Chaos on the streets of Hollywood as people flee the Sunset fire

Much of the heart of Hollywood is shrouded in thick smoke. You can barely see the tops of the large palm trees that line the streets here.

There is complete chaos in the streets near the fire. People are using sweatshirts to cover their faces so they can breathe. Many are carrying bags and suitcases looking for a place.

Some are in pajamas, clearly taken by surprise.

The Sunset fire broke out around 6:00 pm (14:00 GMT) on Wednesday, shrouding much of Hollywood in thick smoke and forcing evacuation orders. By midnight local time, the fire had covered an area of ​​60 hectares.

When I was driving in Hollywood, I saw a lot of people running away from home with things they could take.

When I stopped, some responded with fear and anxiety.

“You’re here to help people? Where am I supposed to go?” Anna Waldman asked as she got out of the car.

“Where is it safe?”

Above us, sirens blared and helicopter blades flapped.

As I helped her get to a safe area, she told me she was walking her dogs and planned to stop at a grocery store when she smelled heavy smoke.

He returned home, looked out the windows and saw the fire moving quickly through the Hollywood Hills within a block of his home.

She gathered what she could: food, clothes, blankets, food for her three small dogs.

“I can’t believe this,” he said wearily.

Makayla Jackson, 26, held her two-year-old son Ramari on a street corner as they waited for a ride. They were pulled from a homeless shelter that was in danger of burning down.

“They told us to get out and go,” he told me.

He said he was going to Hollywood High School, where they were offering more support.

Many of the roads near the fire, such as the iconic Hollywood Boulevard, which includes the Hollywood Walk of Fame, are congested with traffic.

Some are driving on the wrong side of the road to escape.

The inferno could be seen from the nearby highways, lighting up the darkness with bright red hues.

Outside of the legendary cities, however, it is as if nothing is happening. People are dining, shopping and going out at night.