Five wildfires ravage Los Angeles amidst 100 mph winds

At least five major wildfires are now raging in the city of Los Angeles, from the luxurious Pacific Palisades neighborhood to the Hollywood Hills, with only the Hurst and Lidia fires partially contained.

Five people have been killed and more than 130,000 evacuated to date as the flames spread at an alarming rate with 0% containment in the Palisades district and the two other fires in Eaton and Sunset.

The flames have also engulfed 1,900 buildings at a cost that is currently estimated at around $57 billion, with famous landmarks such as the Hollywood sign and the Hollywood Walk of Fame threatened by the blaze.

More than 28,000 acres have been scorched with homes burned to the ground including those of Paris Hilton and Billy Crystal, The Guardian reports.

The worst of the fires is raging in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood which has been described as the most destructive in LA history.

As multi-million dollar piles are gutted by the flames, residents have been fleeing the scene, grabbing the bare essentials in their rush to reach safety.

According to CNN, some drivers, fearing being engulfed by flames, abandoned their cars and made a run for it, with eyewitnesses likening the scenario to a Hollywood disaster movie.

Firefighters on the ground are not trying to save the burning buildings but are rather focusing on preventing the flames from spreading to other neighborhoods and saving lives.

Guardian reporter Gabrielle Canon said, “It’s utter devastation here. The iconic stretch of the Pacific Coast highway between Santa Monica and Malibu is unrecognisable.”

While the flames are being stoked by the dry high winds specific to this time of year, the situation has been exacerbated by unusually dry conditions, being blamed on the climate crisis, according to The Guardian.

As David Acuna, battalion chief and public information officer with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL) told the BBC, January is the month when the firefighting department usually recharges its batteries.

Now, with each gust of wind, the embers take flight, and are capable of travelling miles, making the job of firefighters all but impossible.

The strong gusts are also preventing effective use of water to dampen the blaze and firefighting aircraft from flying overhead, both crucial tools to get the flames under control.

David Acuna told CNN there was little chance of containing the fires due to the high winds that are due to drop off but then pick up again.

California governor Gavin Newsom, reported that more than 1,400 firefighters have been deployed to fight the "unprecedented fires" in LA with extra help "pouring in from across the state".

The fires ignited on Tuesday afternoon after a mighty windstorm fanned the flames of a fire in Pacific Palisades.

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