A series of wildfires are tearing through densely populated parts of the Los Angeles, Calif. area.
Five people have been reported dead. About 130,000 have been asked to evacuate. Nearly 2,000 homes and other buildings have been destroyed after the fires charred about 108 square kilometres.
There are five fires in progress: The Lidia fire, the Hurst fire, the Eaton fire, the Sunset fire and the Palisades fire.
Follow along for the latest updates
9 a.m. EST: Water shortages
In Pasadena, Fire Chief Chad Augustin said the city’s water system was stretched and was further hampered by power outages, but even without those issues, firefighters would not have been able to stop the fire due to the intense winds fanning the flames.
“Those erratic wind gusts were throwing embers for multiple miles ahead of the fire,” he said.
The Associated Press
The Palisades Fire burns a beachfront property Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Malibu, Calif. (Etienne Laurent / The Associated Press)
8:30 a.m. EST: Firefighters have made progress on Sunset fire
The Sunset fire, which broke out Wednesday evening, is blazing through the Hollywood Hills. Firefighters have made progress containing due to improving weather conditions.
Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott: “We hit it hard and fast and mother nature was a little nicer to us today than she was yesterday.”
High-speed winds were part of the reason the wildfires were able to spread so quickly yesterday.
With files from The Associated Press