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| Several homes have already been destroyed in the wildfire. Los Angeles, United States | Photo: Reuters |
A state of emergency has been declared in Los Angeles due to the wildfires in the United States on Tuesday, destroying several buildings.
When the fire started spreading rapidly due to strong winds, local residents panicked and started running to evacuate to safer places.
AFP reports that a 1,260-acre wildfire burned through California's Santa Monica Mountains on Sunday, destroying millions of dollars worth of homes. As the fire spread, panicked residents abandoned their cars on the only road in and out of the Pacific Palisades Mountains and set off on foot to find safety.
In such a situation, the fire service personnel used bulldozers to remove the cars from the road. They pushed several cars to one side of the road with the bulldozer. Among them were expensive models of BMW, Tesla, and Mercedes. At this time, many cars broke down and their alarms started sounding.
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Christine Crowley said there were no immediate reports of casualties in the blaze, despite the rush to evacuate.
Hundreds of fire service personnel are working to control the wildfire, some from the ground and others from aircraft.
As the fire spreads rapidly, about 30,000 people in the area have been asked to evacuate. Several homes have already been burned down in the fire.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Maron said at a press conference yesterday afternoon, "We are not out of danger." He also warned that wind speeds could increase further.
The White House said US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the wildfires and that Biden's team is in contact with local officials to coordinate centrally.
Local people were shocked when the fire began to spread yesterday morning.
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| When the fire broke out, local residents panicked and started running to safety | Photo: Reuters |
Gary added, "The smoke was visible in the distance and I was sure it wouldn't even reach the top of the hill... Five minutes later it started coming towards the hill. Everyone panicked; that's when everyone ran and started packing up their belongings."
Another victim, Kelsey Traynor, said she saw the fireball explode as she fled her home.
"When we got down the hill, two or three miles away, there were fires on both sides of the road and there was a traffic jam. No one knew what to do. Everyone was honking their car horns. There were fires all around," Kelsey said.
According to Kaylee Trainor, people were walking with suitcases. They had children and dogs with them. She saw an elderly woman crying in dismay.
Andrew Hyres, a resident of Pacific Palisades, told AFP he had taken his son to the dentist for a tooth extraction when he received a text message warning about the wildfires. They quickly got into their car after learning about it.
The fires have started in the region as the seasonal Santa Ana winds blow, which meteorologists have warned could turn into the most powerful storms seen in a decade.
The US National Weather Service forecast said gusts of up to 100 miles (160 kilometers) per hour were expected in parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
The highest level of severe fire danger warning is expected to remain in place until Thursday evening.