Thousands flee as wildfires burn out of control and destroy homes across the Los Angeles area

 Numerous individuals are evacuating as uncontrollable wildfires ravage the Los Angeles region, leading to the destruction of numerous residences.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A series of large wildfires ravaged the Los Angeles region with overwhelming intensity early Wednesday, prompting residents to urgently flee their burning residences amidst fierce winds, flames, and towering plumes of smoke.

Multiple distinct fires were raging across the metropolitan region, extending from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena, renowned for its celebrated Rose Parade. With thousands of firefighters actively combating the infernos, the Los Angeles Fire Department issued a request for off-duty personnel to assist. Additionally, adverse weather conditions, characterized by strong winds, hindered the operation of firefighting aircraft, complicating the efforts to control the blazes.

Firefighters are engaged in combat against the Palisades Fire, which is consuming several buildings in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope).

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone reported that two individuals lost their lives and numerous others sustained injuries in the fires, which have resulted in the destruction of over 1,000 structures.

Tens of thousands of residents received evacuation orders as wildfires advanced toward densely populated and affluent areas inhabited by California's elite. Among those compelled to evacuate were Hollywood celebrities such as Mark Hamill, Mandy Moore, and James Woods.

The flames, which ignited on Tuesday evening near a nature preserve in the foothills northeast of Los Angeles, spread with alarming speed. Staff at a senior living facility were required to assist numerous residents in wheelchairs and hospital beds, transporting them down the street to a parking lot. Among the evacuees was a resident aged 102, who waited in their nightclothes as embers rained down until ambulances, buses, and construction vehicles arrived to ensure their safety.