LOS ANGELES — The largest of the raging wildfires that have devastated parts of Los Angeles this week was reported to have shifted direction Saturday, triggering more evacuation orders and posing a new challenge to exhausted firefighters.
Six simultaneous blazes have ripped across Los Angeles County neighborhoods since Tuesday, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. The toll is expected to rise as firefighters continue to conduct house-to-house searches.
The fierce Santa Ana winds that fanned the infernos eased Friday night, providing some relief for the exhausted firefighters. However, the Palisades Fire on the city’s western edge has now shifted direction, prompting another evacuation order as it edges towards the Brentwood neighborhood and the San Fernando Valley foothills, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“The Palisades fire has experienced a new significant flare-up on the eastern portion and continues to move northeast,” said LA Fire Department Captain Erik Scott in an interview with local TV station KTLA, as reported on the Times website.
The Palisades Fire, which is now the most destructive in the history of Los Angeles, has left whole neighborhoods in ruins, with only the smoldering remains of what were once people’s homes and possessions.
Before the latest flare-up, firefighters had reported progress in subduing the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire in the foothills east of the city. As of Friday night, the Palisades Fire was 8% contained and the Eaton Fire 3%, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).
Together, these two fires have consumed a staggering 35,000 acres (14,100 hectares), or 54 square miles – an area 2½ times the size of Manhattan.
As the fires continue to rage, 153,000 people remain under evacuation orders and another 166,800 are facing evacuation warnings. A curfew has been put in place for all evacuation zones, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.
In response to the devastating fires, seven neighboring states, the federal government, and Canada have rushed aid to California. This includes aerial teams dropping water and fire retardant on the flaming hills, as well as ground crews attacking fire lines with hand tools and hoses.
The National Weather Service has predicted that conditions in the Los Angeles area will improve over the weekend, with sustained winds slowing to about 20 mph (32 kph) and gusts between 35 mph and 50 mph.
“It’s not as gusty, so that should help firefighters,” said NWS meteorologist Allison Santorelli. However, she also warned that conditions are still critical due to low humidity and dry vegetation.
CAL FIRE has also issued a warning that there is a chance of strong winds returning on Tuesday.
“There will continue to be a high likelihood of critical fire weather conditions through next week,” they said in a statement.
The thick, toxic smoke from the fires has also prompted officials to declare a public health emergency. Homes have been reduced to ash, leaving behind a landscape of destruction and despair.
Residents of Pacific Palisades who returned to their devastated neighborhoods on Friday were met with the shocking sight of brick chimneys looming over charred waste and burnt-out vehicles, as acrid smoke lingered in the air.
Kelly Foster, 44, who lost her home in the fire, said, “This was a house that was loved.” Her 16-year-old daughter, Ada, added, “I just became sick. I just couldn’t even…yeah, it’s hard.”
In Rick McGeagh’s Palisades neighborhood, only six out of 60 homes survived. All that remained standing at his ranch house was a statue of the Virgin Mary. “Everything else is ash and rubble,” said McGeagh, 61, a commercial real estate broker who, along with his wife, raised three children at their home.
In the face of this devastation, the community has come together to support those affected by the fires. On Friday morning, hundreds of people gathered at a parking lot near the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena to donate clothing, diapers, and bottled water.
Denise Doss, 63, who lost her home in Altadena, said she was anxious to return and see if anything was salvageable. “At least to say goodbye until we can rebuild. I will let God lead me,” she said.
The fires have caused billions of dollars in losses, with many residents worried that government resources will go to wealthier
