Here’s how many people have been forced to evacuate because of the California wildfires
As wildfires rage throughout southern California, the number of those impacted grows. But tens of thousands of people in California have already been forced to evacuate due to these wildfires. The Santa Ana winds spread the fires, and since the National Weather Service has predicted that these strong and fast-moving winds will continue until at least Friday, December 8th, the California wildfires will be difficult to contain. Unfortunately, more areas will face danger until the Santa Ana winds stop, but here are the numbers so far.
The Los Angeles Times has a live update on the status of the current California wildfires, of which there are five major ones. The fire that has caused the most evacuations is the Thomas fire in Ventura County. The LA Times has the current number of evacuations for the Thomas fire at 50,000, with 12,000 homes threatened and 150 structures destroyed.
According to CNN, the second largest fire is the Creek fire in northern Los Angeles. The estimated evacuations for this area, from the Los Angeles Times as of Tuesday, December 5th, are 110,000 to 150,000 people.
The Rye fire in Santa Clarita burned 5,000 acres as of Tuesday night and forced 1,300 homes to be evacuated. While there is no official number on the evacuation numbers for the 150-acre Skirball fire, located near the Skirball Cultural Center and the Getty Center, the 405 freeway was temporarily closed due to it. The local ABC affiliate, KABC, said the Skirball fire is leading to “thousands of mandatory evacuations.”
Current *Evacuation* Maps for the two active #wildfires within the City of #LosAngeles:#CreekFire: https://t.co/l0BoLIkymK#SkirballFire: https://t.co/D8XX2huSL8
We are regretfully unable to offer precise fire perimeter maps at this time. ^BH
— LAFD (@LAFD) December 6, 2017
For the Little Mountain fire in San Bernardino, ABC reported that the evacuations had been lifted as of Tuesday night. Those are the five fires that the LA Times featured in its live tracking article.
Because of the Creek fire, the LA Times reported that Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared a state of emergency for the city.
"We want to be really clear with folks. We have lost structures — we have not lost lives. Do not wait, leave your homes," Garcetti said. "We are erring on a side of abundance of caution for those evacuations because this wind could pick up and go a different direction. We simply don't know what this fire will do."
UPDATE: All lanes of the 405 Freeway have been reopened near the Skirball Fire as @EricGarcetti declares local state of emergency https://t.co/pOB0FMqf6t
— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) December 6, 2017
If you live in southern California, follow all evacuation orders for your safety. As Char Miller, a professor of environmental analysis, told CBS News, “There are going to be far greater numbers that are going to be evacuated, as we’re seeing now.” So as the Santa Ana winds continue to spread these wildfires, expect more areas to be evacuated. And please, stay safe.
