What is known as the mecca of cinema continues to burn. The city of Los Angeles continues to be devastated by the voracity of fires that since last Tuesday have already killed at least 16 people and left 13 missing. More than 100,000 people are evacuated from their homes and another 150,000 are also in a pre-alert situation waiting to know if they will finally also have to leave their homes in the face of an emergency that does not cease.
Everything indicates, therefore, that the flames will not stop until this Wednesday, even more so when the winds that hit them are expected to reactivate again starting this Monday. For now, the fire has already destroyed more than 14,000 hectares and more than 12,000 structureswhich include all types of homes and vehicles.
Of the four fires that remain active in the Californian city, the largest and most extensive so far is the one that is hitting hard the Palisades area, east of Los Angeles, a wealthy area where a large number of houses are located. celebrities that They have ended up turned into ashes. With a totally war scenario, the flames have killed five people and about 10,000 hectares, also reaching even the beaches of Malibu.
The fire services, for the moment, continue fighting this fire, but so far They have only been able to contain 11% of the flames. They also do so while waiting for a worsening of what are known as ‘Santa Ana winds’ this Sunday night, which will hinder their work.
Far from subsiding, the Palisades focus continues to advance eastward, specifically towards the residential neighborhoods of Brentwood and Encino, where the authorities have come to issue an immediate evacuation order in the event of a “threat to life.” Among others, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Disney CEO Bob Iger, and basketball player Lebron James own multimillion-dollar properties here.
Jesús Ruiz, spokesperson for the county, has indicated to the American press that the movement of the fire is experiencing “significant progress” and that it is moving to an area that is “densely populated.” “We are definitely concerned,” this political representative has come to assure. In this area, there is also one of the most recognized museums in this county, the Getty Center, which has closed its doors all week.
As for the rest of the fires, emergency services have already managed to contain 76% of the Hurst fire and 15% of the Eaton fire. Also, this weekend They have managed to completely contain three other outbreaks that were active, Kenneth’s, Lidia’s and Sunset’s. The latter located in the forest area closest to the mythical sign of hollywood and that threatened to end him.
Criticism of the tragedy’s water systems
In the midst of this scenario, in recent days there has been a wave of criticism of the authorities’ preparation for the emergency and the deficient water systems that firefighters are using to try to put out the flames. As stated by media such as CNN or Los Angeles Times, the emergency “has shown the vulnerability” of systems such as water supply or electricity, which have failed at a critical moment.
Thus, one of the main problems in the midst of the tragedy for fire officials has been the lack of pressure in the water systems after several tanks will remain dry after 15 hours of intensive use. As explained by the executive director of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Energy, the cause is because the system has been taken “to the extreme”, registering a demand four times greater than usual.
Added to this is that the pumping systems that supplied these tanks were also disabled in the Palisades after the power supply will be cut off to prevent, precisely, a greater risk of fires due to the power lines that had fallen. A situation that according to authorities has created a kind of “vicious circle” that has ended up leaving firefighters without sufficient resources in the most affected areas.
In recent hours, the budget cuts have also been criticized, as well as the elimination of support positions that the Los Angeles Fire Department has experienced in recent years, events that have led to the head of this department herself. organization has asserted that They are not in the best position right now. to face this crisis.
“There is no water in the fire hydrants,” Rick Caruso, owner of a shopping center in the heart of the Palisades, has also stated: “The firefighters are there and there is nothing they can do, we have neighborhoods on fire, houses on fire and businesses on fire… It should not happen this”.
More agents to put out the fires
Given these events, the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has announced that The strength of the California National Guard has been doubled to act in the most affected areas of Los Angeles. The Government of California has already mobilized more than 12,000 people, including firefighters, police officers and members of law enforcement agents to fight the fires.
In several areas, looting is also taking place, taking advantage of the abandonment of houses, so the authorities They have also arrested around twenty people. “It is a shame that there are those who take advantage of our residents in this time of crisis,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. For this reason, sectors such as Pacific Palisades and Altadena have had to decree a curfew which is in force between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
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