LOS ANGELES: The largest wildfire to ravage parts of Los Angeles this week changed direction Saturday, prompting more evacuation orders and a new challenge for exhausted firefighters. There is a challenge.
At least 11 people have died and 10,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed since six wildfires swept through Los Angeles County neighborhoods simultaneously since Tuesday. The number is expected to increase when firefighters can conduct door-to-door searches.
The strong Santa Ana winds that fueled the fire have subsided. But the Palisades fire on the city’s west side was moving in a new direction, prompting another evacuation as it moved toward the Brentwood neighborhood and foothills of the San Fernando Valley, the Los Angeles Times reported.
According to a report on the LA Times website, Captain Eric Scott of the LA Fire Department told local station KTLA, “The Palisades fire has started a new significant flare on the east side and is continuing to the northeast.”
The most devastating fire in Los Angeles history has leveled entire neighborhoods, leaving only the smoldering ruins of people’s homes and property.
The two large fires combined burned 35,000 acres (14,100 hectares) or 54 square miles – 2-1/2 times the land area of Manhattan.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said about 153,000 people remained under evacuation orders and another 166,800 were under evacuation warnings, with curfews in place across all evacuation zones.
Seven neighboring states, the federal government and Canada have rushed aid to California, helping aerial crews drop water and fire retardants on the burning hillsides and crews on the ground fighting fire lines with hand tools and hoses. are attacking.
The National Weather Service said conditions in the Los Angeles area will improve through the weekend, with sustained winds of about 20 mph (32 km/h) gusting between 35 mph and 50 mph. ,
“It’s not that strong, so that should help the firefighters,” NWS meteorologist Alison Santorelli said, adding that conditions are still critical with low humidity and dry vegetation.
Cal Fire said strong winds are expected again on Tuesday.
“Severe fire weather conditions are likely to continue into next week,” it said.
Authorities have declared a public health emergency due to the thick, toxic smoke.
Residents of Pacific Palisades who returned to their damaged neighborhoods were shocked to find brick chimneys strewn with charred garbage and charred vehicles as thick smoke wafted into the air.
Many Altadena residents said they are concerned that government resources will go to wealthier areas and that insurers could short-change those who can’t afford to fight fire claims denials.
In addition to those who lost their homes, tens of thousands of people were left without power, and millions suffered from poor air quality, as the fire lifted traces of metals, plastics and other synthetic materials.
Private forecaster AccuWeather estimates damage and economic loss at $135 billion to $150 billion, adding to the difficulty of recovery and the cost of homeowners insurance.
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara called on insurers to suspend pending nonrenewals and cancellations that homeowners received before the fire and to extend the grace period for payments.
Meanwhile, the speed and intensity of the fires ravaging Los Angeles has put its firefighting infrastructure to the test — and raised questions and criticism about preparedness.
Hydrants ran dry in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood as it was ravaged by one of five separate fires in the region, while water shortages hampered efforts elsewhere.
Calling the water shortages and water stress “extremely troubling,” Newsom directed state officials to prepare an independent report on the causes.
Part of the problem is that the city’s firefighting infrastructure wasn’t designed for multi-acre fires, Chris Scheich, an assistant professor of disaster management at New York State’s Paul Smith College, told AFP.
Also, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristen Crowley has said that a lack of resources is a constraint in her city.
That includes the need for 62 new fire stations amid a 55 percent increase in call volume since 2010, he said.
US President-elect Donald Trump has launched a series of evidence-free broadsides accusing Governor Newsom of various failings. He’s even blamed the water shortage on environmentalists’ efforts to protect sardines — a tiny fish that lives hundreds of miles from fires.