Los Angeles Fire

Dozens of firefighters battle blaze on container ship docked at LA port

Dozens of firefighters were battling a blaze on a container ship docked at a Los Angeles port on Friday night, according to officials. All of the 23 crew members were accounted for, and there were no injuries from the electrical fire, which appears to have started below deck, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The ship's cargo includes hazardous materials. By about 7 pm, the fire had spread to several levels of the ship, according to the fire department, and later an explosion took place mid-deck. It was not immediately clear how the fire started. More than 100 firefighters were fighting the fire at the Port of Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. The port is known as the busiest in North America. LAFD Hazardous Materials companies are monitoring air quality as fire suppression continues, she said. The 1,102-foot-long (336-metre-long) vessel, the One Henry Hudson, is operated by One Ocean Express, a shipping company headquartered in Singapore. Before

Universal Studios gives first responders of LA fire free theme park tickets

As per The Hollywood Reporter, the offer is valid until April 10, and a 50 per cent discount on up to three one-day general admission tickets for any guest

Exposed wires may have contributed to LA's Eaton fire, claims law firm

Robertson and experts with his firm captured the images of SCE's equipment by hiking to SCE towers along the ridge of foothills near Altadena and deploying drones earlier this month

California approves $2.5 bn for state response to Los Angeles-area fires

California bolstered funding to help the Los Angeles area recover from its recent deadly wildfires under a more than USD 2.5 billion fire relief package approved Thursday by the California Legislature. Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the bills, which had bipartisan support, and now head to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk. The proposals include USD 2.5 billion for the state's emergency disaster response efforts such as evacuations, sheltering survivors and removing household hazardous waste. They also approved USD 4 million for local governments to streamline approvals for rebuilding homes, and USD 1 million to support school districts and help them rebuild facilities. We need to be able to move with urgency, put aside our differences and be laser-focused on delivering the financial resources, delivering the boots on the ground that are needed and the policy relief that is needed to get neighbourhoods cleaned up and communities rebuilt, said Mike McGuire, a Democrat and presid

May stop aid for LA if California doesn't change water policies: Trump

President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to withhold federal disaster aid for wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles unless California leaders change the state's approach on its management of water. In a Fox News interview, Trump repeated false claims that the state's fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state are responsible for fire hydrants running dry in urban areas. He says the blame for Los Angeles' struggles to tame some of the deadly fires lies with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, a political foe who has called for partnership and mutual respect as the state fights the blazes. I don't think we should give California anything until they let the water run down, Trump said. The president levelled the threat as he prepares for the first presidential trip of his second term. On Friday, he will visit Southern California in addition to western North Carolina, which is recovering after Hurricane Helene pummelled the area more than three months ago. Trump in the interview

Over 50K under evacuation orders as wildfire imperils homes north of LA

Nearly 20,000 people on Wednesday were ordered to evacuate as a huge and fast-moving wildfire swept through the rugged mountains north of Los Angeles, as parched Southern California endured another round of dangerous winds and two major previous blazes continued to smolder. The Hughes Fire broke out in the late morning and within hours charred nearly 21 square km of trees and brush, sending up plumes of dark smoke near Lake Castaic, a popular recreation area about 64 km from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that are burning for a third week. A 48 km stretch of Interstate 5, a major north-south artery, was closed as flames raced along hilltops and down into wooded canyons. Crews on the ground and in water-dropping aircraft tried to prevent the wind-driven fire from moving across the interstate and toward Castaic, where most of the 19,000 residents were ordered to evacuate. Another 15,000 people in the area were warned to prepare to leave at a moment's notice, according to t

Fire risk, strong winds continue in California with expectations of rain

Parched Southern California was forecast to face more dangerous winds on Wednesday but could get some badly needed rain this weekend, dampening the prospects of another round of killer wildfires though even a small amount of precipitation could could create new challenges like toxic ash runoff. Los Angeles officials were preparing for that prospect even as a small number of residents were allowed to return to the devastated Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas and firefighters quickly controlled small blazes that broke out. Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order Tuesday to expedite cleanup efforts in burn areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides, install barriers and reinforce roads ahead of the possible weekend rain, which could create mud and debris flows. This is to prevent additional damage to areas already ravaged by fire and also to protect our watershed, beaches and ocean from toxic

Fire-ravaged Southern California braces for gusty winds, high wildfire risk

Southern Californians are bracing for gusty winds and a heightened risk of wildfires, less than two weeks after deadly blazes killed at least 27 people and ravaged thousands of homes. The National Weather Service has issued warning of a "particularly dangerous situation" for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties from Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning due to low humidity and damaging Santa Ana winds. Gusts could peak at 113 kmph along the coast and 161 kmph in the mountains and foothills. Windy weather and single-digit humidity are expected to linger through Thursday, said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. He said the fire risk is also elevated because the region hasn't seen rain since April. Critical fire weather with wind gusts up to 97 kmph was also forecast for other Southern California communities on Monday and Tuesday stretching to San Diego, with residents urged to take steps to get ready to evacuate such as creating an emergency kit

Los Angeles evacuees told to stay away from home at least another week

With wildfires burning for a 10th day, firefighters expressed relief over withstanding recent red flag conditions of high desert winds and low humidity without either of the two monster fires growing

