At least five people have died in wildfires that have engulfed much of Los Angeles. About 2,000 structures, including many homes, were destroyed deep in the heart of the American film industry. Winds that reached a speed of 160 kilometers have spread the fire over a large area, reaching the well-known neighborhood 'Hollywood Hills' continues to be destroyed by fires, one of which is considered the heaviest in the history of the city. Among the many houses that have been completely burned down are also the residences of many well-known Hollywood stars.
Authorities continued efforts to extinguish massive fires early Thursday in the Los Angeles area that destroyed entire communities.
Over 100 thousand people have been forced to leave their homes. The fires that started on Tuesday have already caused several deaths and destroyed around 2,000 structures.
The dramatic scenes continued through the night into the early hours of the morning.
Bystanders tried to save a house that was in danger of burning down from the flames that engulfed a nearby palm tree. Passersby communicated with the evacuated residents of the house to allow them to get on the roof to pour water on the tree to prevent the fire from spreading throughout the neighborhood. Many similar situations have been published all over social networks.
Residents in downtown Los Angeles took to the famous Hollywood Boulevard, home to some of the film industry's most famous spots, to watch the fire approach the city.
"I am very scared because we had an inspection today and they told us that the fires will not be able to go over the hills. When we got out here on the boulevard, I started to cry. It's really scary. "I know it's scarier for people who have lost their homes, but it's really scary to think that the fire is so close to us," said Allison Martin, a resident of the city.
Images from space show the spread of fire engulfing the city and surrounding areas, while images showing the situation before and after the fires show the level of massive destruction.
President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency for California that authorizes funding and other resources for the disaster. The White House also announced that President Biden canceled a previously planned visit to Italy due to the situation in Los Angeles.
"I know the world is watching the images of the destruction of our city. I saw the battlefields of the fire and they are shocking," the city's mayor, Karen Bass, said late Wednesday.
As of Thursday morning, four fires were still burning in Los Angeles, including in the hills on the west side where most of the residences of famous Hollywood stars are located.
Actors Billy Crystal and Mandy Moore are among those whose homes have been completely burned down. City officials indicated that the situation is changing from moment to moment.
"Currently the fire has covered an area of over 6300 hectares. I want to make it clear that this incident is very dynamic and the situation is changing from moment to moment," said Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley.
California is going through what is known as mountain fire season. This season, however, has started earlier and will end later as a result of increased temperatures and drought due to environmental changes.
The rains that usually end fire season are being delayed, meaning fires may continue to burn well into the winter months.
As authorities grapple with the massive wildfires, Republicans and Democrats have traded blame over the situation. Republicans, including President-elect Donald Trump, have accused the Democratic leadership of California and Los Angeles of mismanaging the situation, while Democrats have accused their rivals of using the tragedy for political purposes. / Voice of America (A2 Televizion)
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