Flame inferno kills five people in Los Angeles: destruction like in a war zone!
By Barbara Munker, Valeria Nickel
Los Angeles (USA) - An inferno of flames in the Los Angeles area: devastating fires have left a trail of devastation in their wake, like a war zone.
The flames spread to the famous Hollywood Hills on Wednesday evening (local time) and parts of the neighborhood had to be evacuated.
According to the authorities, five people have died in the fires so far and numerous others have been injured. According to media reports, around 130,000 people have been displaced and more than 1,000 buildings have been destroyed. The fires are still not under control.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden (82) declared a state of disaster, allowing communities and survivors to immediately receive federal funding to help with reconstruction, and canceled his trip to Italy planned for Friday.
According to US media, this is already one of the worst fire disasters in Los Angeles city history.
The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom (57), fears an increase in the number of victims. In an interview with CNN, he spoke of "utter destruction" and recalled the deadly fires in Paradise, a town in Northern California, in which 85 people died in 2018.
Large fires rage over 100 square kilometers
The latest deaths were recorded north-east of the Los Angeles metropolis, near Pasadena, where the so-called "Eaton Fire" was still out of control. This major fire has already covered an area of around 42 square kilometers.
The Palisades Fire on the western edge of Los Angeles is raging over an even wider area. It has spread to an area of more than 64 square kilometers, from the hills in Pacific Palisades to the beaches of Malibu. According to initial estimates by the authorities, around a thousand buildings burned down.
The mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass (71), urged people to follow the evacuation orders. Firefighters from all parts of the country should arrive as reinforcements.
During a visit to the Cal Fire fire protection authority, Biden promised an additional 2,000 National Guard troops.
Public life in Los Angeles comes to a standstill
The extent of the destruction caused by deadly fires in the Los Angeles area leaves us speechless. "No words," wrote Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis (66) on Instagram in a video of a drive through burnt-out streets, past smouldering ruins and charred palm trees.
The fire disaster brought normal life in the metropolis of millions almost to a standstill. All schools were to remain closed on Thursday.
After New York, the Los Angeles Unified School District is the second largest school district in the country. In some areas, the air quality was classified as very unhealthy.