National Guard Called in as Devastating Wildfires Spread Into Hollywood Hills; Five Dead in Southern California, 2,000 Homes Reduced to Dust

A fast-moving fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday night, threatening one of Los Angeles’ most iconic spots as firefighters battled to get under control three other major blazes that killed five people, put 130,000 people under evacuation orders, and ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to inland Pasadena.The Sunset Fire started Wednesday evening as officials were holding a news conference to update residents on efforts to fight massive fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena and to warn that fire danger remained high. The Los Angeles Fire Department chief, Kristin Crowley, made a hasty exit after announcing the new fire and soon after an evacuation order was issued.The Hollywood Walk of Fame was bustling and the streets around the TCL Chinese Theatre and Madame Tussauds were packed with stop-and-go traffic as sirens blared and low-flying helicopters flew overhead to dump water on the flames, which were only about a mile away. People toting suitcases left hotels while some onlookers walked toward the flames, recording the fire on their phones.Within a few hours, firefighters had made major progress. The captain of the Los Angeles Fire Department, Erik Scott, said they were able to keep the fire in check because “we hit it hard and fast and mother nature was a little nicer to us today than she was yesterday.”A day earlier, hurricane-force winds blew embers through the air, igniting block after block at the coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades as well as at Altadena, a community near Pasadena that is about 25 miles east.Nearly 2,000 homes, businesses and other structures have been destroyed in those blazes — called the Palisades and Eaton fires — and the number is expected to rise. The five deaths recorded so far were from the Eaton Fire.The Palisades Fire already is the most destructive in Los Angeles history, with at least 1,000 structures burned.More than half a dozen schools in the area were either damaged or destroyed, including Palisades Charter High School, which has been featured in many Hollywood productions, including the 1976 horror movie “Carrie” and the TV series “Teen Wolf,” officials said. UCLA has canceled classes for the week.The mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, said air operations were dousing flames. She warned they still faced “erratic winds,” though not like Tuesday evening, when aircraft had to be grounded and much of the destruction occurred.At 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.As flames moved through his neighborhood, Jose Velasquez sprayed down his family’s Altadena home with water as embers rained down on the roof. He managed to save their home, which also houses their family business selling churros, a Mexican pastry. Others weren’t so lucky. Many of his neighbors were at work when they lost their homes.“So we had to call a few people and then we had people messaging, asking if their house was still standing,” he said. “We had to tell them that it’s not.”At Pacific Palisades, a hillside area along the coast dotted with celebrity homes, the scope of the destruction was just becoming clear:Block after block of California Mission Style homes and bungalows were reduced to charred remains. Ornate iron railing wrapped around the smoldering frame of one house Swimming pools were blackened with soot, and sports cars slumped on melted tires.The apocalyptic scenes spread for miles.Actors Homes Reduced to RubbleThe flames marched toward highly populated and affluent neighborhoods, including Calabasas and Santa Monica, home to California’s rich and famous.Mandy Moore, Cary Elwes, and Paris Hilton were among the stars who lost homes. Billy Crystal and his wife Janice lost their home of 45 years in the Palisades Fire.“We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can’t be taken away,” the Crystals wrote in the statement.At Palisades Village, the public library, two major grocery stores, a pair of banks, and several boutiques were destroyed.“It’s just really weird coming back to somewhere that doesn’t really exist anymore,” Dylan Vincent, who returned to the neighborhood to retrieve some items and saw that his elementary school had burned down and that whole blocks had been flattened, said.Fast-Moving Flames Allowed Little Time To EscapeThe fires have consumed a total of about 42 square miles. Flames moved so quickly that many barely had time to escape. Police sought shelter inside their patrol cars, and residents at a senior living center were pushed in wheelchairs and hospital beds down a street to safety.In the race to get away at Pacific Palisades, roadways became impassable when scores of people abandoned their vehicles and set out on foot.Dry winds, including the notorious Santa Anas, have contributed to the fires’ spread, which has not seen more than 0.1 inches of rain since early May.The winds increased to 80 mph Wednesday, according to reports received by the National Weather Service. Forecasters predicted wind gusts of 35-55 mph that could rise higher in the mountains and foothills. Fire conditions could last through Friday.Landmarks Gets Scourched and Movie Productions HaltedPresident Biden signed a federal emergency declaration after arriving at a Santa Monica fire station for a briefing with Governor Newsom, who dispatched National Guard troops to help.Several Hollywood studios suspended production, and Universal Studios closed its theme park between Pasadena and Pacific Palisades.As of Wednesday evening, more than 330,000 people were without power in southern California, according to the tracking website PowerOutage.us.Several Southern California landmarks were heavily damaged, including the Reel Inn at Malibu, a seafood restaurant. Owner Teddy Leonard and her husband hope to rebuild.“When you look at the grand scheme of things, as long as your family is well and everyone’s alive, you’re still winning, right?” she said.

National Guard Called in as Devastating Wildfires Spread Into Hollywood Hills; Five Dead in Southern California, 2,000 Homes Reduced to Dust

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