Wildfires rage out of control near Los Angeles, killing at least two

At least two people were killed as a trio of fast-growing wildfires raged out of control on Wednesday near Los Angeles, destroying hundreds of buildings, scorching hillsides and prompting officials to order some 70,000 people to evacuate their homes.

Fierce winds were hindering firefighting efforts and fuelling the fires, which have expanded unimpeded since they began on Tuesday.

The biggest blaze had consumed more than 5,000 acres in the picturesque Pacific Palisades neighborhood, which lies west of Los Angeles between the beach towns of Santa Monica and Malibu and is home to many film, television and music stars. More than 1,000 structures have been destroyed, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a news conference on Wednesday.

Another fire, the Eaton fire, had grown to more than 2,000 acres as it burned some 30 miles (50 km) inland in Altadena, near Pasadena. Two fatalities were reported there, though officials said they did not have further details.

The Hurst fire, in Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley northwest of Los Angeles, had exceeded 500 acres. All three fires were 0% contained, officials said.

A "high number" of significant injuries had occurred among residents who did not heed evacuation orders, Marrone said.

Officials warned that the gusty winds were forecast to persist throughout the day.

"We are absolutely not out of danger yet, with the strong winds that continue to push through the city and the county today," Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristen Crowley said.

The skies above Los Angeles glowed red and were blanketed by thick smoke as the sun rose on Wednesday.

As the flames spread and residents began evacuating after the fires broke out on Tuesday, roads were so jammed that some people abandoned their vehicles to escape the fire. Emergency responders were going door to door to press evacuation orders.

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Tuesday.

Approximately 100 of the 1,000 public schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District were shut down, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho told the press conference.

Pacific Palisades resident Cindy Festa said that as she evacuated, fires were "this close to the cars," demonstrating with her thumb and forefinger.

"People left their cars on Palisades Drive. Burning up the hillside. The palm trees - everything is going," Festa said from her car.
David Reed said he had no choice but to leave his Pacific Palisades home when police officers showed up at his door.

"They laid down the law," Reed said.

He gathered his most important possessions and accepted a ride from officers to the evacuation center at the Westwood Community Center.

"I grabbed my trombone and the latest book I've been reading, which is my Jack Kerouac anthology here, because I'm a beatnik," he said, adding that he could see flames approaching his home.

Pacific Palisades is one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the country. A typical home was valued at $3.7 million as of the end of 2023, according to Zillow, more than all but four other zip codes in the United States.