Los Angeles has declared a state of emergency following the major blaze from what is described as the worst wildfires in the city’s history.
Hundreds of homes have been evacuated around the Glendale and Burbank suburbs. Covering about 5,000 acres, the fires started in La Tuna Canyon on Friday and have sent plumes of smoke over the city.
It was just one of several blazes that sent thousands fleeing homes across the US West during a blistering holiday weekend heat wave. As per the latest update, at least three homes have already been destroyed and a major road, the 210 Freeway, closed.
More than 140 hikers has been rescued by the crews in Oregon who were forced to spend the night in the woods after fire broke out along the popular Columbia River Gorge Trail. Wildfires also burned in a 2,700-year-old grove of giant sequoia trees near Yosemite National Park, forced evacuations in Glacier National Park and drove people from homes in parts of the West struggling with searing temperatures.
Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles declared a local emergency and at the state level, Governor Jerry Brown did the same for Los Angeles County after the three houses were destroyed. California has been in the grip of a heatwave and the flames are being fanned by strong winds. Montana and Washington state have also been declared to be under emergency and thousands of residents have been evacuated from that place.
Forecasters said more heat could be expected when remnants of Tropical Storm Lidia move north from Mexico’s Baja California during the weekend.
