Just weeks after the massive fires in Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, another major fire has broken out.
Almost 19,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in a few hours, US media reports.
– You must leave immediately. Your life depends on it, says police officer Robert Luna in a TV interview KCAL News.
A new large forest fire is raging north of Los Angeles. It is forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes and again rattled nerves after two deadly fires earlier in January.
– If you are in these areas and receive an evacuation order, you must leave, says police officer Robert Luna to local residents in a television interview to KCAL News.
“You must leave immediately. Don’t argue, we have to get you out of there. Your life depends on it.”
“Aggressive” situation
So far, 19,000 people have been forced to leave their homes around Lake Castaic, which is located 56 kilometers north of Los Angeles and near the city of Santa Clarita.
About 4,000 firefighters, backed by planes and helicopters loaded with water, rushed to the new blaze — a massive effort that Los Angeles Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said was paying off.
– We will be on site all night, make sure we can put out the hot spots and then have enough resources to be able to move them if we have another outbreak.
The rain doesn’t stop the fire
At the same time, in Los Angeles, the authorities are warning of rain this weekend – but the rainfall will not be sufficient to help the extinguishing work.
In addition, the water can cause mudslides in the areas where trees are burned down and cannot stop the mud from welling up. The rain is forecast and the threat of mud and debris flowing into the fire-affected areas is real.
– When the fires have subsided, new challenges will arise, says responsible Kathryn Barger.