Two massive wildfires have engulfed much of the city of Los Angeles, displacing thousands and putting around 16 million people under fire warnings and nearly 180,000 residents given evacuation orders.
The casualty toll is currently at five with Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said he expected the death toll to rise, adding that a more thorough investigation needs to be done in the affected areas
A map overlaying the LA fires onto our biggest city Auckland shows how destructive and severe these wildfires actually are and emergency services warn that you don’t have to be living locally to be affected.
Aucklander Simon Lyall has overlaid The Palisades fire on a map of Auckland to show the extent of the devastation.
The current blaze is currently 62 square kilometers which would stretch all the way from Point Chevalier to around Wai O Taiki Bay, it would also be as south as Panmure and as north as Bastion point.
“Our thoughts are with the firefighters and communities of Los Angeles as they face the devastation of multiple wildfires that continue to burn across the county. Said Fire and Emergency NZ in a social media post.
“As tens of thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate, it’s a crucial reminder for all of us to reflect on our own wildfire escape plans.
“Think about where you live. Are you surrounded by green space? Do you live near a large forest? As we have seen in California, you don’t have to live rurally to be affected by wildfire.
“To the firefighters and communities of Los Angeles, kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui. Be strong, be brave, be steadfast.”
Photo Credit: BBC
