A wildfire that was sparked in the hills north of Los Angeles has now reached the city's suburbs. Firefighters are scrambling to contain the out-of-control blaze as dozens of homes have been destroyed.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/The Orange County Register/D. Crane
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Authorities in Los Angeles ordered 100,000 people to evacuate their homes Friday morning as an out-of-control wildfire spreads towards heavily populated areas of the city.
The so-called Saddleridge brush fire, which was sparked Thursday evening in the hills to the north of San Fernando Valley on the northern edge of Los Angeles, is being fanned by heavy "Santa Ana" winds.
As of Friday afternoon, firefighters said the wildfire had grown to 11 square miles (28 square kilometers), adding that the fire is partially contained at 13%.
Authorities reported at least 25 homes were destroyed, and damage assessments are ongoing.
Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas told a news conference Friday that dry conditions and heavy wind have combined to create a "very dynamic fire" and he strongly urged residents to evacuate if ordered to do so.
"We've calculated that the fire is moving at a rate of 800 acres per hour," Terrazas said, adding that it might take days to get the fire fully under control.
According to the US National Weather Service, the high winds are expected to weaken by Friday evening.
The wildfire burns near a freeway in San Fernando Valley on Friday Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Swanson
Deaths reported, as multiple fires burn
At least three deaths have been reported on Friday related to various fires burning around California.
A man died when he suffered a heart attack while trying to fight the Saddleridge fire in Los Angeles.
Several schools, colleges and highways in the area have been shut and water-dropping helicopters have been working through the night.
More than 1,000 firefighters were deployed to fight the blaze near Sylmar, a neighborhood in the suburbs north of Los Angeles.
Wildfire burns up a hillside near Sylmar near Los AngelesImage: Reuters/G. Blevins
Second wildfire destroys houses
Authorities have also been fighting the so-called Sandalwood fire around 120 kilometers (70 miles) east of Los Angeles in Riverside County.
The fire scorched an area of around 500 acres and has destroyed 74 structures near the city of Calimesa.
A second death was confirmed in Calimesa, near a mobile home park close to where the fire began.
This Sandalwood fire began after a garbage truck dumped burning trash near dry grass and vegetation.
A fire in Calimesa, California burns a mobile home parkImage: picture-alliance/AP Photo/The Orange County Register/D. Crane
Power returns in northern California
In northern California, power company Pacific Gas and Electric Co. returned power to millions of residents on Friday after turning off the electricity as a preventative measure. The company faced heavy criticism for shutting off power.
"We have found multiple cases of damage or hazards" caused by heavy winds, including fallen branches that came in contact with overhead lines, said Sumeet Singh, a vice president for the utility company. "If they were energized, they could've ignited."
Critics, however, said the company had failed to modernize its equipment and services to deal with such situations.
A fire official confirmed a third death, of a man who died after losing his oxygen supply after power was cut off.
This year, 275 wildfires have broken out across California. The most destructive year on record was 2018, when 8,500 wildfires scorched through the state, killing around 100 people.
wmr,ed/dr (AFP, AP, Reuters)
Raging wildfires around the world
The severity of the wildfires in the Amazon has prompted a global outcry. But Brazil isn't the only country struggling to contain out-of-control blazes. In fact, even more fires are currently burning in Central Africa.
Image: firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov
The Congo Basin
According to Weather Source, over 6,900 fires have been recorded in Angola and 3,400 in DR Congo this week; compared to over 2,000 in Brazil. But experts say it's difficult to compare. "Fire in Africa... is part of a cycle, people in the dry season set fire to bush rather than to dense, moist rainforest," said Greenpeace's Philippe Verbelen.
Image: picture alliance/ WILDLIFE
Bolivia
Almost a million hectares (3860 square miles) of forest and farmland have been destroyed in Bolivia over the past few weeks by largely unchecked wildfires, with scientists and indigenous leaders already branding it the country's biggest disaster for biodiversity. Small farmers often practice the slash-and-burn method — known locally as chaqueo — as a quick and easy way to clear land.
Image: AFP/A. Raldes
Indonesia
The start of the dry season has sparked Indonesia's worst annual fire season since 2015. A state of emergency has been declared in six provinces, including Sumatra and the Riau Islands. Like Brazil, Indonesia is home to some of our planet's oldest tropical forests, but large areas have been lost to agriculture or other commercial interests.
Image: picture-alliance/Photoshot/H. Vavaldi
Gran Canaria, Spain
A wildfire raged through the Spanish holiday island for over a week this month, threatening several parks rich in biodiversity and forcing thousands to evacuate. Spain is often threatened by massive forest fires, especially during the hot, arid summer months. Experts say climate change means these events will likely become more severe and frequent.
Image: Reuters/B. Suarez
Russia
Large swathes of land in Siberia have been engulfed by wildfires this season, prompting a state of emergency in four regions. Forest fires are a natural event in Siberia, but unusually warm weather this summer combined with strong winds meant a record 5.5 million hectares of forest was burning by mid-August, creating a cloud of smoke which covered a greater area than the EU!
Image: Imago Images/ITAR-TASS
Greece
Greece is on high alert as hot, windy weather fuels dozens of fires across the country. Hundreds of people had to be evacuated from the holiday island of Samos. Fires in Greece are often blamed on people ignoring safety rules during severe weather conditions, such as throwing away lit cigarettes or barbequing outdoors. More than 100 people were killed in a wildfire outside Athens in July 2018.
Image: REUTERS
Australia
Australia is no stranger to bushfires. But they are becoming increasingly common even during the winter months thanks to warmer-than-usual temperatures. Tinder-dry conditions have forced some states to bring forward the start of the bushfire danger season to August 1. Between August 22 - 23 this year Australia recorded 768 bushfires — slightly higher than the number of blazes burning in Bolivia.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Arizona, United States
Beginning on June 8, three wildfires in Central Arizona have burned through 14,000 acres of land. Wildfire season is usually quite active in Arizona due to its dry climate. Unless they pose a threat to human life, many fires are contained and managed rather than suppressed. On average, over 2% of the land has burned per decade since 1984 — a figure likely to increase as the climate warms.
