Former LAFD battalion chief explains why California wildfires were hard to contain

LOS ANGELES (WPVI) -- At least five people are believed to be dead -- with the LA County sheriff saying he expects that number to rise -- as a series of devastating fires grow uncontained across Southern California amid dry and windy conditions, leaving officials scrambling to contain the historic destruction.

Thousands of firefighters are battling at least five sprawling wildfires spread around the Los Angeles area. The largest, the Palisades Fire, in Pacific Palisades, has scorched over 17,000 acres, destroyed thousands of structures and remains zero percent contained. The Eaton Fire, in Altadena, now stands at more than 10,000 acres and zero percent contained. More than 180,000 people have been ordered to evacuate as the infernos spread.

READ MORE: Before and after photos show scenes of destruction from the California wildfires

Video recorded by AIR7 showed the widespread destruction in Pacific Palisades after a wildfire that has grown to more than 17,000 acres ripped through the area.

Former Los Angeles Fire Department Battalion Chief Rick Crawford says in the "Palisades Fire," crews were behind from the get-go because of where the fire started. There were only two fire stations with one ladder truck in the immediate neighborhood.

"The amount of resources it takes to get to that area, you now have to drive a twisty, windy, curvy Sunset Boulevard. When they get on scene, now several minutes have gone. Now you couple this with helicopters. They see where the embers are floating to. They can also see what's in its pathway. If you don't have helicopters, you're in a sense in a forest with tall trees,'' he said.

Hurricane-force winds grounded choppers, and without water air drops, firefighters could only battle the flames from the ground while embers swirled around them.

Red Cross workers from New Jersey are leaving for California on Thursday to support relief efforts in the fire disaster zone.

The flames also spread at the pace of five football fields per minute, which overwhelmed crews.

As we see the magnitude of the damage, Crawford says there's a reason the fire is still zero percent contained.

"What containment means is that there is a six-foot wide pathway that they need to have 100 percent line around that fire. The reason being is because hot ash and embers, the ground is still hot, and a lot of danger in there. What happens is if you have a wind shift and it blows beyond that six-foot pathway around the fire line, you are starting all over again," said Crawford.

Making matters worse, the city confirmed hydrants in the area ran dry due to the overwhelming demand, leaving some crews without the most important resource: water.