Los Angeles County in California continues to battle devastating wildfires, which have been raging for five consecutive days, causing extensive damage and prompting widespread evacuations. Six wildfires remain active in the region.
one of the most severe wildfires changed direction, leading to evacuation orders for residents in the affected areas on Saturday (11 January).
This shift has also posed new threats to firefighters, complicating their efforts to contain the flames, as reported by Reuters.
The wildfires began spreading across Los Angeles last Tuesday and have resulted in 11 confirmed deaths so far, with thousands of homes and vast areas of land reduced to ashes. The death toll is expected to rise as the fires continue to burn.
The primary cause of the unprecedented spread of these fires is attributed to the fierce Santa Ana winds.
However, since Friday night, these winds have somewhat diminished. Despite this, the 'Palisades' fire, located in the western part of the city, has started advancing in a new direction.
Eric Scott, a Los Angeles Fire Department official, told local television channel KTLA that the eastern flank of the Palisades fire has significantly intensified, now moving further northeast. This particular fire has become the most severe among those currently active.
Meanwhile, seven neighbouring states have dispatched resources to assist California in battling the infernos. The federal government has also extended its support, with aid arriving from Canada as well.
The United States National Weather Service has indicated that conditions may improve slightly over the weekend, with wind speeds dropping to 32 kilometres per hour, providing some relief to firefighting efforts.
However, Cal Fire, the local fire service authority, has warned that wind speeds could increase again by Tuesday, potentially exacerbating the situation.
