Exhausted Los Angeles firefighters are battling new fires in the Hollywood Hills and Studio City on Wednesday night.
A fire appears to have affected several homes in Studio City just before 9 p.m.
Los Angeles Police Department responded to a report of a structure fire at a four-story residence at 3656 N. Sunswept Drive at 8:52 p.m.
Firefighters spray water on the Sunset Fire along Vista Street in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
(Jason Almond/Los Angeles Times)
“Firefighters are on the defensive with fire crews prioritizing exposure protection and preventing brush entry,” the department said.
Aerial footage seen by KTLA News showed firefighters spraying water on several burning structures located on a winding, hilly road surrounded by a lot of vegetation.
Another fire near Runyon Canyon in the Hollywood Hills caused massive traffic jams as residents scrambled to evacuate densely populated areas.
The Sunset Fire was reported just after 5:30 p.m. at 2350 N. Solar Drive and spread to 50 acres within three hours, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley was informed of the fire during an evening press conference while discussing several other large fires in the area.
“As we speak, I can tell you that we are putting every available resource into it,” the Secretary said before rushing off.
The fire is burning near a downtown area packed with apartments, condos and homes at the base of the Hollywood Hills.
Initial firefighting efforts showed some success in extinguishing the fire.
The eastern perimeter of the fire was “simply contained” as of about 8:30 p.m., thanks to the efforts of fire roads and ground crews, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. And although the active flames were extinguished by direct fire, they continued to smolder inside.
A helicopter sprayed water on the Sunset Fire on Vista Street in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
(Jason Almond/Los Angeles Times)
According to the sheriff’s office, helicopters are concentrating on the southwest side, where fire activity is most intense.
Traffic became heavy as people tried to flee the area, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that police would be called in to help direct traffic. “In response to the fire’s spread, we are working urgently to close roads, redirect traffic, and expand access for LAFD vehicles,” she said in a post on X.
In the Hollywood Hills, smoke filled the air and water dripped down hilly streets as crowds gathered at police lines to catch a glimpse of the flames.
Up on the hill, fire engines idled between evacuated streets, embers of fire glistening in the sky.
A police officer said the evacuation process was chaotic, but the chaos had subsided by 9pm as ash fell on the streets. Every seven minutes or so, a helicopter swooped down, dropping more water on the hill and sprinkling it on the mountains below.
Evacuation zones were established for the area between the 101 Freeway on the east and Laurel Canyon on the west, and between Mulholland Drive on the north and Hollywood Boulevard on the south.
Evacuation orders were issued for a wide area south of Hollywood Boulevard to Sunset Boulevard and west to Coldwater Canyon Drive.
A shelter was set up at the Pan Pacific Recreation Center, 7600 Beverly Avenue. In Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, wildfires across Los Angeles County have destroyed more than 1,100 buildings and killed at least five people, making it one of the most destructive firestorms to hit the region in living memory.
Fire officials admitted they were overwhelmed by the size and speed of the fire.
The winds that fueled the fires have eased somewhat on Tuesday, but officials said the danger remains high and a high wind warning remains in effect until 10 p.m.
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