LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Amid a spate of devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area, city officials had a simple message for Los Angeles residents Wednesday: “Stay home if you can.”
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said fires such as the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Woodley Fire near Sepulveda Basin have exacerbated the traffic problems “we’re used to dealing with here.”
“Traffic congestion will be further tested in many places as people are unable to access their usual routes,” he said. “Today, if you have the ability to work from home or telecommute away from the Westside, I think you can take advantage of that, as long as your employer is okay with it. The atmosphere today is very tough,” especially in medicine. For people who are facing personal challenges, if you can stay home and work from there, I encourage you to do so. ”
Authorities use bulldozer to push abandoned vehicle off road near Palisades fire
Los Angeles City Council President Marquise Harris Dawson went further, advising Angeleno residents across the city to stay home if possible, both for their safety and for the benefit of first responders.
“If you can stay off the roads, please do so,” he said. “I live in South L.A., far from the fires. Visibility is less than a block because of the smoke. So if you don’t have a valid reason to be on the road, I ask that you please stay off the road. ” Please be as open as possible to the public safety professionals who have to do their jobs and who will guide us through the crisis we face today here in the City of Los Angeles and County of Los Angeles. ”
Mr McDonnell also expressed support for first responders working to contain fire damage and keep people safe, and encouraged the public to continue working together.
“While we continue to support our firefighters and other law enforcement partners, we thank the public watching this for their cooperation and patience as we work through this situation. We appreciate you all the more ‘together’,” he said.
Source link