The two biggest wildfires in Los Angeles are continuing to burn uncontained but firefighters have made progress against other blazes. Across Los Angeles County, the number of people told to evacuate has risen to 179,700 and 28,000 acres have been lost to the flames. We hear from Cantor Ruth Berman Harris who rescued sacred Torah scrolls from a Pasadena synagogue destroyed in the fires. Also on the programme: Army chief selected as Lebanon's president after years of deadlock; President Biden praises Carter's character as the former president's casket heads home to Georgia. Photo: Hailey Ott and her mother Cindi Ott look at the damage caused to their home by the Eaton Fire, as powerful winds fueling wildfires in the Los Angeles area force people to evacuate, in Altadena, California, U.S. January 9, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Fred Greaves
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Hello.
Welcome to NewsHour from the BBC World Service.
Coming to you live from London, I'm Sean Lay.
Los Angeles continues to be menaced from east and west by huge fires Thursday, 48 hours after they first ignited.
Five people are known to have died, though the number is thought to be higher since many fire afflicted areas are inaccessible, 28,000 acres and the buildings within them have been consumed in the flames of the two fires, the Palisades Fire raging between the beach fronts of Malibu and Santa Monica in West LA and the Eaton fire in Pasadena in the city's east.
Firefighters have though managed to beat back a further fire which was threatening the Hollywood Hills.
Speaking at a news briefing, the chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department, Kristen M.
Crowley, said the Palisades fire is one of the most disastrous Los Angeles has ever seen.
Damage assessments are ongoing at the Palisades fire.
However, preliminary reports estimate the damage or.
Destroyed structures to be in the thousands.
It is safe to say that the Palisades fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles.
Well, the mayor, Karen Bass, said progress had been possible because the winds whipping up the flames had eased.
The winds continue to be of a.
Historic nature and a key factor of this firestorm.
For much of Tuesday, the unprecedented winds prevented air operations to continue.
However, as of yesterday, the winds have allowed for air operations and that has enabled significant progress against the fires in Hollywood and Studio City last night.
And as of 7:30 this morning, evacuation orders in Hollywood have been lifted.
Mayor KAREN bass well, one of the many buildings that's been wiped out by the eastern fire in the east is the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center.