California Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday declared a state of emergency over the wildfires that have affected the western part of the US city of Los Angeles, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
“I have declared a state of emergency to support the communities affected by the Pacific Palisades fire. Residents of Southern California: stay alert, take all necessary precautions and follow local emergency guidelines,” he said on his profile on the social network X.
For his part, the interim mayor of Los Angeles, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, has also declared a state of emergency in the US city. “We will have all the necessary resources at our disposal,” he said.
The fire is spreading rapidly in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, although authorities have warned that the worst could come in the next few hours due to a strong wind storm. According to the California Department of Fire Protection, the flames are burning about five football fields per minute in the state.
In this situation, more than 62,000 people have been left without electricity in Los Angeles County and more than 30,000 people have been evacuated. The fire has burned about 1,220 hectares, most of them in Palisades.
US President Joe Biden has indicated that his team is in contact with state and local officials about the wildfires and has offered “all federal assistance that is necessary to help quell the terrible fire.”
“Tonight, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved a grant for fire management assistance, to support the affected areas and help reimburse the state of California for the immediate costs of extinguishing fires,” reads a statement from the White House.
Biden, who has said his administration will do “everything we can to support the response,” has urged residents of Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas of Los Angeles to remain vigilant and listen to local officials.
