A house burned down by wildfire in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California, the US, January 7, 2025. Photo: Xinhua/VNA

The Palisades Fire has burned through more than 17,200 acres. It has destroyed 1,000 structures and is entirely uncontained, making it the most destructive in LA history.

The impact has been exacerbated as the fires spread rapidly, fueled by winds of up to 100 mph. Some of Los Angeles’ iconic landmarks - Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Hollywood Bowl and celebrity homes in Malibu - have been caught in blaze.

Firefighters from six other states have been deployed to California, while 1,000 firefighters from 250 units are being deployed from northern to southern California.

President Joe Biden has canceled Italy trip to focus on federal response to LA wildfires. “After returning this evening from Los Angeles, where earlier today he had met with police, fire and emergency personnel fighting the historic fires raging in the area and approved a Major Disaster declaration for California, President Biden made the decision to cancel his upcoming trip to Italy to remain focused on directing the full federal response in the days ahead,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

California has declared a state of emergency. President Joe Biden has approved a Major Disaster declaration for California, allowing impacted communities and survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery. During his visit to Los Angeles, President Biden was briefed on the wildfires and worked with local law enforcement and fire officials. "We’re prepared to do anything and everything for as long as it takes to contain these fires, and help you construct to make sure things get back to normal," he said.