California wildfires: Over 6 million in Los Angeles area under ‘critical fire threat’

California wildfires live: The entrance to the house of Laeticia Hallyday, widow of late French singer Johnny Hallyday, is seen after being destroyed by the Palisades Fire, on January 14, 2025, in Pacific Palisades, California. (AFP).

California wildfires: Fanned by strong winds, the wildfires in Los Angeles area of California have killed at least 25 people and swept through 40,000 acres of land in the area. Palisades Fire, in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood of Los Angeles, alone has burned 23,000 acres of land, and was contained only 18% as of Wednesday morning as it threatened the Brentwood, Encino and Westwood neighbourhoods.

Together, the fires have destroyed more than 23,000 structures.

More on the California wildfires:

- Southern California is braced for "extremely critical fire conditions" caused by a new period of Santa Ana winds today through tomorrow across parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, NBC reported.

-Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and other officials have expressed confidence that the region was ready to face the new threat with additional firefighters from around the US, Canada, and Mexico.

-The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power also warned that it could deliberately cut power for safety purposes in the coming days as wind speeds picked up, posing a serious risk for new fires in the region.

-There have been more than a dozen wildfires in Southern California since Jan. 1, mostly in the greater Los Angeles area.

-The latest started late Monday in a dry riverbed in Oxnard, about 55 miles (about 89 kilometres) northwest of Los Angeles, and was burning in an agricultural area.

-Authorities have not yet determined an official cause for any of the fires. However, electric services company Southern California Edison has acknowledged agencies are investigating whether its equipment may have started a smaller blaze.

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