Three wildfires are spreading around Los Angeles, amid a heatwave, drought and high winds in California, with new evacuations of residents and tourist areas on Tuesday.
Massive clouds of smoke are rising over affected areas near the second largest US city, which covers more than 1,200 square kilometres, causing poor air quality for residents.
Thousands of firefighters, supported by the American National Guard, are deployed on the ground to try to slow the progression of these fires which have led to the closure of several roads.
No deaths or serious injuries have been reported by the authorities so far.
AFP
Southeast of Los Angeles, the fire nicknamed the “Airport Fire”, of accidental origin, has burned more than 3,600 hectares since Monday and led to the closure of schools due to smoke.
It continued to gain intensity on Tuesday, according to Captain Steve Concialdi, and is now threatening the summit of Santiago Peak, on which antennas used by local media and authorities are installed.
To the northeast of the city, the “Line Fire”, which caused the evacuation of tourist sites, also continued to spread on Tuesday and burned more than 11,300 hectares.
Another fire, called the Bridge Fire, of smaller magnitude, remained active north of Los Angeles.
Getty Images via AFP
“Strengthened winds are expected Tuesday night, which could lead to lower relative humidity and greater spread of the fire,” the state agency Cal Fire warned.
These fires, which threaten tens of thousands of homes and businesses, have led to the evacuation of many homes.
Their progress is worsened by the heat wave affecting the region, with the mercury having exceeded 43 degrees in places in recent days. According to weather forecasts, temperatures are expected to drop from Thursday.
With global warming, the west of the North American continent is increasingly hit by extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts and fires.
