Firefighters bulldoze abandoned cars to clear roads

Dozens of cars clogged the road, blocking access and escape routes

There are multiple fires burning in California, causing incredible damage. While it may be a while before we get exact numbers, at least two people died and more than 1,000 buildings were destroyed.

The scale of the destruction is difficult to comprehend, but a video from KTLA 5 shows some of the aftermath of the Palisades fire. In the video, you can see an evacuation route filled with cars traveling in one direction.

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While evacuations are a common occurrence during wildfires, drivers reportedly panicked and abandoned their vehicles, blocking roadways. This creates a major obstacle, as there is no easy way to move so many vehicles, especially in an emergency.

As a result, the vehicle was not towed but pushed aside by a bulldozer. Interestingly, these aren’t cheap old cars, as we could see the Tesla Model 3 and Model X as well as the Mercedes EQE or EQS.

These were avoided, but the Toyota Camry and Prius were removed to clear the road. It was unclear how many vehicles were involved in the pileup, but reporters said it was about 300 feet (91 meters) long and deep.

Another video shows a more extreme carnage, with an Audi sedan being pushed against a Q7 and a Nissan Rogue. The latter was then pushed into a BMW 4 Series convertible and hit a Volvo SUV.

The latest news from the Los Angeles Fire Department stated that the Palisades Fire has grown to 11,082 acres and “reported multiple injuries to civilians and firefighters.” Mandatory evacuation orders are in effect, with authorities asking residents to turn off power and gas to their homes before leaving.

You can view a map of the evacuation zones here , and it’s important to note that the Pacific Coast Highway is closed from the McClure Tunnel in Santa Monica to Topanga Canyon. Residents living near the area were told to get ready to leave and have their “bags packed.” This is important because at noon today, the department reported “no containment.”

Main image credit: @katnbcla