Los Angeles is in the midst of battling multiple wildfires that have taken a tragic toll, resulting in at least five deaths and the destruction of more than 1,000 buildings. The most extensive of these, the Palisades Fire, has burned roughly 16,000 acres, forcing around 100,000 residents to evacuate their homes under mandatory orders.

On Wednesday night, another blaze, named the Sunset Fire, ignited in the Hollywood Hills. It quickly engulfed 50 acres, leading to immediate evacuation directives. The fire poses a serious threat to famous sites such as the Dolby Theatre and the Hollywood Bowl.

The fires have caused widespread deterioration in air quality across Southern California, with nearly 17 million people under air quality advisories. Health officials caution that the polluted air poses heightened risks of heart issues and asthma attacks, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Amid the chaos, reports of looting in evacuated neighborhoods have surfaced. Law enforcement has apprehended two suspects and expressed frustration over these criminal acts, vowing to protect residents and their belongings during this crisis.

President Joe Biden has declared the situation a major disaster, authorizing federal aid to bolster efforts for firefighting, relief, and recovery. Emergency crews face significant challenges as strong winds have grounded firefighting aircraft, and water shortages are complicating efforts to control the flames.

Yeshiva Ohr Elchanan Chabad in Los Angeles evacuated 300 students from its Fairfax and Hancock Park campus on Wednesday night.

“There wasn’t a mandatory evacuation for our area, but the fire is literally 3 miles away from the Yeshiva,” said Rabbi Mendy Spalter, Executive Director of the Yeshiva.

“You can see it from the Yeshiva,” he shared with COLlive.com on Wednesday evening. “It looked like it was getting a bigger and bigger problem. It became a real issue. We don’t have busses that we can put them on at any moment and get them out.”

Rabbi Spalter explained that local bochurim returned to their homes, while out-of-town students found shelter with friends or at a gym in Beverly Hills.

{Matzav.com}