LIVE – Fires in Los Angeles: fire spreads to new areas

Mexico has announced the sending of reinforcements to fight the numerous fires hitting Los Angeles in California, near the border between the two countries, a region of the United States where many Mexicans live.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced early in the morning the departure of a “humanitarian aid group for Los Angeles, California.” “We are a generous and united country,” she added, publishing on X the photo of two cargo planes on the tarmac of an airport.

The multiple fires that have been raging in Los Angeles for five days, causing at least eleven deaths, are extending to areas hitherto spared, in turn targeted by evacuation instructions.

Despite the massive mobilization of firefighters, the progression of the fire triggered evacuation orders on the eastern flank of the Pacific Palisades sector, in an area where the Getty Center is located. Built in part with fire-resistant stones, the famous museum houses 125,000 works of art.

Dozens of fire trucks patrol this district of Los Angeles, devastated by the passage of the fire, reports our special correspondent Solenn Riou. Firefighters remain on alert due to the dryness of the soil and the winds, despite their calm.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a surprise visit to a meal distribution center in Los Angeles. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were spotted by a crew from local news channel Fox 11 at the Pasadena Convention Center, converted for the occasion into an evacuation site.

The Los Angeles fires are fueled by “Santa Ana” winds, which are common from October to March in the southwest United States. We explain to you the specificity of these phenomena, which have reached an unprecedented power for more than ten years.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff said during a press briefing that 13 people are missing. However, it is not yet possible to know if these missing people are part of the 11 deaths recorded, said Robert G. Luna. “We hope that everyone will be safe and sound,” he concluded.

The Los Angeles Department of Public Health has declared a local health emergency. “The fires, coupled with strong winds, have seriously degraded air quality by releasing hazardous smoke and particles, posing immediate and long-term risks to public health,” authorities said, adding that the use of certain devices, such as leaf blowers, is prohibited until further notice.

In neighborhoods where the fire has nothing left to burn, residents can come and see the extent of the damage. A TF1 team went to the small town of Altadena, in the north of Los Angeles, whose neighborhoods were razed by the flames.

Local authorities in Los Angeles say more than 144,000 people are under evacuation orders.

Six fires are currently raging in the city, all with separate evacuation orders and warnings, including in the upscale Calabasas area, where the Kardashians live, and parts of Malibu.

It is in a scene of desolation that we find our special correspondent in Pacific Palisades, to discuss the damage of the fires in this upscale neighborhood.

Discover the aerial images of Los Angeles, which give an idea of ​​the scale of the disaster. ↓

On the LCI set, François Gemenne recalls the impact of global warming on the mega-fires hitting Los Angeles. Across the globe, fires risk being “more frequent and more violent”, warns the Belgian researcher, co-author of the sixth IPCC report. “Every tenth of a degree will make a huge difference, particularly in the risk of extreme events,” he stressed, while 2024 is the first year to exceed the temperature averages of the pre-industrial era by 1.5°C. . “This trend exposes us to risks.”

Pope Francis, “saddened” by the fires, expressed his “spiritual closeness” to those affected by this “tragedy”.

“Saddened by the loss of life and the significant destruction caused by fires near Los Angeles”, the Pope “assures the communities affected by this tragedy of his spiritual closeness”, writes Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, number two of the Vatican, in a telegram addressed to the Archbishop of Los Angeles.

Laeticia Hallyday posts a video of the rubble of her house in Los Angeles on Instagram.

The matches scheduled for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers this evening in the NBA have been postponed due to the fires. The Lakers were to host the San Antonio Spurts, the team of Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, and the Clippers were to host the Charlotte Hornets.

The game the Lakers were to play against the Hornets on Thursday had already been postponed for the same reason.

From Pacific Palisades, one of the almost completely destroyed neighborhoods, LCI special correspondents Solène Riou and Camille Souhaut describe a complicated situation with new fires breaking out in places. “We passed dozens and dozens of fire trucks and police cars. We also regularly hear water bombing helicopters spraying the area” ⤵️

Since Tuesday, firefighters have been fighting tirelessly to try to put out the mega-fires ravaging the California city. Problem is, due to the drought in the region, firefighters lack water to fight the flames. In this context, is it possible to use water from the nearby ocean? Not so simple.

While traveling abroad when the fires started, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was the target of strong criticism. The first woman elected as head of the city in 2022, she is also criticized for a drop in the firefighters’ budget. Yesterday, she promised to rebuild as quickly as possible, even if Donald Trump already dreams of her losing her job ⤵️

▶️ The numerous fires raging in Los Angeles since Tuesday have caused at least eleven deaths.

▶️ Entire sections of the second largest city in the United States are devastated: more than 10,000 buildings have been destroyed and more than 14,000 hectares have gone up in smoke.

▶️ The wind fanning the flames has weakened since yesterday. The authorities are now blaming themselves.

Welcome to this live dedicated to the fires in California. Find here the strong images and the latest developments on these fires which are ravaging Los Angeles County.