11/1/2025–|Last updated: 11/1/202506:25 AM (Mecca time)
Four days after forest fires swept through areas of Los Angeles in the US state of California, this city, which is world-famous for its film industry, looked – yesterday, Friday – like a war zone.
In vast swaths of the greater Los Angeles area, only ruins remain where homes, buildings and other structures once stood. The rows of cars were completely burned to the point of turning to ash, and their windows were completely gone.
Aerial photos of some neighborhoods – including Pacific Palisades and Altadena – show completely burned homes. Some survivors expressed their happiness after escaping this devastation, but many others shed tears over the loss of their homes amid fears about a future full of uncertainties.
Most residents were wearing masks, in reference to the reality of the thick smoke and the dangers resulting from inhaling it, while fires continued to burn in other areas of the city.
Fire scenes were everywhere, with many areas continuing to burn almost unabated.
US President Joe Biden said during a meeting at the White House yesterday that the scene was “more like a war zone and bombing operations.”
Despite the decline in wind strength yesterday, fires continue to spread in Los Angeles, with thick smoke covering the sky.
Meteorologist Mike Wafford said, “We are currently witnessing a slight decrease in wind strength, but this will be especially true in the afternoon.” He pointed out that the winds will decrease significantly today until the evening.
However, conditions remain a concern, with severe drought and winds expected to strengthen again.
curfew
Yesterday, the American authorities imposed a curfew in the Los Angeles areas to protect properties that were evacuated due to the fires.
Los Angeles Police Chief Robert Luna announced – in a press conference – that the curfew applies to the areas that were evacuated and affected by the fire in Palisades and Eaton, and is scheduled to be in effect from 6 p.m. yesterday until 6 a.m. this morning local time (0200 local time). GMT to 1400 GMT today).
“You cannot be present in these affected areas. If you are there, you are subject to arrest,” Luna said.
He stated that the curfew allows the police to take action against thieves operating in parts of the city that have been evacuated. “We are doing this to protect the facilities and homes that residents have left because we ordered them to leave,” he added.
Before this decision, there were citizens who had begun patrols to protect what remained of their neighborhoods.
Human and material losses
US authorities said that the forest fires, one of the worst natural disasters to strike California throughout its history, have claimed the lives of at least 11 people since yesterday morning, and caused total or partial damage to more than 10,000 buildings.
The cost of these fires may be the highest recorded to date. AccuWeather, a meteorological and weather forecasting services company, estimated damage and losses at between 135 and 150 billion dollars.
The fires affect cinematic activity in Hollywood. Filming of several films and series has been halted, while the Universal Studios theme park in Hollywood has been closed.
The announcement of the Oscar nominations was postponed to January 19 instead of the 17th, in addition to the Critics’ Awards ceremony that was supposed to be held tomorrow.
Sporting events were also postponed, especially a Los Angeles Lakers basketball match.
The wind that is blowing today is known as “Santa Ana” and is familiar to the fall and winter in California. But this week, it has reached an intensity unprecedented since 2011, according to meteorologists.
These winds constitute a nightmare for firefighters because California experienced two very rainy years, which led to the revival of the vegetation that is now withering due to the dry winter that the region is witnessing.
Scientists regularly point out that climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events.
