live from london, this is bbc news. firefighters are battling huge wildfires in california in and around los angeles. evacuation orders are in place, 30,000 people are told to leave their homes, firefighters say, there's "no possibility" of bringing the fires under control. it is significantly worse in this area. smoke is a lot thicker, a lot darker, you see so many embers, we see engines just shooting down this way and it is because of this. we'll get the latest from our correspondent —— in the next few minutes, we are expecting to hear an update from the authorities there in los angeles. from the authorities there in los angeles-_ los angeles. this is a dynamic _ los angeles. this is a dynamic situation... - los angeles. this is a i dynamic situation... that los angeles. this is a - dynamic situation... that news conference _ dynamic situation... that news conference just _ dynamic situation... that news conference just getting - dynamic situation... that news conference just getting under. conference just getting under way as i was speaking, so let's put the microphones up. fine

way as i was speaking, so let's put the microphones up. one of the things _ put the microphones up. one of the things people _ put the microphones up. one of the things people ask— put the microphones up. one of the things people ask me - put the microphones up. one of the things people ask me is - the things people ask me is what do you want to convey to the public and that is heed the advice of the responders, if they ask you to evacuate, evacuate. this is not a drill. this is in real time. sol evacuate. this is not a drill. this is in real time. so i want to thank the pasadena authorities for helping deal with the eaton canyon fire, i also want to acknowledge our partners, all saints has opened up partners, all saints has opened up their church or those evacuating in the pasadena area, but again, important for us to recognise that while the firefighters, life is first that while the firefighters, life is first and that while the firefighters, life is first and foremost. that while the firefighters, life is first and foremost. we need to make sure that people heed the advice of our first responders. with that, i'm going to introduce tar la county fire chief, anthony maroney, to update you and i want to thank chief maroney and as well as all the firefighters and the community to making sure we have all the resources and firefighters necessary. chief? good morning, thank you,

supervisor parker. my name is anthony maroney and i am the los angeles county fire chief and also the region one coordinator... inaudible in addition ., ., ., in addition to the eaton canyon _ in addition to the eaton canyon fire- _ in addition to the eaton canyon fire. although - in addition to the eaton canyon fire. although i - in addition to the eaton canyon fire. although i amj canyon fire. although i am aware we have four large fires burning in la county at this time. the palisades fire is located in both la city and eating canyon. we are in unified command with the city of los angeles fire department, in addition to kells fire. we have well over... thousands of acres that have burned and the fire is going. we have zero percentage of containment. we have an estimated 1000 structures destroyed and also no reported fatalities and a high number of significant injuries to residents who did not evacuate in addition...

inaudible and the cause of the fire is unknown. however, it is under investigation. in the eaton canyon fire, it under investigation. in the eaton canyon fire,- eaton canyon fire, it is located _ eaton canyon fire, it is located in _ eaton canyon fire, it is located in the - eaton canyon fire, it is located in the national| eaton canyon fire, it 3 located in the national forest, the pasadena and areas of la county. la county is in unified command with the national forest and the pasadena fire department. we have over 2000 acres burning at this time and the fire continues to grow with 0% containment. we have over 500 personnel assigned and unfortunately we have two reported fatalities were civilians. we do have a number of significant injuries. we have over 100 structures...

well, apologies thatjust in the last few seconds, that line keeps breaking out. but we will stay with it, because important information coming from the authorities, so let's try to go back to that news conference and hopefully that line will sustain for us and give us access to the key information. 0perationalarea access to the key information. 0perational area consists of 29 separate fire departments in la county and all of those fire departments are at drawdown with no fire apparatus or additional personnel to spare. as the region one coordinator, i have requested mutual aid from the five counties of orange, los angeles, ventura, santa barbara and san luis of these counties. additionally, last night i

contacted the state office of emergency services and requested 50 engine strike teams, 50 engine strike teams composed of 250 fire engines and over 1000 personnel. we have also requested resources from out of state. as well as northern california. thank you to the first responders from nevada, 0regon to the first responders from nevada, oregon and washington state that are already on the road coming to la county to assist. lastly, the national weather service has predicted a continued red flag weather event with strong winds and low humidity. placing all residents of los angeles county in danger. to all of our viewers, please prioritise your safety, as well as the well—being of those around you. as we come

