Horror Los Angeles wildfires tear through city as thousands fleeing for lives trapped in gridlock
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Residents in Los Angeles are pictured desperately fleeing their homes after wildfires raged today. The fire happened as a result of a potentially “life-threatening, destructive” windstorm which swept across southern California on Tuesday afternoon. The blaze was seen for miles on roads clogged with cars as residents tried to escape the horror. The urgent evacuation order came as the weather toppled trees, and created dangerous conditions in the water for surfing.
An Associated Press photographer captured images of firefighters working to extinguish flames inside a home, and of people dashing to evacuate their homes and communities. Meteorologist Paul Deano said the wildfire situation in California is "near worst case scenario" for residents.
The first of several small blazes started in the foothills of the Pacific Palisades area in western Los Angeles. These swiftly consumed more than 200 acres (81 hectares) of land, leading to the evacuations in the hillsides which are dotted with celebrity homes.
A journalist saw a roof and chimney of one home in flames and another residence where the walls were burning earlier today. However, there is no initial estimate for the number of structures damaged or destroyed. But James Woods, an actor, posted footage of flames burning through bushes and past palm trees on a hill near his Pacific Palisades home. The towering orange flames billowed among the landscaped yards between the homes. He said in the short video posted on X: "Standing in my driveway, getting ready to evacuate.".
