Wildfires in Los Angeles County Claim 5 Lives, Displace Thousands

A series of wildfires in Los Angeles County, Southern California, has left at least five people dead and displaced thousands. The fires began in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday and spread rapidly, with six separate blazes reported by Wednesday, including the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Woodley, Lidia, and Sunset fires. The fire that started in Palisades destructed over 1,000 buildings and 15,800 acres destroyed, while the fire that at Eaton has destroyed 10,600 acres in Angeles National Forest.

More than 1,500 firefighters are battling the flames, which have led to over 100,000 evacuation orders. Nearly a million residents are without power. The wildfires are fueled by dry vegetation, low humidity, and strong Santa Ana winds, with gusts reaching up to 100 mph. The National Weather Service had issued warnings for extreme fire conditions. The cause of the fires is under investigation, but winter wildfires in California are common due to the Santa Ana winds.