With gusting Santa Ana winds, Los Angeles County erupted in flames this week. More than a thousand structures and at least two fatalities have made this one of the most destructive infernos the region has ever encountered.
“This is not a normal red flag alert,” said LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone. “The LA County Fire Department was prepared for one or two major brush fires, but not four, especially given the sustained winds and low humidities.”
The cause of the three major fires is still under investigation, with the two largest – the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire – at zero percent containment and continuing to spread, said Marrone on Wednesday.
As of Wednesday, Marrone said, the Palisades Fire on the west side of LA had burned more than 5,000 acres and destroyed about 1,000 structures.
The Eaton Fire ignited late Tuesday evening near Altadena, and had burned more than 10,000 acres, with over 100 structures destroyed and two fatalities, said Marrone.
The Hurst Fire, which spread quickly during high winds Tuesday night in Sylmar, had burned more than 700 acres with over 3,000 residents evacuated, said LA Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley. So far the Hurst Fire remains vegetative and no homes have been lost.
Residents from Pacific Palisades to Altadena are anxiously awaiting the news to find out whether or not their homes are still standing.
Many residents were reluctant to give their names to the media. One Altadena resident said her neighbors to the south lost their homes.
“I may have just lost my home too, but I’m hoping for a miracle,” she said.
She later discovered her house also burned down. “We are in shock right now and need time to process this,” she said.
One family in Pacific Palisades was also waiting to hear some news.
“We have been monitoring news reports around the clock and have been going to links, but still can’t get specific information to find out whether or not our home is still standing,” said the Pacific Palisades resident. “We have worked all of our lives to build this home.”
Local fire officials acknowledged on Wednesday that they are overwhelmed by the size and scope of the three major fires that are pushing crews and resources to the extreme.
“Together these fires are stretching the capacity of emergency services to the maximum limits,” said Crowley.
Marrone added that the 9,000 firefighters of the 29 fire departments in LA County were “not prepared for this type of widespread disaster,” and that there are “not enough firefighters in LA County to address four separate fires of this magnitude.”
Mutual aid from nearby counties and out-of-state resources were requested on Tuesday evening, said Marrone, and are on their way.
Air support, typically used to contain fires, has been unable to help due to being grounded by powerful winds. Additionally, water supply to firefighters has been strained in the Palisades.
“We had a tremendous demand on our system in the Palisades. We pushed the system to the extreme,” said Janisse Quiñones, chief executive and chief engineer of the LA Department of Water and Power (LADWP). “Four times the normal demand was seen for 15 hours straight, which lowered our water pressure.
“I need our customers to really conserve water, not just in the Palisades area, but the whole system. Because the fire department needs the water to fight the fires,” she continued. “We’re fighting a wildfire with urban water systems, and that is really challenging.”
LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, whose district encompasses the Palisades, Hurst and Woodley fires, encouraged residents to be safe and prepared for potential evacuation orders.
“We woke up to a dark cloud over all of Los Angeles, but it is darkest for those who are most intimately impacted by these fires,” said Horvath. “Our number one message to everyone in impacted areas is to follow all evacuation orders and warnings and to stay where you are safe. As long as the evacuations remain in place we continue to have shelter capacity for you … and for your pets.”
Ritchie Valens Recreation Center at 10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd Pacoima is available for Sylmar residents who have been evacuated and need shelter. El Camino Real Charter High School at 5440 Valley Circle Blvd. in Woodland Hills and at Pacific Community Center and Park at 501 S. Pacific Ave. in Glendale are also available.
For the evacuation of large animals, the LA Equestrian Center at 480 Riverside Dr. in Burbank is available, according to the LA Police Department.
The northeast valley surrounding the Hurst Fire bolsters a large ranch and equine population. LA City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who represents Sylmar, said Tuesday night they safely evacuated 71 horses from the Stetson Ranch area to the Hansen Dam equestrian center.
“Right now, there’s a low-level wind, but we’re concerned about the potential spread to other equine areas,” said Rodriguez, adding that residents can also bring horses to the Pierce College Equestrian Center and the Hansen Dam Horse Park.
“We are nowhere near out of the woods, and we need to make sure that everybody is heeding all the calls [from officials],” said Rodriguez. “To make sure that everybody is prepared as best as possible.”
For the latest emergency information, visit: www.emergency.lacounty.gov.