Serious California who voted for Kamala burning

[steffychun]

https://news.sky.com/story/los-ange...-winds-fan-flames-across-la-hillside-13285299

 

[Dr Christopher Cheok C S]

I think many are happily looting.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/c...-pacific-palisades-wildfire-burns/ar-AA1xbOdZ

California Shoplifters for up to US$950 don't really get charged
https://www.hoover.org/research/why-shoplifting-now-de-facto-legal-california

 

[Dr Christopher Cheok C S]

Misguided environment policies
https://www.clearwaterinnovation.org/post/the-californian-delta-smelt-controversy

 

[Dr Christopher Cheok C S]

 

[Dr Christopher Cheok C S]

 

[Dr Christopher Cheok C S]

 

[Dr Christopher Cheok C S]

Misguided environment policies
https://www.clearwaterinnovation.org/post/the-californian-delta-smelt-controversy

no water due to environment protection

 

[Dr Christopher Cheok C S]

California who voted for Kamala burning​

Why this guy never run away?
getting likes on social media is more important?

no wonder they voted for kamala

 

[Dr Christopher Cheok C S]

 

[syed putra]

California won't allow any new development on grounds of protecting the environment causing home prices to Spike.

 

[Dr Christopher Cheok C S]

Los Angeles Fire Chief is a DEI Lesbian who Wants More Women and LGBTQ Firefighters​

 

[steffychun]

Biden: You burn you're own business

 

[steffychun]

All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown)
And the sky is grey (and the sky is grey)
I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk)
On a burning day (on a burning day)
I'd be burnt and charred (I'd be burnt and charred )
If I was in L.A. (if I was in L.A.)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a burning day

 

[Dr Christopher Cheok C S]

All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown)
And the sky is grey (and the sky is grey)
I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk)
On a burningr's day (on a burning day)
I'd be burnt and charred (I'd be burnt and charred )
If I was in L.A. (if I was in L.A.)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a burning day

nice oldie

 

[glockman]

CA had better repent, nothing good ever happens when voters vote wrongly. Even God is angry!

 

[syed putra]

CA had better repent, nothing good ever happens when voters vote wrongly. Even God is angry!

Homeowners are happy their property values keep on appreciating.

 

[Rogue Trader]

Government

LA Already Shipped Firefighting Equipment To Ukraine, And Now Biden Is Planning Another Handout As California Burns​

By: Breccan F. Thies
January 08, 2025
4 min read

Democrats have been more focused on slashing the fire department budget and sending equipment and money to Ukraine than saving Americans.

Breccan F. Thies
Visit on Twitter@BreccanFThies

The Los Angeles County Fire Department shipped equipment to Ukraine in 2022, and now the Biden administration is working overtime to send the country millions more in handouts as wildfires devastate California.

Perhaps ABC 7 put it best in 2022 when it declared that “all over southern California people are finding ways to keep Ukraine front and center and it’s no different for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.”

The fire department donated its own “surplus” supplies to help a foreign regime and is now caught flat-footed without the capacity to respond to the Pacific Palisades wildfire, which continues to cause deaths and untold damage to thousands of acres of land, including countless homes.

Far-left Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who is missing in action because she is busy attending an event in yet another foreign country, Ghana, also slashed the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget by $17.6 million for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Her initial proposal was $23 million.

The city has faced firefighter shortages for several years, and the number of federal firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has also atrophied considerably since 2020. USFS also ended certain forest management projects, like prescribed burns in California, after President Joe Biden opposed a bill to help contain fires, claiming it would have undermined wildlife and environmental protections.

In a reactionary move that displays California’s and the federal government’s lack of preparedness to battle wildfires, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has cut a deal with California to reimburse the state for having to hire more firefighters, providing compensation for up to 75 percent of “eligible firefighting costs” for things like equipment, supplies, and mobilization efforts.

In 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., lauded the new Biden administration as “not a sparring partner, but a working partner,” in contrast to the Trump administration. But President-elect Donald Trump slammed Newsom for repeatedly refusing his first administration’s efforts to help mitigate and fight wildfires.

“Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” Trump posted on social media. “He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!”

