A wildfire has spread rapidly in Los Angeles, destroying homes and causing long traffic jams as 30,000 people have been ordered to evacuate, with large plumes of smoke covering much of the metropolitan area.
At least 1,182 hectares in the area between Santa Monica and Malibu have been burned, officials said, warning of the severe risk posed by the extreme fire, which is being fueled by strong winds following a severe drought.
As the fire spreads, officials have warned that the winds will continue to worsen the situation, raising concerns that more neighborhoods may be forced to evacuate.
Witnesses have reported that several homes, as well as vehicles, have been destroyed as people evacuated.
“We are lucky that, so far, there are no reports of injuries,” said Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, adding that more than 25,000 people in 10,000 homes are threatened by the fire.
Firefighters and airplanes are involved in efforts to extinguish the flames, which have engulfed homes, according to footage aired by the media.
The fire has also spread near Topanga Canyon and Getty Villa, where a museum housing valuable works of art is located.
Only one road connects the canyon with the coastal area, and just one highway is available for evacuation, leading to long traffic jams and forcing some people to evacuate on foot.
Before the fire started, the U.S. National Weather Service issued a warning for extreme fire conditions across most of Los Angeles, predicting winds of 80 to 130 kilometers per hour.
Due to the lack of rainfall, the weather conditions are “extremely bad,” said the Los Angeles office of the National Weather Service.
Governor Gavin Newsom, who declared a state of emergency, said he had deployed personnel, firefighters, and aircraft to other parts of Southern California due to the risk that the fire could spread even further in the region, according to REL.
“We hope we’re wrong, but we expect there will be additional fire outbreaks,” Newsom said during a press conference.
A new fire broke out in Pasadena, burning 80 hectares, officials said.
Due to the strong winds, President Joe Biden’s plane was forced to land in Los Angeles. He was scheduled to attend an event in California, but it was postponed to another date, the White House announced.
In a statement, Biden said he had offered federal assistance in the efforts to extinguish the fire in Los Angeles.
Scientists have stated that climate change, driven by human activity, is making extreme weather events more frequent, intense, and prolonged.
