MOSCOW, January 9. /TASS/. Russian-speaking residents of Los Angeles have shared their views with TASS regarding the ongoing situation with wildfires in the state, noting that while some restaurants and cafes have been closed, stores remain open and there are no signs of widespread panic among the public.
"I live in an area that remains safe for now. There are two major hotspots, one in the south and the other in the northeast. The first is in Pacific Palisades, which is the largest one, and the second is in the San Fernando area. In general, there is no panic, everything is fine, though a state of emergency has been introduced in some neighborhoods in Los Angeles County.
Some restaurants are closed, but grocery stores are operating normally, food products and water are available," said Canoga Park resident Valeria Novozhilova.
She noted that the situation is frustrating. "Despite the wind subsiding on the second day, allowing firefighters to resume aerial operations, the fire continues to spread. It is moving westward, and about 150,000 people are inside the evacuation zone. Facilities for accommodating large animals have also been set up, as many residents in the Pacific Palisades area and neighboring regions own horses," the agency source said.
She added that the fire department updates the status of the fires every few hours due to the constantly changing situation. "We can see a cloud of smoke over the skyline in our neighborhood, and the smell of burning is carried by the gusts of wind. If you drive a little further north, you can see puffs of smoke and fire. Of course, the smell is stronger there," Valeria said.
Another LA resident, Olga, who lives in Santa Monica, told TASS that she was forced to leave the city due to the approaching fires. "My family and I decided to leave because we live in Santa Monica, and the fires are very close. We can smell the smoke, and everything is covered in it. It started in the morning; my son's school was being evacuated, so I went to Pacific Palisades to pick him up. They started the evacuation in the morning, before the nightmare began. At first, there was just smoke and a fire somewhere in the distance, but then it spread rapidly due to the strong wind," Olga said.
By evening, the building where her child attended school had been completely destroyed by the fire. "Fortunately, no one was hurt at the school, as the evacuation was carried out quickly," the agency source added.