Inferno in Los Angeles: Wildfires Tear Through Hollywood Hills

Wildfires in Los Angeles have reached the Hollywood Hills, following earlier outbreaks that destroyed homes and forced evacuations. Over 100,000 residents were told to evacuate as hurricane-force winds fueled the fires. With resources strained, the blazes mark a historic natural disaster, exacerbated by water shortages and high wind conditions.

Intense wildfires in Los Angeles have spread to the iconic Hollywood Hills, escalating a crisis that has already claimed lives and prompted mass evacuations. Fueled by hurricane-force winds, the fires have ravaged parched lands since Tuesday, burning homes and straining firefighting resources and water supplies to their limits.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described the situation as catastrophic upon her return from Ghana. Fire Chief Kristin Crowley reported new fires necessitating further evacuations, bringing the total number of active fires in Los Angeles County to six. Hundreds of thousands of residents have been left without power and school closures are widespread.

Emergency efforts include deploying additional firefighters from multiple states, while President Joe Biden declared the fires a major disaster. With dry conditions persisting and significant economic losses anticipated, the response efforts are being challenged by water shortages and further exacerbating winds.

(With inputs from agencies.)