Trump frequently criticized Newsom’s mismanagement of wildfires while he was president, saying in 2018, “There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!”

Coupled with the Biden administration’s last-ditch effort to send Ukraine even more money on his way out of office, the treason-level incompetence displayed by Democrats at local and federal levels shows they care more about the lives and livelihoods of a group of people across the planet than they do about Americans.

Democrat fealty to Ukraine has continued apace, and as Biden prepares to leave office, his focus remains to give the country as much money as possible as opposed to saving Americans in California.

This week, Defense Department officials were preparing another massive giveaway of cash to Ukraine, to be announced Thursday, but were seemingly dejected that they would not be able to send all $4 billion left in the Ukraine coffers to the country before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

“There will be more than a couple of billion dollars remaining in PDA assistance for future use after Jan. 20,” a Pentagon official said. “What we are focused on right now, especially at the Pentagon, is providing Ukraine with the defense capabilities that we can provide in the time we have, including putting things on contract that will be delivered throughout 2025 and into 2026 in order to build that capability so that Ukraine can be in the strongest possible position if it comes to a negotiation.”

 

[Hypocrite-The]

Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way. He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!

Donald Trump Truth Social 11:40 AM EST 01/08/25

 

[k1976]

Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way. He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!

Donald Trump Truth Social 11:40 AM EST 01/08/25

Democrats are Vacxtard?

 

[Hypocrite-The]

Fire chief says Hollywood Hills fire is ‘rapidly expanding’ and progress on containing LA fires is ‘zero’
The Californian Fire Service has delivered a horrific diagnosis of the situation in Los Angeles as thousands hightail it out of the city.

12 min read
January 9, 2025 - 7:14PM


04:35
LA wildfires escalate: Thousands ordered to flee as homes and lives lost
The deadly, ferocious wildfires continue to rip through Los Angeles suburbs, home to many Hollywood celebrities, after sparking panicked evacuations as “hurricane-force” winds fuelled rapid blaze growth and firefighters run out of water.
View more related videos
The National Guard have been called in as ferocious wildfires continue to rip through Los Angeles — with a fire chief saying the fire burning in the Hollywood Hills is “rapidly expanding” and progress on containing the fires “is zero”.

Two new major blazes broke out on Wednesday night local time in the Hollywood Hills and Studio City — forcing exausted first responders to redeploy already-scarce resources to the charred landscape.

Panicked evacuations are now taking place as “hurricane-force” winds fuelled rapid growth of the fires.

“The wind has been blowing consistently at 60-100mph since yesterday morning,” David Acuna, a battalion chief at the Californian Fire Service, told the BBC.

“It actually blew harder last night,” he says, adding wind speeds have now dropped to about 30 mph (48kmh). It is still significant and because there are a lot of open areas it is extremely dangerous.”

The outbreak of a new fire in the Hollywood Hills has sent authorities into overdrive, as local firefighters report dwindling water resources and supplies.

Now, the California National Guard is prepared to deploy more military personnel to assist, amid revelations that heroic firefighters are ‘triaging’ homes and neighbourhoods.

At least five people have been killed and more than 2000 buildings burned in rampaging wildfires that are “sweeping like lightning” around Los Angeles, with firefighters overwhelmed by the speed and ferocity of multiple blazes.

Evacuation orders were in place for about 100,000 people across the area and more than three million people were without power as of Wednesday afternoon.

The iconic Hollywood Boulevard, home to several iconic landmarks including the Walk of Fame and Hollywood Bowl, has also been pushed into a mass evacuation.

Dramatic images are emerging from the heavily-populated city inundated by flames, showing a Bank of America completely engulfed among other prominent buildings.

There have also been two arrests made in response to looting amid the chaos.

Cars are now stacking up in crucial chokepoints across Hollywood, with local news teams filming the chaos.

The latest fire in the Hollywood Hills was reported to have started in the vicinity of Runyon Canyon, ABC7 reported, just north of Hollywood Boulevard, before rapidly spreading to about 20 acres.

Three fires in total are now burning in Los Angeles County with 0 per cent containment, officials said, warning that the worst was yet to come as the Santa Ana winds pushed from the east.Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley confirmed the Woodley Fire in the San Fernando Valley has been controlled at around 30 acres.

