New brush fire sets homes ablaze in Los Angeles' toniest neighborhoodsa
Channel: متع نفسك في دقائق
Date: 2017-12-06

New brush fire sets homes ablaze in Los Angeles' toniest neighborhoodsa


California's wildfires continued to spread under the influence of strong winds on Tuesday. In video footage, cameras caught a horse galloping down
 a road in an attempt to save itself from the flames. (Dec. 5) AP


LOS ANGELES -- A new wildfire broke out overnight in some of Los Angeles' most exclusive neighborhoods on its tony Westside near UCLA and the Getty Center,  home to one of the nation's top art museums.

At least two homes were ablaze.

The new fire was situated in the Sepulveda Pass, where the San Diego (I-405) Freeway cuts a path through the mountains to connecting West Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. The northbound lanes of the freeway were closed.

The fire was burning in the Hollywood Hills near the exclusive Bel Air neighborhood, home to many celebrities.

The new fire had consumed about 50 acres by 7 a.m. PT. Firefighters mobilized, diverting from the other fires burning out of control in the northern part of Los Angeles County. 

The new fire came as part of a series of wind-driven fires that had destroyed more than 180 homes in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

At sunset Tuesday, rescuers were trying to save thousands of farm animals in the Shadow Hills area, including horses, sheep and alpacas, from encroaching flames.

"We have lost structures. We have not lost lives," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. But, he added, "We just don't know what this fire will do."

One fire was designated the Creek Fire, burning in the Sylmar/Lakeview Terrace area of Los Angeles. The other, burning farther north, was being called the Rye fire, near Santa Clarita.

 

Besides burning down at least 150 structures, the Thomas fire in Ventura County consumed 50,500 acres. Another fire, dubbed the Little Mountain Fire, broke out Tuesday afternoon in San Bernardino County. Though there were no immediate reports of lost structures, two people were hospitalized for burns.

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All of the fires were moving fast. The only fire in which there was any containment was the Rye, at 5%. Firefighters were backed by water-dropping planes and helicopters, although sometimes they were unable to fly because of high winds.

"This is the start a multiple-day weather event so we’re not through this yet," Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck told reporters at a briefing.

The Creek fire resulted in the closure of the Foothill (Interstate 210) Freeway, an important east-west connector in the metropolis. The Rye fire shut down Interstate 5, the state's major north-south artery, although it reopened later.


All the fires were driven by the strongest seasonal Santa Ana winds so far this year. Gusts of more than 45 miles per hour in the fire areas were picking up embers from the burning hillsides and structures, sending them wafting downwind where they set additional homes on fire. Temperatures were cool, however, in the 60s and 70s.

The Creek fire was listed at 11,000 acres. It began at 3:43 a.m. PT Monday, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said. Fire officials said there were two firefighter injuries, including one who was hurt when the bulldozer he was operating overturned.

The Rye fire had burned about 5,000 acres and was threatening structures near the Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park with 1,300 homes under evacuation order.

Power outages were widespread. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's station in Santa Clarita reported its 911 emergency phone system had failed due to a power outage.

"Calls are being rerouted so you will get help!" the station tweeted.