California Issues Wildfire Emergency, Deploys Retired Firefighters!

A-list actors, musicians, and other prominent figures were among the 10 of thousands affected by the terrifying wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles this week, claiming at least five lives. Over 70,000 people were forced to move out from Los Angeles and surrounding areas within the last 24 hours due to four to 5 major fires that remain uncontrolled, as fierce winds blow through Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst regions.

Los Angeles is grappling with the biggest wildfire in its history amid severe shortages of water and firefighting resources. A state of emergency has been declared, and Washington has send off assistance to help control the crisis. Retired firefighters with substantial experience are being brought in to support efforts. More than a thousand structures have been destroyed as wildfires spread across the area, displacing tens of thousands of residents. 

The situation remains dire, with a thick layer of smoke darkening the entire sky. Hurricane-force winds have pushed fireballs that jumped from house to house in the upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood, surrounding a large section of California's most coveted real estate, known for attracting Hollywood stars. The strong winds have spread embers hundreds of meters, sparking new spot fires faster than firefighters could extinguish them.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said that his teams are overwhelmed by the scale and speed of the fires. "We're doing the very best we can. But no, we don't have enough fire personnel in LA County between all the departments to handle this," he told to AFP.

By Wednesday afternoon, the fire raging in Pacific Palisades had burned around 16,000 acres which destroyed 1,000 homes and businesses. A separate blaze spanning 10,600 acres was creating havoc in Altadena, north of the city, where flames devastated suburban streets.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna updated the death toll, which had  been reported as two earlier but has now increased to five, with further fatalities being feared. "Unfortunately, it's grown to five as we continue through this area," Luna stated on radio station KNX. Hundreds of homes were lost in the luxurious Pacific Palisades area, where multimillion-dollar homes are perched on scenic hillsides, while other fires blew up in neighborhoods across the northern parts of the city.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared images showing the aftermath of the fires in one of Los Angeles' suburban areas, where cars, homes, and trees were totally incinerated.

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