A relentless wildfire in the Angeles National Forest, Altadena, and Pasadena, has consumed about 10,600 acres, prompting a state of emergency and numerous evacuations. What started as a frightening but manageable situation quickly escalated, with over 100 structures destroyed by Wednesday morning, according to LACoFD Chief Anthony Marrone. By the evening, the damage had worsened, with Pasadena Fire Department Chief Chad Augustin reporting that 200-500 buildings had been ruined. Among those affected was LPGA pro-Demi Weber, who had to vacate her home to avoid the fire’s fury.

Weber kept her followers updated on Instagram, sharing a snapshot of the view from her balcony, captioning it, “We saw this approaching from our balcony.” In the next story, she updated everyone with, “We got a call that the fire was spreading quicker than authorities could update. So we evacuated south and now are waiting and impatiently watching the live feeds to see if our home will I be affected.”

It’s not just Weber feeling the heat. The entire area is in crisis, with residents, including celebrities like Mandy Moore and Mark Hamill, forced to flee their homes. Climate reporter Lucy Sherriff, who lives in Los Angeles, described the harrowing experience: “The inside of my home was bathed in orange and smelled of smoke, even with the windows closed.” If that’s not a reminder of how quickly things can turn in a disaster, can’t say what is.

In just the last 24 hours, the wildfire’s destruction has spread far and wide across California. Even Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick had to evacuate his family from their home. The fire even disrupted the Los Angeles Kings game, which had to be postponed because of the fires impacting the Crypto.com Arena.

On Wednesday, President Biden and California Governor Gavin Newsom were briefed by firefighting officials. Newsom thanked Biden for federal support, with the National Guard now stepping in to assist.

“I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire,” Biden stated. FEMA is also getting involved to cover some of the costs and nearly 100 schools in the area have been forced to close.

Sadly, the devastation has come at a terrible cost—five lives have been lost in this ongoing crisis. The situation remains dire.

The worsening condition of LA

Things are getting increasingly dire in Los Angeles as more than 30,000 residents have been forced to evacuate their homes, with a massive wildfire tearing through the Pacific Palisades area. This fire has already scorched nearly 3,000 acres, leaving dozens of homes in ashes. What used to be a peaceful and picturesque neighborhood has now been ravaged by the fire’s relentless path.

The Palisades fire is spreading fast—what started as a small 10-acre blaze exploded into a nearly 3,000-acre monster in just a few hours. It’s clear that the destruction is happening at a terrifying speed. Emergency teams are doing everything they can, with bulldozers clearing roads to make way for firefighting vehicles. Around 250 firefighters, with the help of 46 engines and five helicopters, are all in the fight to contain this beast of a fire, but it’s no small task.

On top of everything, over 220,000 homes and businesses in Los Angeles County were without power by late Tuesday, according to PowerOutage.us. The chaos is real, and it’s affecting every corner of the city.

As the fire keeps spreading, all we can do is hope and pray for everyone affected. Let’s just hope that safety and recovery come quickly for all those involved.