The largest wildfire ravaging Los Angeles this week changed direction on Saturday, triggering new evacuation orders and presenting fresh challenges to firefighters already stretched thin.
Since Tuesday, six wildfires have scorched neighborhoods across Los Angeles County, claiming at least 11 lives and damaging or destroying 10,000 structures. Officials warned that the toll could rise further as crews conduct house-to-house searches in affected areas.
The intense Santa Ana winds that had fueled the fires eased Friday night, but the Palisades Fire on the city’s western edge shifted course, threatening new communities. The fire was reported to be moving toward the Brentwood neighborhood and the foothills of the San Fernando Valley, according to The Los Angeles Times.
“The Palisades Fire has got a new significant flare-up on the eastern portion and continues to move northeast,” Captain Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department told KTLA, as cited by The Times.
The Palisades Fire, already described as the most destructive in Los Angeles history, has razed entire neighborhoods, leaving only the smoldering remnants of homes and possessions.
Earlier, firefighters had reported progress in battling the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, which has burned in the foothills east of the city. As of Friday night, the Palisades Fire was 8 percent contained, while the Eaton Fire was just 3 percent contained, according to Cal Fire, the state’s firefighting agency.
With conditions remaining volatile, officials urged residents in affected areas to heed evacuation orders and remain vigilant as crews work to contain the infernos.
