Thousands Under Evacuation Orders as Los Angeles Struggles To Contain Wildfires

TaiwanPlus News

Multiple fires continue to rage across southern California and remain barely contained as of Friday evening local time. Over 150,000 people are under mandatory evacuation orders, as police announce a curfew to prevent looting in affected areas.

Transcript

00:00Longtime Pacific Palisades resident Maria Demina says goodbye to the ruins of her home,

00:13destroyed by the fires still raging through the coastal area of Southern California.

00:21To see this, we actually came to say thank you to our house for being good to us, and

00:32we were good to it, so kind of end of a life story here and then another life will be gone.

00:44Demina's neighborhood was decimated by the largest of the wildfires that have set much

00:48of Los Angeles County ablaze for days, spurred by dry conditions and high winds.

00:56Better wind conditions on Friday helped fire crews bring the Palisades fire on the West

01:00Coast to 8 percent containment, while the Eaton fire in East L.A. is only 3 percent

01:05contained.

01:06As of Friday evening local time, at least 11 people have been killed in the fires, with

01:15The death toll expected to rise once emergency crews are cleared to search the ruins.

01:22Thousands of buildings and entire neighborhoods have been destroyed, and over 150,000 people

01:28are under mandatory evacuation orders.

01:31Another 160,000 face evacuation warnings as the fires continue their path of destruction.

01:37The L.A. County Police Department has also announced a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. to

01:42prevent looting in evacuation areas.

01:45Enforcing a curfew is an important tool that will help keep the burn areas and the evacuated

01:50properties secure, keeping looters out.

01:53This effort also helps protect public safety personnel who are operating in darkness in

01:58very difficult conditions.

02:01The police chief says the National Guard will be sent in to help with traffic control in

02:08affected areas.

02:12As thick clouds of smoke hung over the city, volunteers came together to distribute food,

02:17clothing and toiletries to those in need, as they tried to cheer up displaced residents

02:22with some much-needed warmth from the community.

02:25Dolphine Chen and Tiffany Wong for Taiwan Plus.

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