As wildfires ravage Los Angeles, horse owners are being forced to flee with their animals to protect them from the encroaching flames, adding to the overwhelming chaos as authorities respond to the crisis.
Footage from Fox 11 Los Angeles captured the scene in the Eaton Canyon area, showing two people leading their horses down the street as fires surrounded the area. Fox correspondent Gina Silva reported on the woman working to rescue her horses from the flames, as both she and the man were seen saving their animals in the smoke and falling embers.
“We have a couple we let loose over there. We’re trying to get as many as we can out,” the man explained. The woman added, “There’s a bunch in there still,” while wearing a mask with flames visible in the background. When asked if she had ever faced a situation like this, the woman replied, “Yeah, I’ve rescued before.”
The fires, which began on Tuesday, have forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate. Three major blazes have erupted, including one in Pacific Palisades, another in Eaton Canyon, and a third in Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley. Thousands of acres have already burned.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone provided updates on the Eaton Canyon fire earlier on Wednesday, stating that it has burned over 2,000 acres and remains uncontained.
“The fire continues to grow with zero percent containment,” he said. “We have over 500 personnel assigned and unfortunately, we have two reported fatalities to civilians, unknown cause at this time, and we do have a number of significant injuries.”
