting LA for his granddaughter's birth, visited the Santa Monica Fire Station in LA County for a direct briefing. He was scheduled to visit Italy starting on the 9th but canceled the trip. The White House explained, "He will focus on leading the federal response over the next few days." During the planned Italy trip, which was to be his last overseas visit during his term, President Biden was expected to meet with Pope Francis and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
On the 8th (local time), a resident is walking through a devastated residential area after the Palisades wildfire occurred in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. Photo by AP Yonhap News
원본보기 아이콘President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office on the 20th, called the LA wildfires a "true disaster" and blamed Governor Newsom, a leading Democratic presidential hopeful. On Truth Social, Trump claimed that Governor Newsom refused to issue a water restoration declaration to protect the fish smelt rather than California residents, saying, "All of this is his (Newsom's) responsibility." In a follow-up post, he added, "Up to this moment, 'Gavin Newscum' (a play on Gavin Newsom and 'scum') and his LA team have failed to contain even 0% of the fire. There is no water in the hydrants, and FEMA has no money. This is what Joe Biden left me."
