The devastating Los Angeles wildfires have already claimed the lives of at least 11 people, forced 180,000 people from their homes since and destroyed more than 10,000 structures.
But as helicopters and firefighters battle in vain to control the largest of the six, the Palisades Fire, which is currently ravaging parts of the county, flames have begun encroaching on the celebrity neighbourhoods of Mandeville Canyon and Brentwood.
It has also forced the partial closure of the 405 freeway.
As of Friday night, the flames had destroyed 21,317 acres and were just 8% contained.
In what has become LA’s worst fires in 20 years, the official death toll rose to 11 on Friday night, five of which are due to the Palisades fire and the rest as a result of the Eaton fire, which is currently burning in the Pasadena area.
Cadaver dogs are being deployed to comb through the many decimated neighbourhoods, with officials warning the death toll is likely to rise.
The Palisades fire is now moving east towards Brentwood, another of LA’s wealthiest neighbourhoods and home to numerous celebrities.
Among the big names with homes in the Brentwood area include actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gwyneth Paltrow, NBA star LeBron James and Disney chief executive Bob Iger. OJ Simpson also once owned a property there.
Mandatory evacuation orders were extended into the suburb late on Friday night (January 10), including the Getty Centre, a museum full of priceless art.
Overall, more than 150,000 people remain under evacuation orders.
A petition demanding the “immediate” resignation of LA Mayor, Karen Bass, has now received over 53,000 signatures in the space of three days. Bass is among those being criticised for their handling of the wildfires, including why LA and Californian officials failed to prepare for the disaster when they had prior warning of the encroaching strong winds – which can easily exceed 60 mph.
Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Bass have also been attacked over issues including empty fire hydrants and reservoirs and a lack of firefighters.
According to sources who spoke to the Daily Mail, the LA Fire Chief, Kristin Crowley, is also said to be clinging onto her job by a thread. She hugged staff goodbye as she entered a meeting with the mayor. A source initially told the Mail that the fire chief had been fired on Friday afternoon, but the Mayor’s office told ABC7 Crowley still had her job.
According to officials, two new evacuation shelters have opened – the Lanark Recreation Center and Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Recreation Center – and are accepting residents. More than a dozen animal rescue centres are also accepting both small and large animals.
While calmer winds on Friday have enabled firefighters to start gaining some control of the biggest blazes, much stronger winds are expected to return over the weekend, which will spell disaster for the now five-day effort.
The area has not seen rain in more than eight months, resulting in tinderbox conditions.