The Lidia Fire is at an estimated 80 to 100 acres but 30 per cent contained.

“Thankfully, forward progress has been stopped,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said via NBC.

Local resident Ken Robinson said the blaze “came up so quickly” in the Runyon Canyon.

“It swept fast like lightning,” he told CNN.

Another family said they fled to a family member’s home in Las Vegas after realising they couldn’t breathe properly. They only had time to pack the bare essentials before they sped out of California.

“We had to evacuate,” Tony Espinoza told KSNV.

“We left in a hurry. We only had a few hours to pack. My neighbours were still in their houses.

“We couldn’t breathe anymore. We had all the filters going in the house, the HEPA filters and nothing seemed to work.

“We packed our bags only for about three days. Because we all have jobs to go to. We have rent to pay. Bills are still due.”

The California National Guard is prepared to deploy more military personnel to assist, amid revelations that heroic firefighters are ‘triaging’ homes and neighbourhoods. Source: X
The California National Guard is prepared to deploy more military personnel to assist, amid revelations that heroic firefighters are ‘triaging’ homes and neighbourhoods. Source: X
At least five people are now known to have died in wildfires raging around Los Angeles, with more deaths feared. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP)
At least five people are now known to have died in wildfires raging around Los Angeles, with more deaths feared. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP)
Smoke rising from the Eaton fire as it burns in Altadena, California. Picture: Maxar Technologies/AFP
Smoke rising from the Eaton fire as it burns in Altadena, California. Picture: Maxar Technologies/AFP
Shocking footage shows stretches of beachfront homes on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, some of the most expensive real estate in the world, completely destroyed by wildfires.

A drone image shared on X purportedly showed the upscale Pacific Palisades area just to the east, once packed with multimillion-dollar homes, reduced to smouldering rubble.


00:54
Beachfront Malibu homes wiped out
Shocking footage shows beachfront homes on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, some of the most expensive real estate in the world, completely destroyed by wildfires.
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“We’re doing the very best we can. But no, we don’t have enough fire personnel in LA County between all the departments to handle this,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said on Wednesday afternoon.

Having razed perhaps hundreds of multimillion-dollar homes, the Palisades fire — the biggest inferno — looked set to be one of the costliest blazes on record.

President Joe Biden has canceled his upcoming trip to Italy to focus instead on the federal response to the fires.

“After returning this evening from Los Angeles, where earlier today he had met with police, fire and emergency personnel ... President Biden made the decision to cancel his upcoming trip to Italy to remain focused on directing the full federal response in the days ahead,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

Biden had been due to travel to Italy from Thursday to Sunday, likely his final overseas trip as president

A firefighter watches the flames from the Palisades fire burning homes on the Pacific Coast Highway. Picture: Apu Gomes/Getty Images/AFP
A firefighter watches the flames from the Palisades fire burning homes on the Pacific Coast Highway. Picture: Apu Gomes/Getty Images/AFP
The Palisades fire had consumed around 16,000 acres — fanned by gusty winds and dry conditions — in the Santa Monica Mountains as of Wednesday afternoon.

A separate 10,600-acre fire was burning around Altadena, just north of Pasadena, where flames tore through suburban streets.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said an earlier death toll of two had now increased, with more deaths feared.


00:57
Wildfires tear through LA suburbs
Explore more Discover Uluru three ways Sponsored Discover Uluru three ways Ferocious wildfires continue to rip through Los Angeles suburbs, home to many Hollywood celebrities, after sparking panicked evacuations as “hurricane-force” winds fuelled rapid blaze growth and firefighters run out of water.
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“Unfortunately, it’s grown to five as we continue through this area,” Mr Luna told radio station KNX.

“And remember, this is still a very fluid situation, there’s zero containment on this fire. I’m really praying we don’t find more, but I don’t think that’s going to be the case.”

A large number of people who did not heed warnings to leave had suffered “significant injuries”, Mr Marrone said.

Terrifying footage from the Palisades fire showed two men and a dog trapped inside a home surrounded by flames practically licking the windows.