Los Angeles 'Red Flag' wildfire warnings removed, but dangers persist

Some 6.5 million people remained under a critical fire threat, after the fires consumed an area nearly the size of Washington, DC, resulting in at least 25 deaths so far, authorities said

Risk of fire tornadoes rises under California's extreme wildfire conditions

As if they aren't already facing enough, firefighters in California also could encounter fire tornadoes a rare but dangerous phenomenon in which wildfires create their own weather. The National Weather Service warned Tuesday that the combination of high winds and severely dry conditions have created a particularly dangerous situation in which any new fire could explode in size. The advisory, which runs into Wednesday, didn't mention tornadoes, but meteorologist Todd Hall said they're possible given the extreme conditions. A look at fire tornados: What is a fire tornado? Fire whirl, fire devil, fire tornado or even firenado scientists, firefighters and regular folks use multiple terms to describe similar phenomena, and they don't always agree on what's what. Some say fire whirls are formed only by heat, while fire tornados involve clouds generated by the fire itself. The National Wildfire Coordinating Group's glossary of wildland fire terms doesn't include an entry for fire torna

Wildfire warnings issued in Southern California as winds rise; LA badly hit

Millions of people across Southern California faced new wildfire warnings on Tuesday, and tens of thousands saw their power shut off as strong winds blew across the parched landscape around Los Angeles where two massive blazes have been burning for a week. Santa Ana winds that began gusting over the mountains before sunrise were forecast to continue with enough force to carry fire-sparking embers for miles and stoke new outbreaks across a region where at least 24 people have already been killed. "Life threatening and destructive and widespread winds are already here," LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley told a news conference. Much of Southern California was under an elevated fire risk, with crews on high alert across a 482-kilometre stretch from San Diego to far north of Los Angeles. Facing the greatest risk were inland areas north of LA, including densely populated Thousand Oaks, Northridge and Simi Valley, home to more than 3,00,000 people, forecasters said. Nearly 90,000 househo

LA rental hits nearly $40,000 a month as fires swirl housing market

Since evacuees are naturally looking for residences close to their burned properties, the competition is fiercest in areas that were already tight

Biden announces 2 new monuments in California after wildfires destroy plans

In an announcement postponed by the Los Angeles wildfires, President Joe Biden on Tuesday designated two sites in California as national monuments that will honour Native American tribes while shielding picturesque mountains and deserts from mining and energy development. Biden made the designations at an event at the White House, a week after -- and on the other side of the country from -- how he'd originally planned to do so, with a speech in California's Eastern Coachella Valley. The president landed in California on January 6 but made it as far as Los Angeles before high winds -- that helped spark the Los Angeles blazes -- forced officials to scrap the event. It was a stark reminder that, even as Biden uses the last days of his administration to attempt to safeguard the environment, climate change is already helping to exacerbate natural disasters. Instead, Biden spoke next to screens featuring towering peaks, desert vistas and an array of plant and animal life. "I was hoping w

Hollywood's filmmaking continues despite massive LA wildfires: Report

Disney's movie assembly lines - like the rest of Hollywood's - have been almost completely unaffected

Here's how this $9 million mansion survived California's brutal wildfires

Amid California's Malibu wildfires, a $9-million mansion survived untouched. Its owner, a retired waste executive, calls it a 'miracle'

Los Angeles wildfires: Blaze claims 25 lives amid fierce Santa Ana winds

LA wildfires: New evidence suggests that the Palisades Fire, one of Los Angeles' most destructive blazes which started on January 7, may have reignited from a New Year's Eve fire in the same area

Lawsuit claims utility's equipment sparked Eaton Fire, probe underway

A lawsuit filed on Monday against Southern California Edison claims the utility's equipment sparked the deadly Eaton Fire burning just outside Los Angeles and Edison has acknowledged fire agencies are investigating whether its equipment may have started a smaller LA-area fire that broke out the same day. Authorities still haven't determined an official cause for any of the fires, which began last Tuesday amid hurricane-force winds and have killed at least 24 people in and around Los Angeles. A team from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is taking the lead on the investigations and whether there is a connection between any of them. Firefighters are still battling to contain the Eaton Fire that broke out near Pasadena, destroying at least 7,000 homes and other structures and laying waste to entire neighbourhoods. Attorneys representing a homeowner who lost their home said that it is their belief that Edison's equipment caused it. Video taken during the fire's earl

Here's what to know about pink flame retardants being used to slow LA fires

Aircraft battling fires raging through the Los Angeles area are dropping more than water -- hundreds of thousands of gallons of hot-pink fire suppressant ahead of the flames in a desperate effort to stop them before they destroy more neighbourhoods. The fires have killed at least 24 people, displaced thousands and destroyed more than 12,000 structures since they began last Tuesday. Four fires driven by strong Santa Ana winds have charred about 160 square kilometres, according to Cal Fire. Fire agencies say the suppressants -- most often used to fight forest fires -- are an invaluable tool. But what is in them and are they safe? Why they are being used in Los Angeles The fires are burning quickly through canyons and other rugged areas that are difficult for firefighters on the ground to reach, Cal Fire said. While fire suppressants can be very effective, they do have limitations, the agency said, "Strong winds can make it too dangerous to fly at the low altitudes needed for drops a

Los Angeles wildfires rage as dry winds likely to return this week

High winds will limit opportunities for firefighters to make progress against the fast-moving Palisades and Eaton fires, which have left at least 16 people dead and consumed more than 12,000 buildings