Thousands of hectares of land destroyed: Several large forest fires continued to spread around Los Angeles

Thousands of hectares of land destroyed
Several large forest fires continue to spread around Los Angeles

11.09.2024, 13:43

Several large forest fires are spreading around the Californian metropolis of Los Angeles. According to authorities, thousands of firefighters and members of the US National Guard are battling three large fires raging out of control near the second largest city in the USA on Tuesday (local time). There were initially no reports of deaths or serious injuries, but the fires threaten tens of thousands of homes and other buildings.

The so-called Airport Fire alone, which was accidentally triggered during construction work on Monday afternoon and spread quickly, has already destroyed more than 3,600 hectares of land in the Orange County district of Los Angeles. Several schools in the area were closed due to the heavy smoke.

According to fire chief Steve Concialdi, the fire is continuing to spread and is moving toward Santiago Peak, where several radio towers are located. The fire department has to withdraw from the area because the flames have become too intense. Firefighting planes and helicopters were also deployed in the region.

Northeast of Los Angeles, the Line Fire in San Bernardino County has now quickly destroyed 11,300 hectares of land. In resort towns such as Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear, people were ordered to leave their homes and apartments. Several major access roads were closed. The fire service also fought this fire from the air. On the ground, firefighters tried to use fire knives to prevent the flames from spreading further.

The smaller bridge fire north of Los Angeles, which broke out on Sunday, destroyed more than 1,600 hectares of land by Tuesday afternoon. Gusty winds, heat and dry conditions are making the work of firefighters more difficult.