By Christian Headlines | Created at 2025-01-08 19:39:45 | Updated at 2025-01-09 10:30:52
15 hours ago
Wildfires driven by hurricane-like winds have devastated the Los Angeles area, claiming at least two lives, leaving 200,000 without power, and...
At least 2 individuals have been reported killed, 200,000 stranded without power, and 30,000 people evacuated the Los Angeles area this week due to ongoing wildfires driven by hurricane-like winds. As reported by CBS News, California has more than 14,000 personnel and hundreds of prepositioned assets to contain the fires, with Arizona and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) providing additional assistance.
"The firefighters here, they're not trying to save these structures, they're trying to prevent these flames from jumping to other neighborhoods," CBS News correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti reported Tuesday night. "You see all these embers. In some cases, they're being carried more than a mile in advance of these source flames, lighting other homes on fire."
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (FireCal), the Palisades Fire has burned over 2900 acres, while the Hurst Fire, Eaton Fire, and Woodley Fire burned less than 100 acres. Overall, these fires currently are 0 percent contained.
Meanwhile, a fire in Riverside burned 11 acres and was 50 percent contained.
In a post on X, Vigliotti shared video footage of the aftermath left by the Palisades Fire.
This is what's left of the Pacific Palisades. The mall survived. Most everything else is gone. Homes, apartment complexes… businesses," he wrote Wednesday morning.
This is what’s left of the Pacific Palisades. The mall survived. Most everything else is gone. Homes, apartment complexes… businesses. pic.twitter.com/Vfz721V48J
— Jonathan Vigliotti 🐋 (@JonVigliotti) January 8, 2025During a Wednesday morning press conference, L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said that the Palisades Fire destroyed an estimated 1,000 structures. He added that a "high number of people who didn't evacuate" were seriously injured, KTLA reported.
Per the New York Times, over 200,000 have lost power, and 19 school districts have issued closures due to the ongoing fires. Meanwhile, firefighters are having a difficult time containing the blazes because of gusty winds, including a 99 mph gust from the San Gabriel Mountains.
Residents in nearby cities, including Malibu, Santa Clarita, and Newhall, also received evacuation orders from officials.
President Joe Biden, who is in Los Angeles, will continue to monitor the situation while Governor Gavin Newsom declares a state of emergency.
According to LiveMint, actor Steve Guttenberg, known for his roles in Police Academy, It Takes Two, and Three Men and a Baby, assisted fire trucks by moving cars so that firetrucks could come into the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
"What's happening is people take their keys with them as if they're in a parking lot. This is not a parking lot," he told the KTLA. "We really need people to move their cars. If you leave your car behind, leave the key in there so a guy like me can move your car so that these fire trucks can get up there. It's really, really important."
The actor noted that some residents up Palisades Drive are trying to evacuate but are stuck due to stalled traffic.
"There are people stuck up there," he said. "There are families up there, there are pets up there. There are people who really need help."
He also stressed the importance of saving one's life over possessions.
"Don't worry about your personal property," he stressed. "Just get out. Get your loved ones and get out."
Prayer to Those Affected by California Wildfire
Dear Lord,
You know all things. You know what these people in California are going through. We pray for their safety as these fires rage on and we pray that they will soon be contained.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Related Article: A Prayer in Times of Natural Disaster
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Apu Gomes/Stringer
Originally published January 08, 2025.
