5 dead, 130,000 people. The damage caused by the raging fires in Los Angeles, California continues to rise. The situation is critical. Water supplies were nearly depleted and firefighters from other states were brought in to fight the blaze. In response to these historic fires, the President of the United States canceled his trip to Italy, which included a meeting with the Pope.
A forest fire that started in the Los Angeles area has spread to the Hollywood Hills, Reuters reported. This brings the number of fires in Los Angeles County, California to six. The fires are in the posh Pacific Palisades neighborhoods of Sylmar and Altadena, among others.
At least five people died as a result of clashes with the elements. The death toll is rising, with authorities previously announcing two fatalities. Additionally, more than 1,000 structures were destroyed and more than 130,000 residents were forced to evacuate.
California. There is a fire in Los Angeles. water supply is running out
Officials said the four fires were still uncontained and it was unclear when firefighters would be able to bring the situation under control. Reuters said hurricane-force winds were hampering firefighting efforts. The situation has been exacerbated by widespread drought, with water supplies “stretched to the limit”.
See also: New information from Los Angeles. Fires rage, tens of thousands of people evacuated
Firefighters from six other states rushed to California. The Palisades fire has already destroyed 6,406 hectares and hundreds of buildings in the foothills between Santa Monica and Malibu. The Eaton Fire destroyed a further 4,289 hectares and another 1,000 buildings. Meanwhile, about 2,590 hectares were consumed in Hearst in the San Fernando Valley.
On Thursday, all schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the United States, are scheduled to close.
Joe Biden canceled a trip to Italy. He will deal with ‘historic’ fires
Experts have already begun estimating the amount of losses. Initial damage and economic losses are estimated at more than $50 billion. Due to the dramatic situation, US President Joe Biden has canceled a planned visit to Italy. The head of state said he would now focus on fighting California’s fires.
See also: Luxury neighborhood catches fire. big fire in los angeles
“President Biden returned from Los Angeles, where he had previously met with police, fire and emergency personnel battling historic wildfires raging in the region, and approved California’s major disaster declaration before returning from his scheduled trip to Italy. “We have made the decision to suspend our visit and focus on leading the full federal response in the coming days,” the White House said in a statement.
Biden was scheduled to visit Italy from January 9th to 12th and meet with Pope Francis, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
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