Fires threaten more neighbourhoods as LA braces for high winds

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New fires in Los Angeles have prompted evacuation orders in the upscale neighborhoods of Brentwood and Bel Air as the region braces for strong winds that could create more problems for emergency responders battling multiple blazes in the area.

The fire death toll has risen to 11 as the crisis enters its fifth day.The Palisades fire, which started Tuesday morning, has burned 22,000 acres and is still only 11 percent contained, officials said.

The fires are believed to be the deadliest in Los Angeles’ history.

On Saturday, helicopters poured water into Mandeville Canyon, an exclusive area where actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger lives.

Evacuation orders in Brentwood have raised concerns about attractions, including the Getty Center, home to an art collection that includes works by Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Monet.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the Palisades fires were “slowly contained” and about 11 percent contained, but she warned the area was “most vulnerable” to the dry, strong Santa Ana winds expected on Saturday. in the afternoon. He called on residents not to try to “wait out the fires” and to evacuate immediately.

The National Weather Service warned that the latest wave of gusty winds will also hit coastal Topanga and Malibu canyons, and it is predicting further “wind events” between Monday night and Wednesday that could reach 60 to 70 mph.

Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are trying to deflect criticism of the fire response.Firefighters in Pacific Palisades were frustrated this week when they found that hydrants were out of water, a major problem during periods of high winds that grounded helicopters and planes that were being used. to throw water on the fire The city’s reserve tanks quickly ran dry as those on the ground firefighters battled the blaze without air support.

On Friday, Newsom said he had ordered an investigation into the causes of the water supply problems. Newsom called the problems “deeply troubling,” adding that they are “likely to undermine efforts to protect some homes and evacuation corridors.”

The city’s Department of Water and Power issued a statement saying any claims that fire hydrants were broken before the fires were “misleading and false.”

Water pressure dropped due to “unprecedented and extreme water demand to fight wildfires without air support,” the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said in a statement.

Firefighters from other US states and Mexico arrived in Los Angeles to assist more than 7,500 emergency workers from California.The National Guard was also deployed to the Palisades to protect the area from looters.

The city ordered a 12-hour curfew in the area from 6 p.m. “Not only do we have to protect ourselves from the fire, but we also have to make sure no one goes there and tries to loot,” Bass said. So far, about 20 burglars was arrested.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said it will lead the investigation into the cause of the Pacific fire.The federal agency said fire investigators are on the scene.

Firefighters managed to extinguish the Sunset fire, which threatened the Hollywood Hills and a number of landmarks, including the Hollywood sign. They also extinguished the Lydia fire north of Los Angeles, while two others are about 80 percent contained. Cal Fire.