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Wildfires Ravage Los Angeles, Thousands Evacuated

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TOPSHOT - Plumes of smoke are seen as a brush fire burns in Pacific Palisades, California on January 7, 2025. A fast-moving brushfire in a Los Angeles suburb burned buildings and sparked evacuations Tuesday as "life threatening" winds whipped the region. More than 200 acres (80 hectares) was burning in Pacific Palisades, a upscale spot with multi-million dollar homes in the Santa Monica Mountains, shuttering a key highway and blanketing the area with thick smoke.  (Photo by DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, January 8, 2025…

  • The city of Los Angeles is under a state of emergency following several rapidly growing wildfires that sparked Tuesday. Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate from the two biggest fires – one burning in Pacific Palisades and the other near Pasadena.

2 Deaths Are Reported As Uncontrolled Wildfires Ravage Southern California

At least two people have been killed and more than 1,000 structures have been destroyed as major wildfires tear through communities in southern California, according to LA County officials. A significant number of serious injuries have also been reported, as the largest fires remain at 0% containment.

Tens of thousands have already evacuated their homes in Los Angeles County — some of them on foot — after fires erupted near residential areas. The largest fires — the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst — continue to expand, triggering a cascade of evacuation orders and school closures.

Anthony Marrone, LA County fire chief, said there is “a high number of significant injuries to residents who did not evacuate.” He said first responders have been injured too.

Firefighting teams continued battling winds up to 100 mph overnight as they try to blunt the wildfires’ fury; as of early Wednesday morning, all the fires in Southern California were at 0% containment.

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