A fierce January windstorm helped ignite not just one, but several big fires that are now simultaneously burning at an unusual time of year for California to see such destructive blazes.
To look at a map of the Los Angeles region is to see enormous stretches of the densely populated area under evacuation orders, from beach towns such as Santa Monica and Malibu to suburban neighborhoods in Pasadena and parts of ranch country in the San Fernando Valley.
Here’s a breakdown of where exactly the biggest fires are:
Palisades fire
The Palisades fire, which erupted on Tuesday morning, was the largest as it blazed through an iconic section west Los Angeles and along the Pacific Coast Highway, threatening homes in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Santa Monica. The properties on these neighborhoods included mansions perched on hillsides that overlook the Pacific and are only accessible by narrow, windy roads as well more suburban tracts of homes in beachside areas where people often tote surfboards and are out walking their dogs on palm-tree lined streets.
As of Wednesday morning, more than 37,000 residents were under evacuation orders because of the Palisades fire, and more than 15,000 structures were at risk, Sheriff Robert G. Luna of Los Angeles County said. The fire had destroyed more than 1,000 homes and burned more than 3,000 acres, and it was not at all contained.
Already, the fire had razed several beloved local institutions, including the Malibu Feed Bin, which had sold pet supplies and gifts since 1966, and Palisades Charter High School, the alma mater of numerous celebrities as well as the filming location of many TV shows, including “Modern Family.”
Eaton fire
The Eaton fire has so far burned more than 2,200 acres, and is raging on the opposite end of the Los Angeles basin, by the northeast corner in Pasadena.
The fire began in the San Gabriel Mountains that tower over the northeast Los Angeles area, best known for the often snowcapped, highest peak commonly known as Mt. Baldy, as well as for being home to the Mount Wilson Observatory. The fire has forced more than 32,000 evacuations in La Canada Flintridge, Arcadia, Altadena, Pasadena and Monrovia — suburban areas where many homes are nestled against mountain foothills. At least 100 structures have been destroyed and the fire is not at all contained, officials say.
The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center was engulfed by flames, said Melissa Levy, its executive director, though the extent of the damage was unclear. She said that staff had run in and grabbed the Torahs as ash rained down on the parking lot.
Hurst fire
The Hurst fire erupted at 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday as heavy winds picked up speed. The blaze, which had burned 500 acres as of Wednesday morning, is burning in Sylmar, in the northernmost part of the San Fernando Valley and about 25 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. While the Valley itself is densely populated, Sylmar is a more rural area that was once known for its olive orchards but now for its horse properties.
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