The wildfires around Los Angeles continued to rage Thursday, disrupting an area that millions call home. At least five people have been reported dead due to the wildfires. LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said during a news conference that nearly 180,000 remained under evacuation orders. Earlier in the day, though, orders in Hollywood Hills were lifted.
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna emphasized the importance of evacuation, stating, “I cannot emphasize enough that I urge residents that are asked to evacuate to follow our warnings.”
At least five fires have been confirmed. The first fire erupted Tuesday morning in Pacific Palisades, a Los Angeles County neighborhood. It remains 0% contained. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said Thursday that the Hurst Fire in Sylmar is 10% contained, while the Lidia Fire burning through Acton is 40% contained.
The wildfires also impacted numerous industries in the region, including entertainment. ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ was among the shows whose production was affected. Universal Studios Hollywood and the shopping complex known as Universal CityWalk were also closed Thursday.
Author’s Opinion
In times like these, investing in effective emergency response and prevention strategies must be a top priority. With California facing increasingly frequent and intense wildfires, balancing budget allocations for firefighting resources and environmental measures becomes not just a matter of governance, but one of survival for communities.