Social media user Kevin Dalton, who shared the clip on X, said he was told all three were able to safely evacuate.

A helicopter drops water around homes threatened by the wind-driven Palisades fire in Pacific Palisades, California, January 7, 2025. Picture: David Swanson / AFP.
A helicopter drops water around homes threatened by the wind-driven Palisades fire in Pacific Palisades, California, January 7, 2025. Picture: David Swanson / AFP.
Frightened residents abandoned their cars on one of the only roads in and out of Pacific Palisades, fleeing on foot.

Firefighters used bulldozers to push dozens of vehicles — including expensive models such as BMWs, Teslas and Mercedes — to one side, leaving many crumpled and with their alarms blaring. Some celebrities posted comments and pictures on social media platforms.


“The hydrants are down,” one firefighter said over the radio, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“Water supply just dropped,” reported another one.

Former LA mayoral hopeful and billionaire developer Rick Caruso backed the claims made by the first responders as his staff reported to him from the Palisades Village in the Westside neighbourhood.

“There’s no water in the fire hydrants,” Mr Caruso told the outlet. “The firefighters are there and there’s nothing they can do — we’ve got neighbourhoods burning, homes burning, and businesses burning … It should never happen.”


Mr Caruso criticised LA Mayor Karen Bass for being out of the country on a trip to Africa for the inauguration of Ghana’s President John Mahama.

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power chief executive Janisse Quinones pleaded with people to save water, after hydrants in Pacific Palisades ran dry overnight.

She said three million-gallon tanks used to supply the neighbourhood’s more than 20,000 residents were exhausted by 3am on Wednesday.

“I need our customers to really conserve water … because the fire department needs the water to fight the fires,” Ms Quinones said.

“We’re fighting a wildfire with urban water systems, and that is really challenging.”

More than 1400 firefighters were on the ground, with hundreds more on the way, California Governor Gavin Newsom said.

A house is engulfed in flames from the wind-driven Palisades fire in Pacific Palisades. Picture: Robyn Beck / AFP
A house is engulfed in flames from the wind-driven Palisades fire in Pacific Palisades. Picture: Robyn Beck / AFP
A ferocious wildfire in a Los Angeles suburb devoured buildings and sparked panicked evacuations. Picture: Robyn Beck / AFP
A ferocious wildfire in a Los Angeles suburb devoured buildings and sparked panicked evacuations. Picture: Robyn Beck / AFP
Parts of Palisades Charter High School caught fire and have been burnt as the Palisades wildfire roars through Los Angeles.

The famous high school, which touts alumni like Forest Whitaker, J.J. Abrams, and Will.i.am, has been featured in many iconic films, such as the 2003 remake of Freaky Friday starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, the MTV show Teen Wolf, and the cult classic 1976 horror movie Carrie.

In addition, Palisades Charter High School was also used in 1984’s Savage Streets, 2012 film Project X, and 2001’s Crazy/Beautiful.

US media reported one firefighter among several injured in the Palisades.

Fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades ran dry overnight. Picture: Apu Gomes/Getty Images/AFP
Fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades ran dry overnight. Picture: Apu Gomes/Getty Images/AFP
“Extreme fire behaviour … continues to challenge firefighting efforts for the Palisades Fire,” with winds gusts up to 95km/h expected to continue through Thursday, the LA Fire Department an update on Wednesday morning.

Velma Wright, 102, was evacuated from a care facility as embers and flames approached in Pasadena, an AFP photographer saw, from where dozens other residents were moved.

Trees and vegetation around the prestigious Getty Villa Museum were burned, but the structure and collections were spared, the museum said in a post on X.

The Getty, set up by US oil billionaire and collector J. Paul Getty and one of the world’s richest art museums, houses Greek and Roman antiquities in a replica Roman country home.


Actor James Woods posted a video on X showing flames engulfing trees and bushes near his Palisades home as he got ready to evacuate, and shortly afterwards said all the fire alarms were going off.

“I couldn’t believe our lovely little home in the hills held on this long. It feels like losing a loved one,” Woods said.

Star Wars star Mark Hamill told his followers on Instagram that he had fled his Malibu home on Tuesday.

