LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Firefighters are battling several wildfires across Los Angeles County, including in the Pacific Palisades, San Gabriel Valley, Sylmar and in the Hollywood Hills.
Red flag warnings are in effect and will and remain in place until 6 p.m. Friday for the Malibu coast, the Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, the San Gabriel Valley, the San Fernando Valley, Calabasas, the Santa Clarita Valley, the San Gabriel Mountains, and the 5 Freeway and 14 Freeway corridors.
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Hurst Fire spreads to 700 acres in Sylmar area
A wind-driven fire in the Sylmar area rapidly expanded to 700 acres Wednesday with 0% containment.
The Hurst Fire — one of four major fires burning in Southern California amid fierce Santa Ana winds — was reported around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 5900 block of Yarnell Street, and within a half-hour it had burned more than 100 acres, Los Angeles Fire Department said.
It rapidly grew in size to 700 acres by 11 a.m. Wednesday as it continued to burn uncontrolled.
Evacuations were ordered for the area north of the 210 Freeway from Roxford Street to the 5 and 14 Freeway split, according to the LAFD.
Evacuation warnings were also in effect for areas of Santa Clarita, along Calgrove Boulevard and the Newhall Pass, Wildwood and Eternal Valley, according to Cal Fire.
L.A. County was ‘not prepared’ for widespread disaster, fire chief says
As several brush fires continue to devastate Southern California, burning hundreds of structures and forcing thousands to evacuate, authorities said Los Angeles County, and all 29 fire departments within its borders, were “not prepared for this type of widespread disaster.”
During a Wednesday morning press conference, Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said there are “not enough firefighters in L.A. County to address four separate fires of this magnitude.”
Although authorities had pre-positioned resources across the region in preparation of the wind event, it wasn’t enough for what those intense Santa Ana wind caused.
“The L.A. County Fire Department was prepared for one or two major brush fires, but not four, especially given the sustained winds and low humidity… This is not a normal red flag alert,” he said.
Eaton Fire explodes to 10,600 acres in Altadena area amid 2 fatalities
The Eaton Fire exploded to 10,600 acres in the Altadena area on Wednesday morning, continuing to burn out of control after officials said two people were killed in the wildfire.
More than 100 structures have been destroyed in the blaze.
At a morning news conference, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said the circumstances of the two deaths were not immediately known.
Marrone said there were also “a number of significant injuries” due to the fire.
Speaking at the briefing, Sheriff Robert Luna said two people were arrested Wednesday morning for looting evacuated homes in the Eaton Fire burn area.
Palisades Fire burns 5,000 acres, burns 1,000 structures
The Pacific Palisades fire has burned more than 5,000 acres and has destroyed an estimated 1,000 structures, officials said during a news conference Wednesday.
The fire remains 0% contained.
VP Harris’ Brentwood neighborhood evacuated due to Palisades fire
Vice President Kamala Harris’ neighborhood in the Brentwood community in the Pacific Palisades was put under an evacuation order Wednesday morning due to the Palisades fire, according to a press secretary from Harris’ office.
No one was home at the time.
“She and the Second Gentleman are praying for the safety of their fellow Californians, the heroic first responders, and Secret Service personnel,” press secretary Ernie Apreza said in a post on X.
Harris and President Joe Biden are closely monitoring the wildfires and are in touch with state and local officials,
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AIR7 was able to launch Wednesday morning, giving us the first aerial view of multiple wildfires burning across Los Angeles.
Shortly after 9:30 a.m., AIR7 was over the Eaton Fire near Altadena and showed several two-story homes burning in a residential neighborhood while others smoldered.
Watch the live aerial images in the video player above.
Wildfires force road closures in Los Angeles County
Wildfires burning across Southern California amid a powerful windstorm are forcing roads and major freeways to close.
Near the Palisades fire in Pacific Palisades, a part of the Pacific Coast Highway is closed.
Due to the Eaton fire in Altadena, a portion of Altadena Drive is closed.
In Sylmar, due to the Hurst fire, a portion of westbound I-210 is closed.