together to continue to get through this widespread disaster. los angeles county firefighters will remain on the front line until we reach full containment. and we ask that you keep all of los angeles county in your thoughts and prayers. i would county in your thoughts and prayers. iwould now like county in your thoughts and prayers. i would now like to invite up los angeles city fire chief, christian crowley, to give her breathing, thank you. good morning, everyone, my name is three. _ good morning, everyone, my name is three. los— good morning, everyone, my name is three, los angeles city fire chief. — is three, los angeles city fire chief. and _ is three, los angeles city fire chief, and i would like to start_ chief, and i would like to start withjust a chief, and i would like to start with just a moment of gratitude for our first responders, our boots on the ground, — responders, our boots on the ground, that are battling this intense — ground, that are battling this intense and multiple jurisdiction number of fires. so gratitude to those who are doing — so gratitude to those who are doing the work since yesterday,

through— doing the work since yesterday, through the night and like chief— through the night and like chief anthony marrone said, we are going — chief anthony marrone said, we are going to continue to work hard — are going to continue to work hard to— are going to continue to work hard to ensure that we save peorrie. _ hard to ensure that we save people, lives and property. with— people, lives and property. with that, iwill people, lives and property. with that, i will be touching on a — with that, i will be touching on a couple of major points. with— on a couple of major points. with the _ on a couple of major points. with the pacific palisades fire, _ with the pacific palisades fire, we _ with the pacific palisades fire, we know that it continues to demand a significant amount of resources and attention. a second — of resources and attention. a second major brush fire, now referred _ second major brush fire, now referred to as the hurst fire, has _ referred to as the hurst fire, has erupted in the sylmar area of los— has erupted in the sylmar area of los angeles. together, these fires _ of los angeles. together, these fires are — of los angeles. together, these fires are stretching the capacity of emergency services to their— capacity of emergency services to their maximum limits. the los angeles city fire department is battling these two major fires, whilst also maintaining, iwant two major fires, whilst also maintaining, i want to focus on this as — maintaining, i want to focus on this as well, emergency services _ this as well, emergency services for the city's approximate 4 million residents. now, despite the severity— residents. now, despite the severity of the conditions, our department remains fully committed to safeguarding lives and property. next i want to

focus _ and property. next i want to focus on — and property. next i want to focus on what we have done over the last _ focus on what we have done over the last 24 — focus on what we have done over the last 24 hours and with that, _ the last 24 hours and with that, even in the city of los angeles, _ that, even in the city of los angeles, with these two major hrushfire — angeles, with these two major brushfire is, are of department has responded to 3624 911 calls for service. to put that into perspective, ouraveragesjust under— perspective, ouraveragesjust under 1500 calls in a 24—hour period — under 1500 calls in a 24—hour period. the last 24 hours we have — period. the last 24 hours we have also _ period. the last 24 hours we have also responded to an additional 32 structure fires within— additional 32 structure fires within the city, we have treated _ within the city, we have treated and transported extensive number of medical emergencies, while extending our normal 64 transports to local _ our normal 64 transports to local american hospitals. when it comes — local american hospitals. when it comes to the pacific palisades fire, this is over 3000 _ palisades fire, this is over 3000 acres at this point and continues to grow. we will confirm _ continues to grow. we will confirm the exact and acreage tater, — confirm the exact and acreage later, so— confirm the exact and acreage later, so we'll make sure we also — later, so we'll make sure we also communicate that to the community and to the media.