“Evacuated Malibu so last-minute there were small fires on both sides of the road as we approached PCH,” he wrote, referring to the Pacific Coast Highway, a scenic road that connects seafront settlements.

The Luke Skywalker actor said he and his wife Marilou York, along with a pet dog, had gone to their daughter’s Hollywood home to escape what he dubbed the “most horrific fire since ‘93”.

Ben Affleck is a resident of Pacific Palisades in LA. Picture: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for SXSW
Ben Affleck is a resident of Pacific Palisades in LA. Picture: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for SXSW
Reese Witherspoon also lives in the area. Picture: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Reese Witherspoon also lives in the area. Picture: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
‘Whole place is lighting up’

Across town, on the northern edge of Los Angeles, another fire broke out in Eaton Canyon, near Pasadena, quickly consuming 2000 acres with 0 per cent containment, destroying more than 100 structures, according to Mr Marrone.

Two civilians were killed in that fire, officials confirmed earlier on Wednesday.

The cause of the deaths is “unknown at this time,” Mr Marrone told reporters at an update Wednesday morning local time.

Additional “significant injuries” have been reported in the fire, he said.

Mandy Moore, the singer and This Is Us actress, told followers on Instagram she had fled with her children and pets from the path of the fire.


“Trying to shield the kids from the immense sadness and worry I feel. Praying for everyone in our beautiful city. So gutted for the destruction and loss. Don’t know if our place made it,” she wrote.

The Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center was among the buildings that burned to the ground overnight in the Eaton fire, according to Angeles National Forest officials.

Alex Fernandez, a worshipper at the temple, watched on helplessly as his house of worship was ruined.

“I feel numb to it,” Mr Fernandez told NBC Los Angeles. “It’s like a bad, bad horrific dream to see that it’s not going to be here tomorrow. This whole place is lighting up.”

The city of Malibu west of Los Angeles told its residents via social media post, “Prepare to evacuate quickly if fire conditions worsen. Evacuate now, especially if you need extra time or have pets/livestock.”

Embers whip across the ground as homes burn during the Eaton fire in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2025. Picture: Josh Edelson / AFP.
Embers whip across the ground as homes burn during the Eaton fire in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2025. Picture: Josh Edelson / AFP.
A McDonald's restaurant is showered in embers during the Eaton fire in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2025. Picture: Josh Edelson / AFP.
A McDonald's restaurant is showered in embers during the Eaton fire in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2025. Picture: Josh Edelson / AFP.
Meanwhile, a third fire began burning overnight on Tuesday local time. It has grown to 500 acres, according to local officials and has triggered evacuation orders in neighbouring Santa Clarita. A fourth fire later broke out in Riverside County but has since been contained.

A fifth wildfire — the Woodley fire — continues to burn out of control in Los Angeles County.

The fire began around 6.15am local time Wednesday and so far has burned about 75 acres around the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve in Encino, according to Cal Fire.

It is currently 0 per cent contained.

The Woodley fire is located between the massive Palisades fire to the south, and the Hurst fire to the north, which now has consumed at least 500 acres, officials say.

US President Joe Biden — who was in Los Angeles for a planned announcement on new national monuments — said he was “being frequently briefed on the wildfires” and has offered “any federal assistance that is needed”.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who has a house in California, said she was praying for “fellow Californians who have evacuated”.

President Joe Biden with California Governor Gavin Newsom. Picture: Roberto Schmidt/AFP
President Joe Biden with California Governor Gavin Newsom. Picture: Roberto Schmidt/AFP
‘He is to blame’: Trump weighs in

President-elect Donald Trump weighed in on the unfolding crisis by blaming Governor Newsom.

“Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!”

He said in another post, “The fires in Los Angeles may go down, in dollar amount, as the worst in the History of our Country. In many circles, they’re doubting whether insurance companies will even have enough money to pay for this catastrophe. Let this serve, and be emblematic, of the gross incompetence and mismanagement of the Biden/Newscum Duo. January 20th cannot come fast enough!”


