“APOCALYPTIC SCENES” ACROSS L.A.: The Palisades Fire Destroys Over 5,000 Structures, Burning 20,000 Acres, Making it Most Destructive Wildfire in Los Angeles’ History

“All the nations that forget God shall be turned into Hell.” – Psalm 9:17

“I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.” – Jeremiah 21:14

KTLA reports: The worst-case scenario has materialized in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles where over 5,000 structures, many of them homes, have been destroyed by the Santa Ana-wind-fueled wildfire, local authorities confirmed on Thursday.

The Palisades Fire was first reported around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 1100 block of North Piedra Morada Drive. By Thursday night, the fire exploded to about 20,000 acres with 5% containment and was still torching homes along the coast and in the Mountains of Malibu.

Authorities say of the 5,000+ structures that have been lost, most were homes, businesses, schools and historical sites. A “high number of people didn’t evacuate” and suffered serious injuries, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said.

More than 800 firefighters were battling the blaze with the help of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters.

“Extreme fire behavior, including short and long-range spotting, continues to challenge firefighting efforts,” CalFire said in an advisory. “Winds gusts of 60+ MPH are expected to continue through Thursday, potentially aiding in further fire activity and suppression efforts.”

With over 5,000 structures destroyed, the Palisades Fire is far more destructive than the second-most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history, according to statistics from the Wildfire Alliance, the Associated Press reported. The last most destructive fire was the Sayre Fire in November 2008, which destroyed 604 structures in Sylmar.

Evacuations were ordered for the entire Pacific Palisades area down to the Pacific Ocean. The evacuations included warnings for Santa Monica and Calabasas areas and impacted tens of thousands of homes and businesses… (Continue reading)