KATHMANDU: Strong winds and parched vegetation caused a wildfire to start north of Los Angeles on Wednesday and quickly spread across 9,400 acres (38 square kilometers). As a result of the Hughes fire, almost 31,000 residents inside its path have been forced to evacuate.
This blaze, which is located roughly 50 miles (80 km) from Los Angeles, is making it harder for firefighters to contain two other large fires in the city. One of the recent destructive fires in the area, the Eaton Fire, was two-thirds the size of the Hughes fire within a few hours of its start.
Authorities have warned residents in the Los Angeles County neighborhood of Castaic Lake that there is an "immediate threat to life" as the fire spreads. A red flag warning is still in effect for southern California because of the high risk of fire caused by strong winds and dry conditions.
31,000 people have been placed under mandatory evacuation orders, and another 23,000 are still under evacuation warnings, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. Many people are rushing to find refuge because of how quickly the fire is spreading.
During the crisis, the 700,000-acre (2,800-square-kilometer) Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains has been closed to all tourists as a precaution.
In order to respond to possible outbreaks, over 1,100 firefighters have been placed in strategic locations throughout Southern California to fight the Hughes fire. According to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, about 4,000 firefighters are now battling the fire.
Nine months have passed with little to no rainfall in the area, which has led to dangerous fire conditions. But there might be some respite because rain is predicted for Saturday and Monday, which could help with firefighting.
Helicopters have been used by firefighters to collect water from a nearby lake and spray it over the fire. Additionally, fire retardants have been spread throughout the impacted hillsides by fixed-wing aircraft. On camera, flames were seen perilously near the water's edge.
Smoke from the fire temporarily forced the closure of Interstate 5, a key north-south highway in the western United States. Although visibility was severely reduced, firefighters managed to contain enough of the blaze to reopen the highway, according to Chief Marrone.
The two large fires that have ravaged Los Angeles since January 7 have made headway in the meantime. Currently, 91% of the 14,021 acres (57 square kilometers) of the Eaton Fire east of the city have been contained. 68% of the larger Palisades Fire, which is located on the west side of the city and covers 23,448 acres (95 square kilometers), has been contained.
"Fire containment" describes the region around a fire that firefighters have control over, thereby stopping it from spreading. In places impacted by these fires, the united efforts have helped to provide some aid.
Since they started earlier this month, the two flames have burned an area about the size of Washington, D.C., destroyed or damaged more than 16,000 buildings, and claimed 28 lives. Approximately 180,000 residents were forced to evacuate by Los Angeles County officials during the height of the crisis.
The resilience and effectiveness of the local firefighting personnel are evident in the several minor wildfires that have been extinguished or brought under control across Southern California over the past two weeks, despite these challenges.
Private weather forecaster AccuWeather estimates that the economic losses and damages from these wildfires exceed $250 billion, underscoring the scope of the destruction and the lengthy recovery process.
As the Hughes fire continues to threaten lives and property, firefighters and other emergency responders are praying for improved weather in the coming days and are committed to protecting towns.
