(VOVWORLD) - At least five people were killed; more than 1,000 structures have been destroyed; and around 100,000 people displaced as fierce wildfires rage in California, the US.
 Satellite image shows the scale of the wildfires in Los Angeles. (Photo: Maxar) |
State authorities have put measures in place to control the rapid spread of the fires, which first broke out on Tuesday.
In addition to lives loss and property damages, the number of homes and businesses without electricity has ballooned to more than 400,000, as power safety shutoffs were implemented to reduce the risk that airborne objects spark additional blazes. Strong winds have also made it difficult for firefighters to control the blazes.
So far, 5 wildfires raging across California, including in the Palisades, an upscale neighborhood and home to many celebrities, have burnt through thousands of hectares. California has declared a state of emergency. President Joe Biden has approved a Major Disaster declaration for California, allowing impacted communities and survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery.
During his visit to Los Angeles, the incumbent President was briefed on the wildfires and worked with local law enforcement and fire officials. He said, "We’re prepared to do anything and everything for as long as it takes to contain these fires, and help you construct to make sure things get back to normal."
 President Joe Biden listens to a briefing on the ongoing wildfires in Southern California at Santa Monica Fire Department Station 5 in Santa Monica, California, January 8, 2025. (Photo: AP/Stephanie Scarbrough) |
More than 750 firefighters, California National Guard services, Navy helicopters, and forces from neighboring states Nevada, Oregon, and Washington are being deployed to fight the blazes.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has urged residents to heed evacuation warnings. "There’s no fire season. It’s fire-year. It’s year-round. It’s incredibly important that we heed the warnings, the calls that we’re not out of the wood by any stretch of imagination," he said.
California has several features that make it highly vulnerable to wildfire spread, including a warm and dry climate. 7 of California’s 10 most destructive wildfires in history have all occurred in the past 5 years, the deadliest of which killed 85 people in 2018, while the largest consumed more than 400,000 hectares in 2020.