Dozens of cars clogged the roadway, blocking access and escape routes
- Firefighters are desperately battling multiple blazes in California.
- Dozens of vehicles have been abandoned, which have clogged roadways.
- The cars are being moved by a bulldozer in an effort to clear a path.
Multiple fires are burning in California and the devastation is mind-boggling. While it will likely be some time before we get firm numbers, at least two people have been killed and more than 1,000 structures have been destroyed.
The sheer scale of the destruction is hard to comprehend, but a video from KTLA 5 shows some of the aftermath of the Palisades fire. In the clip, you can see what appears to be an evacuation route littered with cars that were traveling in one direction.
More: Driver Filmed Begging Trucker Not To Dump Burning Trash That Caused Deadly California Wildfire
While evacuations are typical in wildfires, drivers reportedly panicked and abandoned their vehicles, blocking the roadway. This resulted in a significant obstacle as there’s no easy way to move that many vehicles, especially in an emergency.
As a result, instead of being towed away, the vehicles were pushed aside by a bulldozer. Interestingly, these aren’t cheap old cars as we can see a Tesla Model 3 and Model X as well as a Mercedes EQE or EQS.
Those were avoided, but a Toyota Camry and Prius were moved out of the way to clear a path. There’s no word on how many cars formed this particular pileup, but the reporter said the line of cars was approximately 300 feet (91 meters) deep.
Another video shows more extreme carnage as an Audi sedan was pushed into a Q7 as well as a Nissan Rogue. The latter crossover was then pushed into a BMW 4-Series convertible, which hit a Volvo SUV.
The latest update from the Los Angeles Fire Department says the Palisades fire has grown to 11,082 acres and has caused “several reported injuries to both civilians and firefighters.” A mandatory evacuation order is in place and authorities are asking residents to turn off power and gas to their homes before they leave.
You can view a map of the evacuation area here and it’s important to note the Pacific Coast Highway is closed from the McClure Tunnel in Santa Monica to the Topanga Canyon. Residents living close to the area are being told to prepare to leave and have a ‘go bag’ ready. This is important as, of noon today, the department reported “no containment.”
