Taylor Swift has sent a heartfelt condolence message to fans affected by the Southern California fires.
In response, Governor Newsom has declared a state of emergency as the Line Fire continues to impact the region. Stay tuned for updates on the situation and relief efforts.
Three rapidly growing Southern California wildfires have burned more than 100,000 acres in less than a week and continued to threaten homes in multiple communities as the state mobilized an all-hands-on-deck response to bolster front-line fire crews battling the raging flames.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday night declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties over the Bridge Fire and in Orange and Riverside counties over the Airport Fire. He had previously declared a state of emergency for the Line Fire.
Nearly 6,000 National Guard members, law enforcement officers and other first responders have been sent to the firelines.
Additionally, a squadron of 51 firefighting helicopters, nine fixed-wing aircraft, including two National Guard C-130 airplanes, 520 fire engines, 75 bulldozers and 141 water tankers were being used in an attempt to tame the blazes, two of which were out of control Wednesday.
The biggest blaze is the Bridge Fire, which ignited Sunday in the Angeles National Forest about 31 miles east of downtown Los Angeles and exploded overnight from about 4,000 acres on Tuesday to nearly 48,000 acres by Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The fire remained out of control with 0% containment after spreading across Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, destroying the Mountain High Ski Resort where images emerged of the chairlift going up in flames.
The fire is also threatening the small mountain communities of Wrightwood and Mt. Baldy, officials said.
At least 33 homes in Wrightwood and Mt. Baldy have been destroyed and another 2,500 structures in the area are being threatened by the fire, according to Cal Fire.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
