Raging forest fires surrounded the American city of Los Angeles, leading to deaths and widespread destruction of homes and property. In light of the worsening situation, US President Joe Biden canceled his visit to Italy to follow developments and supervise relief efforts.

The American authorities announced the death of at least 5 people as a result of the fires that broke out near the outskirts of Los Angeles, which are still out of control, warning of the possibility of an increase in the number of victims. They also issued evacuation orders for more than 100,000 people as the scope of the fires expanded.< /p>

Thousands of people left their homes after fires swept through a coastal area in Los Angeles, the largest city in California. Officials said that many buildings were destroyed and nearly 3,000 acres burned in the Pacific Palisades area between the coastal cities of Santa Monica and Malibu.

The highways were crowded with people fleeing the fires, while columns of flame and smoke rose into the city sky. Fire authorities said several people were injured in the Palisades fire, some with burns to the face and hands. A female firefighter suffered a head injury.

Mandatory evacuation in central Hollywood
In Hollywood, on Wednesday night, authorities ordered residents of the central historic district to evacuate their homes after a new fire broke out.

The Los Angeles Fire Department announced that the fire represented a "life threat" and issued a legal order to evacuate the area immediately, stressing that "the area is legally prohibited to the public."

The fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills area, located only a few hundred meters from the famous Hollywood Boulevard.

Biden cancels a trip to Italy

Meanwhile, the White House announced on Wednesday that President Joe Biden had canceled a trip he was scheduled to take to Italy from January 9 to 12, with the aim of focusing on efforts to combat the massive fires sweeping around Los Angeles.

US presidential spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that Biden, who headed to Los Angeles yesterday, Wednesday, “decided to cancel his upcoming trip to Italy in order to focus on managing all aspects of the federal response in the coming days.”

She explained that the outgoing president made this decision “after his return from Los Angeles, where he met with police, fire, and emergency personnel.”

According to a website concerned with power outages, nearly one million homes and businesses in Los Angeles County were without power, and schools in the county were closed until at least Thursday.