TL;DR: Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, residing in Los Angeles, has confirmed her family's safety amidst the devastating wildfires sweeping through the city. The fires have caused significant destruction, leading to evacuations and loss of lives. Preity expressed her shock and concern over the situation, urging everyone to stay safe.
Hey folks! 🌟 Guess what? Our very own Bollywood diva, Preity Zinta, who now calls Los Angeles her home, has shared some updates about the raging wildfires there. She took to social media to let us know that her family is safe for now, but she's super worried about the whole situation. She said, "I never thought I would live to see a day where LA is burning." 😟
These wildfires are no joke! They've destroyed over 12,000 structures, including homes and businesses, and sadly, at least 16 people have lost their lives. More than 150,000 residents have had to pack up and leave their homes to stay safe. Governor Gavin Newsom even said this might be the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, with damages estimated between $135 billion and $150 billion.
The biggest fire, called the Palisades Fire, has burned through more than 22,000 acres and is only about 11% contained. Firefighters are working around the clock, but strong winds are making their job super tough. They've even brought in over 1,400 firefighters, including help from Mexico and Canada, to battle the flames.
It's not just the flames that are causing problems. The air quality in LA has gotten really bad because of all the smoke and ash. People are being told to stay indoors and use air purifiers if they can. Some stores have even run out of them because so many folks are trying to keep the air in their homes clean.
Preity isn't the only celeb affected by these wildfires. Actress Jennifer Garner shared that a close friend of hers didn't make it out in time and sadly passed away. She also mentioned that her family church was destroyed. Other stars like Bella Hadid and Mel Gibson have had to evacuate their homes to stay safe.
The cause of these wildfires is still being looked into, but some experts think it might have to do with issues in the power grid. There were reports of big electrical spikes just before the fires started. Plus, the strong Santa Ana winds have been spreading the flames really quickly, making it hard to control them.
In the middle of all this chaos, there have been some reports of looting in the evacuated areas. Police have arrested at least 20 people for trying to take advantage of the situation. To help out, over 1,000 prisoners have been brought in to assist the firefighters. Governor Newsom has also called for an investigation into why some fire hydrants didn't have enough water pressure, which made fighting the fires even harder.
It's a really tough time for everyone in Los Angeles right now. But seeing people come together to help each other out is truly inspiring. Let's all keep Preity and everyone else affected by these wildfires in our thoughts and hope for their safety. 🙏
Stay safe, everyone! 💖