LA wildfire reaches school made famous by Hollywood, US media say
A prominent high school in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades area has reportedly fallen victim to wildfires raging across the U.S. city.
Local media said a fire broke out in parts of Palisades Charter High School, whose alumni include celebrities such as Will.i.am and Forest Whitaker. It is also a Hollywood filming location. The extent of the damage is unclear.
In addition to the Palisades Fire, which quickly spread to nearly 3,000 acres, other fires broke out nearby. Thousands of people have been evacuated.
The school’s website said it was closed and urged students and their families to avoid the area. The BBC has asked for further comment.
The school, which educates children ages 14 to 18, says its students come from a wide area west of Los Angeles. Its architecture is famous as a filming location for films such as Carrie, Teen Wolf, and Friday the Night.
Los Angeles is under a state of emergency, with an interactive map managed by fire officials confirming that the fast-moving blaze has affected a large swath of land where the school is located.
The map notes that the Palisades Fire, like the other two fires, is completely uncontained. About 30,000 people were told to leave their homes.
The new semester had not yet begun on Tuesday, although a handful of students and staff were on site, the Los Angeles Times reported. They were quickly evacuated and no injuries were reported.
The newspaper said the school’s sports facilities were damaged, but the extent of the impact on the buildings was unclear. Firefighters were at the scene, the newspaper added.
A reporter for CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, confirmed that flames could be seen coming from the premises but said it was unclear what was burning. An evacuee who spoke at the scene described the fires as “apocalyptic”.
Another nearby Palisades charter elementary school was also reportedly caught in the fire.
AlamyThe broader Pacific Palisades neighborhood is known as an upscale celebrity haunt. “Schitt’s Creek” actor Eugene Levy was among those forced to leave their homes, with others including Tom Hanks and Jennifer Aniston reportedly having to do the same.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said earlier that more than 1,400 firefighters have been deployed to fight the “unprecedented” fires currently raging around Los Angeles.
Fire ecologist Chad Hanson predicted a “rough night” for firefighters, with fire expected from 02:00-06:00 local time (10:00-14:00 GMT). The most extreme situation occurs.
Mr. Hansen said January is still considered wildfire season in this part of California, with the biggest impact being due to Santa Ana winds.
“These winds are unique to Southern California,” he said, explaining that they can cause “extreme, sustained wind events with pretty severe gusts.”
Additional reporting by Thomas McIntosh
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