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Wildfire burns in Los Angeles, causes massive evacuation

LOS ANGELES
2019-10-29 14:10

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By Julia Pierrepont III

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- A fast-moving brush fire broke out in Los Angeles and scorched its wealthy west side, causing massive evacuation, as officials warned that the disadvantageous weather conditions may worsen the blaze.

The fire broke out near the Getty Center, a campus of the Getty Museum, along the 405 Freeway, around 1:30 am local time (0830 GMT) on Monday, threatening one of the most famous and valuable art collections in the world.

Museum staff tweeted that the fire was currently burning north and west of the museum. By Monday evening, it is safe but closed for public safety concerns.

The fire also spread rapidly to surrounding affluent residential neighborhoods, threatening 10,000 homes in Brentwood neighborhood and other parts of Westside region, 25 km west of Los Angeles City Hall, and prompted extensive evacuation orders.

According to information updated by Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) on Monday evening, the blaze scorched over 250 hectares with 5 percent contained, destroying eight structures and damaging five others.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told a press conference that good news is that growth of the fire had been stopped but evacuated residents would have to stay in safe shelters for two more days since the weather situation is predicted not so good.

Garcetti reiterated that all residents were under mandatory evacuation orders to leave their homes.

Even prior to sunrise, when the wind was less forceful, burning embers were being propelled by the wind, setting off additional hotspots wherever they landed.

As winds later in the day gusted at the rate of 48-72 km/h and relative humidity dropped into single digits due to rising temperatures, the wildfire could quickly blaze out of control.

"It's a dangerous season right now," said LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas. "We have not had any significant rainfall for a period of time. That's why we're very concerned about these weather conditions."

Local media reported that in some areas, evacuees had only 15 minutes to flee ahead of the engulfing flames in the morning.

"It's no small thing to be woken in the middle of the night with the threat of evacuation -- or worse! This seems to be the new normal for L. A. residents," Kenneth Kubernick, a resident living about 3 km south of the blaze, told Xinhua.

The evacuees included former California Governor and action film star Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as LeBron James, a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers.

"Had to emergency evacuate my house and I've been driving around with my family trying to get rooms. No luck so far!" James tweeted.

Mount St. Mary's University, also under siege of the blaze, safely evacuated all 450 students at 2:30 am local time (0930 GMT) -- with many still in pajamas -- to the school's other campus on Doheny near downtown Los Angeles or to an evacuation center in Westwood, a campus spokeswoman confirmed.

The crush of evacuating residents and the closures on the 405 Freeway, a main thoroughfare through the west of Los Angeles, were causing a traffic jam. The California Highway Patrol closed the southbound lanes of the 405 Freeway, from the 101 Freeway to Sunset Boulevard.

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statement Monday, saying that the state had received a key fire management assistance grant from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency. These funds will be used to increase preparedness for emergencies and help ensure that firefighting resources will be available wherever and whenever needed.

Garcetti also issued an emergency declaration that Los Angeles will bring more local resources to contain the fire.

Approximately 1,100 regional firefighters were deployed to combat the blaze, along with helicopters and aircraft making drops in the pre-dawn darkness along the fire line -- all in efforts to stop the fire before it could escalate.

Fixed-wing aircraft joined the combat after sunrise, but with wind and weather conditions worsening throughout the day, their efforts were hampered.
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