Los Angeles forest fire spreads to Hollywood Hills; five dead, 1.4 lakh evacuated

More than 1,700 buildings destroyed due to fire spread across 28 thousand acres; five lakh people affected.

 Los Angeles. The fierce fire in the forests of Los Angeles in the US state of California has spread to Hollywood Hills. So far, 5 people have died in the fire incidents in the area, and hundreds of houses have been destroyed. Meanwhile, more than 1.40 lakh people have been evacuated from the metropolitan area so far. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who returned to the city after cutting short her trip to Ghana, said, "This firestorm is very big."

 This fire has scorched 50 acres (20 hectares) of area in Hollywood Hills. This fire broke out on Wednesday near the Hollywood Bowl and a short distance from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. To stop the fire, helicopters flying at low altitude were pouring water on the fire. After the incident, a crowd of vehicles was seen on the roads around Grauman Chinese Theater and Madame Tussaud Museum, and the sound of sirens was coming from everywhere. People came out of hotels on foot carrying suitcases. More than 1,700 buildings were destroyed due to the fire that spread over about 28 thousand acres. More than 10 schools in the area have been damaged/destroyed. At the same time, evacuation orders have been given to 1 lakh people. Rescue operations are also being hampered due to stormy winds. About five lakh people are affected by the fire.

 

Hundreds of vehicles have been reduced to ashes due to the fire in Los Angeles.

Biden cancels trip to Italy:  Outgoing US President Joe Biden canceled a trip to Italy and the Vatican at the last minute to monitor relief and rescue operations after the California forest fires. This was Biden's last foreign trip as president, and he was about to leave for the tour. Biden went to Los Angeles to see his great-grandson born on Wednesday, from where he took stock of the entire incident before returning to Washington.

 

Houses of many Hollywood celebrities, including Crystal and Moore, burnt to ashes.

 Homes of several Hollywood celebrities, including Billy Crystal, Mandy Moore, and Paris Hilton, have been reduced to ashes in a massive fire that raged in and around Los Angeles. Crystal and his wife, Janice, said their home of 45 years near Pacific Palisades was destroyed. The blaze occurred about 72 hours before Hollywood's biggest stars gathered to walk the red carpet of the Golden Globes. Actress-singer Moore's home in Altadena, near Pasadena, was reduced to ashes in the fire.

 Nora Fatehi left the city, saying, The fire is very fierce.

 New Delhi. Dancer and actress Nora Fatehi was in Los Angeles. In view of the devastating forest fire in the US state of California, she and her team were asked to evacuate the city. Fatehi posted a video on her Instagram story on Wednesday night. In this, Nora said, I am in LA, and the forest fire has taken a very terrible form. I have never seen anything like this before.

 Oscar nominations postponed until January 19

 The announcement of nominations for the 97th Oscar Awards has been postponed till January 19 due to the massive forest fire in the Southern California region. The announcement of nominations for the Oscars was originally scheduled for January 17. The Academy sent an email to the members on Wednesday afternoon on behalf of CEO Bill Cramer regarding the change in date. He said that many of our members and industry colleagues who live and work in the Los Angeles area have been affected by the devastating fire in Southern California. He said, We are thinking of our loved ones. At the same time, the voting deadline for Oscar nominations has been extended by two days to January 14.

 In efforts to extinguish the fire, the US Army's Northern Command has deployed C-130 military transport aircraft, which are equipped with modular aerial firefighting systems.A fire broke out again in the West Hills area of ​​​​Los Angeles on Thursday evening, which engulfed more than 900 acres in a few hours.

Due to this disaster, incidents of looting have also been reported in many areas, in which at least 20 people have been arrested.Federal disaster assistance is being made available to those affected by this disaster, and reconstruction efforts are being accelerated.Given the seriousness of the situation, officials have appealed to the people to remain vigilant and follow emergency instructions.

More information related to the Los Angeles fire:

Spread and impact of the fire

1. Rapidly growing crisis:

o The fire is spreading very fast, making it difficult to control.

o Strong winds and dry weather have increased the intensity of the fire.

o Luxury homes and historical sites have been damaged in famous areas of Hollywood Hills.

2. Areas affected:

o The fire has destroyed more than 30,000 acres of land.

o Various areas of Los Angeles have been evacuated, with more than 1.4 lakh (140,000) people moved to safer places.

3. Deaths and injuries:

o At least 5 people have died.

o Dozens of people are hospitalized, including firefighters and local residents.

Rescue and relief operations

1. Emergency services:

o More than 1,500 firefighters are engaged in dousing the fire.

o Water is being sprayed using aerial equipment.

2. Relief centers:

o More than 10 relief camps have been set up in LA County.

o Food, water, and medical facilities are being provided to the displaced people.

3. National and international assistance:

o President Joe Biden has declared the situation a "national emergency.".

o Additional resources are being mobilized from international agencies and neighboring states.

Environmental and economic losses

1. Environmental damage:

o Thousands of trees and wildlife have been destroyed by the fire.

o Air quality has been severely affected.

o Pollution has increased the risk of respiratory diseases in the surrounding areas.

2. Economic damage:

o According to initial estimates, the fire has caused losses worth billions of dollars.

o It may also have a profound impact on the Hollywood industry, as many shooting locations have been ruined.

Instructions for citizens

1. Take precautions:

o Follow the instructions of the alert system.

o Avoid unnecessary travel.

o Stay away from fire-affected areas.

2. Emergency numbers:

o Helpline numbers have been issued for any information related to the fire.

o Affected people can contact 911 or local emergency services.

3. Important information:

o Authorities have imposed a curfew in the fire-affected areas and have appealed to people to avoid unnecessary travel so that emergency services can be facilitated.