Hollywood Boulevard evacuated amid Los Angeles wildfires
Firefighters are battling to get under control a blaze near the iconic Hollywood Boulevard - and streets around Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and Madame Tussauds are packed with traffic.
The iconic Hollywood Boulevard has been evacuated amid warnings a further 100,000 residents should be prepared to evacuate their homes due to raging wildfires.
The latest ferocious blaze erupted in the Hollywood Hills and rapidly spread to around one mile from the Hollywood Bowl and and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Low-flying helicopters soared by on their way to dump water on the flames. People toting suitcases left hotels on foot, while some onlookers walked towards the flames, recording the fire on their phones.
The blazes across southern California have now killed at least five people, and celebrities, including songwriter Diane Warren, have seen their homes go up in flames.
But, now in the Hollywood Hills area alone, more than 1,000 structures, mostly homes, have been destroyed, and more than 130,000 people are under evacuation orders. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said air operations were dousing flames. She warned they still faced "erratic winds," though not of hurricane force like Tuesday evening, when much of the destruction occurred.
Flames are seen on the hillsides above Hollywood Boulevard
More than half a dozen schools in the area have either been damaged or destroyed, including Palisades Charter High School, which has been featured in many Hollywood productions, including the 1976 horror movie “Carrie” and the TV series “Teen Wolf,” officials said.
Jose Velasquez sprayed down his Altadena home with water as embers rained down on the roof. Thankfully, he was able to save his property. He said: "We had to call a few people and then we had people messaging, asking if their house was still standing."
But neighbours have lost their home and businesses in the district, which is in the Verdugo Mountains region of Los Angeles. Swimming pools have been blackened with soot, and sports cars are slumped on melted tires.
And in Pacific Palisades, more than 1,000 structures have been damaged, including houses. The fire there, most destructive in the modern history of Los Angeles, has left many people hurt, including emergency service personel.
President Joe Biden signed a federal emergency declaration after arriving at a Santa Monica fire station for a briefing with Gov. Gavin Newsom, who dispatched National Guard troops to help. Several Hollywood studios suspended production, and Universal Studios closed its theme park between Pasadena and Pacific Palisades.
