California on fire: hurricane-force winds and fires force thousands to evacuate
Strong winds reaching up to 100 miles per hour have triggered dangerous wildfires in Southern California. The fires threaten tens of thousands of homes, and evacuations are ongoing.
Photo: pixabay.com
On Tuesday evening, a series of destructive wildfires erupted in Southern California, driven by hurricane-force winds reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour, as reported by ABC7 Los Angeles.
The greatest threat comes from the Sylmar-area fire, known as the "Hearst Fire," which has burned over 500 acres of land within hours and forced the evacuation of 44,000 residents.
The fire started around 10:25 PM near Diamond Road and quickly spread due to dry vegetation and hurricane-strength winds.
The National Weather Service has issued a "red flag" warning for the region, including the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys and coastal Malibu areas. Evacuation orders cover approximately 40,000 homes, with over 27,000 residents receiving warnings of potential evacuations.
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved a grant to combat the fire, according to information published on the governor’s website.
This will cover 75% of firefighting costs for local authorities.
Additional firefighting teams were pre-positioned in the region—65 vehicles and over 120 specialists began battling the blaze before it spread.
Fires have also been reported in the Pacific Palisades and Eaton Canyon areas, significantly increasing the burden on emergency services.
The governor urged Californians to follow official recommendations, check updates, and prepare for potential evacuations.
Extreme weather conditions are expected to persist through Thursday, and efforts to prevent further destruction are ongoing. Residents are reminded to prepare in advance and access updates at ready.ca.gov.
Earlier reports indicated that the Kilauea volcano erupted in Hawaii. While there is no direct threat to the population, scientists warn of potential health risks due to volcanic smog.
Additionally, it was reported that a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 struck off the coast of California, triggering a tsunami warning. Thousands of people were affected, a state of emergency was declared, and rescue operations are actively underway.