Thousands of acres are burning in LA

Firefighters in Los Angeles are battling massive blazes in the suburbs, as tens of thousands of residents are forced to evacuate.

The rapidly changing situation is compounded by Santa Ana winds and very dry conditions. Currently, authorities say there is no possibility that some of the fires will be brought under control.

The Palisades Fire, the closest to the coast and the largest, has ripped through scenic areas that are home to many Hollywood stars. More than 1,000 buildings have been destroyed.

Here’s how the fires are spreading and affecting the Los Angeles area.

Seven fires are currently being extinguished.

I Palisades The fire was first reported at 10:30 (18:30 GMT) on Tuesday, and grew in just 20 minutes from a 20-hectare fire to more than 200 hectares, and by Wednesday night was approaching 16,000 hectares. At least 30,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes.

I Eaton The fire grew to 1,000 hectares within the first six hours of its outbreak. It started in Altadena in the hills above Pasadena around 18:30 local time on Tuesday. By Wednesday night, it was reported that five people had died and more than 10,000 hectares had been affected.

I Hurst The fire is located north of San Fernando. It started burning on Tuesday around 22:10 local time, and has grown to 850 hectares, according to local officials. It launched takeout orders in neighboring Santa Clarita.

I Woodley A fire broke out in Woodley Park around 06:15 local time on Wednesday. The LA Fire Department (LAFD) says it is now closed.

A Olivas A fire broke out in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles, and was burning in an area of ​​about 11 hectares of land, although it has now been extinguished.

I Lydia The fire broke out at around 14:00 on Wednesday in the mountainous area of ​​Acton north of Los Angeles, and has grown to about 350 hectares. As of 21:00, it had contained 40%.

I Sunset The fire broke out around 18:00 in Hollywood Hills, a residential area overlooking the city’s historic Hollywood district. It currently covers 50 hectares and contains 0%. A mandatory exit order exists.

The map above shows how quickly the Palisades fire is spreading, intensifying in a matter of hours. Just after 14:00 on Tuesday it covered 772 hectares and within four hours it had grown to almost its current size.

Thousands of people were forced to evacuate, as more than 1,400 firefighters battled the blaze.

To give an idea of ​​the size of the Palisades fire, we’ve superimposed it on maps of New York and London.

As you can see, it is comparable in size to the center of the capital of the UK, or to the large areas of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Another indication of the extent of the Palisades fire comes from Nasa’s Earth Observatory.

Pictures taken on Tuesday show huge plumes of smoke rising from California and drifting out to sea.

The Palisades fire is not the only one that has a negative impact on the Los Angeles area.

The photos above show the Pasadena Jewish Temple before and during the Eaton fire.

The Jewish Temple and Center website says it has been in operation since 1941 and has a congregation of over 400 families.