Evacuations as wildfire threatens LA

Fire crews racing to contain blaze before strong winds hit region again

LOS ANGELES - More than 1,000 firefighters battled a wind-driven blaze on Monday that broke out near the renowned Getty Center museum in Los Angeles, prompting widespread evacuations as the flames destroyed several homes and forced the shutdown of schools and roads.

It was the latest outbreak in a wildfire season that has caused mass evacuations and power outages across California.

The so-called Getty Fire ignited overnight near a major freeway and quickly spread south and west toward neighborhoods, scorching nearly 240 hectares and sending people fleeing in the dark.

By Monday afternoon, fire crews had slowed the pace of the blaze and were racing to contain it before strong winds are expected to hit the region again from Tuesday evening through Thursday.

Authorities said some 1,100 firefighters were battling an inferno that threatened 10,000 structures, many of them multimillion dollar homes.

"This is a fire that quickly spread," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said at a news conference with fire officials, urging residents in the mandatory evacuation zone, which encompasses more than 10,000 homes and businesses, to get out quickly.

"Get out when we say get out," the mayor said, telling homeowners they should not try to fight the fire with garden hoses, the Los Angeles Times reported. "The only thing you cannot replace is you and your family."

Among those forced to flee was Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who tweeted that he and his family had evacuated his home in the upscale neighborhood of Brentwood during the night.

"Man these LA fires aren't no joke," he said. "Had to emergency evacuate my house and I've been driving around with my family trying to get rooms. No luck so far!"

He later tweeted that he had found a place to stay.

Arnold Schwarzenegger also said on Monday that he had to flee.

"We evacuated safely at 3:30 this morning," the actor and former California governor tweeted. "If you are in an evacuation zone, don't screw around. Get out."

Monday night's red carpet premiere in Los Angeles of Terminator: Dark Fate, starring Schwarzenegger, was canceled because of the fire.

"We will be donating food intended for the after-party to the American Red Cross, which is serving those affected by the fires," Paramount said in a statement.

The Getty Center, which is home to a priceless art collection, said none of the pieces was under threat from the flames, notably because the building is designed to be fire resistant.

"Many have asked about the artit is protected by state-of-the-art technology," the museum said in a tweet.

The Getty Fire broke out as California has been dealing with a number of wildfires that have ignited throughout the state in the last week, forcing massive evacuations and power cuts.

'We are devastated'

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency on Sunday as a wind-driven fire in the Sonoma wine region north of San Francisco spread out of control, forcing tens of thousands to flee.

The Kincade Fire, which erupted on Oct 23 and is the largest so far this year, had spread to more than 26,700 hectares - or more than 260 square kilometers - by Monday afternoon and was only 15 percent contained.

Firefighters have also been battling a number of additional fires fed by strong winds, low humidity and high temperatures.

Residents who fled the Kincade Fire recalled hasty departures as they waited it out in the safety of a community center in Petaluma, California.

"The police came with loudspeakers. We weren't expecting it," said Kathy Amundson, who fled with her wheelchair-bound 90-year-old mother Joy.

"We smelled smoke, we couldn't see it," she said. "Looks like our home is safe but the fear is wind blowing embers and then it starts new fires."

Others were not so lucky. The fire has destroyed dozens of homes and vineyards, including the renowned 150-year-old Soda Rock Winery.

Agencies - China Daily

(China Daily 10/30/2019 page12)