8th Jan: Massive wildfires swept through the Los Angeles area early Wednesday, forcing residents to flee their homes amidst flames, strong winds, and thick clouds of smoke. Thousands of firefighters battled at least three major fires across the city, stretching from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena.
The Los Angeles Fire Department called for off-duty firefighters to assist, but high winds made it impossible for firefighting aircraft to operate, complicating efforts to control the blazes.
Images of the destruction showed luxury homes reduced to rubble and palm trees swaying against a fiery red sky. Tens of thousands of residents, including celebrities like Mark Hamill, Mandy Moore, and James Woods, were ordered to evacuate as the fires advanced into affluent neighborhoods.
One fire near a nature preserve northeast of LA spread so quickly that staff at a senior living center had to push elderly residents in wheelchairs and hospital beds to safety. Some residents, including a 102-year-old, waited in their nightclothes as embers rained down until help arrived.
Another fire erupted in Pacific Palisades, a coastal neighborhood known for its celebrity homes. Panic led to gridlocked roads as people abandoned their cars and fled on foot, carrying whatever belongings they could.