01:33
LA Mayor grilled as she returns from Africa
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was grilled by a Sky News reporter as she returned from a trip to Africa on Wednesday to address the ongoing wildfire crisis.
View more related videos
In fact, much of Los Angeles’ water comes from the Colorado River, and farming — rather than residential use or firefighting — takes the lion’s share of all water that flows into Southern California.

A spokeswoman for Mr Newsom on Wednesday accused Mr Trump of “playing politics” as the fires raged.

“There is no such document as the water restoration declaration — that is pure fiction,” she told NBC News.

“The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need.”

Meanwhile Mayor Bass flew back into a storm of criticism on Wednesday amid calls for her resignation.

She remained deathly silent when confronted by a Sky News reporter at the airport.

“Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent whilst their homes were burning?” David Blevins asked.

“Do you regret cutting the fire department’s budget by millions of dollars? Have you nothing to say to the citizens today? Elon Musk says that you’re utterly incompetent, are you considering your position?”

Blevins continued to pepper the Mayor with questions before she was whisked away through a security door.

A helicopter drops water on the flames of the wind-driven Palisades on January 7. Picture: David Swanson / AFP
A helicopter drops water on the flames of the wind-driven Palisades on January 7. Picture: David Swanson / AFP
The fire burns a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood as 10,000 homes are threatened. Picture: Photo/Etienne Laurent
The fire burns a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood as 10,000 homes are threatened. Picture: Photo/Etienne Laurent
More than 49,000 people have been told to evacuate, with some abandoning their luxury vehicles. Picture: Apu Gomes / Getty Images.
More than 49,000 people have been told to evacuate, with some abandoning their luxury vehicles. Picture: Apu Gomes / Getty Images.
‘Everyone panicked’

The fire erupted midmorning and swelled quickly, taking many residents by surprise.

One man, who gave his name as Gary, told broadcaster KTLA that hot ashes were raining down on his community of Sea Ridge.

“There was smoke in the distance, and I was assured that it would not come over the hill … five minutes later, it’s coming down the hill,” he said.

“Everyone panicked, that’s when everybody made a run and went to go and pack their houses up.”

Evacuee Kelsey Trainor said she saw the fire explode in size as she was fleeing. “By the time we got to the bottom of the hill, which is about two or three miles, there were flames on both sides of the road, and it became gridlocked,” she said.

“No one knew what to do. Everyone was honking their horns. There’s flames all around you. I could see people walking with suitcases, with their dogs, children. An elderly woman was really visibly upset and in tears.”

Pacific Palisades resident Andrew Hires told AFP he got a text alerting him to the fire as his child was at the dentist about to have a tooth extracted.

“We pulled off the mask and ran to the car,” he said.

The fast-moving brushfire in the LA suburb saw 80 hectares burning as of Tuesday local time. Picture: David Swanson / AFP
The fast-moving brushfire in the LA suburb saw 80 hectares burning as of Tuesday local time. Picture: David Swanson / AFP
Flames from the wind-driven Palisades Fire engulf trees in the area. Picture: David Swanson / AFP
Flames from the wind-driven Palisades Fire engulf trees in the area. Picture: David Swanson / AFP
‘Worse’ weather conditions

Martin Sansing, 54, told AFP he has lived in Santa Monica canyon for 20 years and had never seen anything similar.

“We’re in a pretty urban area. We’re not like, on a hill or anything like that. I never imagined we would be affected,” he said.

The fire came as the area was being hit by seasonal Santa Ana winds that forecasters said could develop into the worst windstorm in a decade, with gusts of up to 160km/h expected.

“This looks pretty, pretty concerning,” said meteorologist Daniel Swain.

“And what’s going on now is only just the beginning, because weather conditions are going to get a lot worse.”

With a huge pall of smoke visible over the whole of Los Angeles, events throughout the area were cancelled, including a red-carpet premiere of Jennifer Lopez’s new film Unstoppable.

Wildfires are an expected part of life in the US West and play a vital role in nature.

But scientists say human-caused climate change is altering weather patterns. Southern California had two decades of drought that were followed by two exceptionally wet years, which sparked furious vegetative growth — leaving the region packed with fuel and primed to burn.

— with AFP