last _ community and to the media. last night, as of 7:30pm, all aircrafts— last night, as of 7:30pm, all aircrafts were grounded due to high _ aircrafts were grounded due to high winds. aircraft will be able — high winds. aircraft will be able to— high winds. aircraft will be able to resume their water drops _ able to resume their water drops and acreage mapping today when _ drops and acreage mapping today when the — drops and acreage mapping today when the weather allows us to do so — when the weather allows us to do so a — when the weather allows us to do so. a total of 3398 civilians and 15,105 structures are civilians and15,105 structures are in— civilians and 15,105 structures are in the _ civilians and 15,105 structures are in the evacuation zone. again, _ are in the evacuation zone. again, the evacuation zones are the following, north of pch, west — the following, north of pch, west of— the following, north of pch, west of kent avenue and... boulevard, south of mulholland drive _ boulevard, south of mulholland drive and east of... canyon boulevard. there are multiple evacuation centres supported by the american red cross. injuries, _ the american red cross. injuries, of course a lot of interesting injuries. we have several— interesting injuries. we have several firefighters and civilian _ several firefighters and civilian injuries that have been _ civilian injuries that have been reported and all patients have _ been reported and all patients have been treated and transported to local hospitals. damage — transported to local hospitals. damage assessments, chief anthony marrone did speak about

a specific— anthony marrone did speak about a specific number. we are still vetting — a specific number. we are still vetting that on the city side, so more _ vetting that on the city side, so more information to come and real message that as soon as we can validate that. approximately 400 la ft firefighters have been deployed to the _ firefighters have been deployed to the palisades fire area. we have _ to the palisades fire area. we have many hundreds of law enforcement officers, a partner agency— enforcement officers, a partner agency responders and public works— agency responders and public works members engaged in supporting our overall operations. we are going to be transitioning to cal fire this morning _ transitioning to cal fire this morning to manage this incident at 8am — morning to manage this incident at 8am. next i would like to talk— at 8am. next i would like to talk briefly about the hearst fire which is located in sylman _ fire which is located in sylmar. last night approximately 10p in the fire erupted _ approximately 10p in the fire erupted in the sylmar area of los angeles, adjacent to los angeles _ los angeles, adjacent to los angeles national forest. the fire has— angeles national forest. the fire has rapidly expanded to over— fire has rapidly expanded to over 500 acres, prompting the emergency evacuation of more than _ emergency evacuation of more than 3000 residents. this fire is burning _ than 3000 residents. this fire is burning within the footprint of the — is burning within the footprint of the historic saddle ridge

fire — of the historic saddle ridge fire. now, despite the extreme winds— fire. now, despite the extreme winds and — fire. now, despite the extreme winds and significant risks, and — winds and significant risks, and that— winds and significant risks, and that is what we are going to be — and that is what we are going to be talking about from today and probably throughout the next — and probably throughout the next few days, there is always that significant risk of life and — that significant risk of life and property. we will continue to focus— and property. we will continue to focus on saving lives and protecting property. the exact acreage — protecting property. the exact acreage at this point will be confirmed later and we will ensure _ confirmed later and we will ensure we communicate that to you as — ensure we communicate that to you as well. lastly, i want to make — you as well. lastly, i want to make sure _ you as well. lastly, i want to make sure everybody understands we are _ make sure everybody understands we are absolutely not out of danger _ we are absolutely not out of danger yet. the strong winds that— danger yet. the strong winds that continue to push through the city— that continue to push through the city in the county today, i will tell— the city in the county today, i will tell you we are committed to our— will tell you we are committed to our first responders, our firefighters will remain focused on protecting lives and property — focused on protecting lives and property. the la fd is extremely proud to stand with all of— extremely proud to stand with all of the _ extremely proud to stand with all of the entities behind me. our top — all of the entities behind me. our top priority will continue to be — our top priority will continue to be life _ our top priority will continue to be life safety, ensuring the safe _ to be life safety, ensuring the safe evacuation and the rescues of our— safe evacuation and the rescues of our residents that are in harms _ of our residents that are in harms way, it will continue to

be our— harms way, it will continue to be our primary focus in this wind — be our primary focus in this wind driven far event as it continues. thank you for your cooperation, your support and your— cooperation, your support and your vigilance and today we will continue to stand with our partners — will continue to stand with our partners to protect everyone. next _ partners to protect everyone. next up, —