There are five active fires in Los Angeles, which are collectively burning nearly 27,000 acres of land. The two largest fires – Palisades and Eaton – are burning for a second night and are entirely uncontained. Firefighters have made some headway battling the Hurst fire in the San Fernando Valley.
Five people are confirmed dead from the Eaton fire. Across the city, more than 137,000 people have been forced to evacuate. Fear and chaos sweep through the streets of the Hollywood Hills as the latest blaze erupted near Runyon Canyon on Wednesday evening.
US President Joe Biden has declared that a major disaster is taking place in California, making federal funding available to affected individuals.
Authorities have issued an unsafe water alert to residents in the Pacific Palisades, urging them to only drink boiled or bottled water, while firefighters have resorted to taking water from swimming pools and ponds amid a water shortage. (BBC News)
