A United Airlines passenger recalled the moment he got a bird’s-eye view of the raging wildfires raging across the Los Angeles area, calling the scene “Mordor from The Lord of the Rings.”
Mark Venelow told Fox News Digital that he was on a flight from Denver to Burbank on Tuesday night and passengers were told before takeoff that the plane would be diverted to Los Angeles International Airport due to high winds.
“About 20 minutes before we landed, I opened the window and saw what can only be described as Mordor from ‘The Lord of the Rings,'” Venello said, referring to the fiery volcano of the evil lord Sauron, the story’s villain. plain.
“The other passengers looked out the window and gasped in general disbelief,” he said.
LATEST UPDATE: California wildfires sweep through Los Angeles County, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes
Aerial shot of California fires. (X/Charles V. Payne)
Adding to the nightmarish scene below the plane, Venillo said the plane then experienced some turbulence from strong winds for which passengers had been warned.
“The landing was difficult, scary, but ultimately worth the applause,” he said.
There are currently at least five active wildfires across the state, located in Eaton, Hurst, Palisades, Woodley and Tyler. Firefighters said the Taylor fire was 50 percent contained, but other blazes were still struggling as wind gusts of up to 100 mph fueled the wildfire’s spread.
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Fires raging across Southern California have killed at least two people and injured “several” firefighters and civilians, officials said. More than 1,000 buildings have been burned.
Trees sway in strong winds as the Eaton Fire destroys buildings Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
About 30,000 residents were under evacuation orders, and more than 13,000 buildings were threatened by wildfires.
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California Governor Gavin Newsom deployed the state’s National Guard on Wednesday. Newsom was quickly criticized by President-elect Trump for rejecting a plan to send more water to the state’s agricultural Central Valley over concerns it would endanger endangered species.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
