A wildfire in the US city of Los Angeles has killed at least 24 people, officials said, as firefighters raced to extinguish the blaze before strong winds returned that could reignite.
The fire continued to burn for a sixth consecutive day on Sunday, turning entire neighborhoods into smoldering ruins, leveling homes and leaving an extraordinary landscape. At least 16 people are missing, officials said.
More than 100,000 people have been displaced, while 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed.
“Another night of unimaginable terror and heartbreak in L.A. County,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said Sunday.
Eight people were killed in the Palisades fire on the city’s west side, among the 24 deaths, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office. The remaining 16 died in the Eaton fire in the foothills east of Los Angeles, the office said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said 12 people were missing in the Eaton fire zone and four in the Palisades fire. He said that there is no child among the missing.
Private forecaster AccuWeather, meanwhile, estimated damage and economic losses at $135 billion to $150 billion.
California Governor Gavin Newsom told the media that the fires could be the worst natural disaster in US history “just in terms of the costs associated with it”.
To help advance monumental rebuilding efforts, the governor signed an executive order that temporarily suspended environmental regulations for damaged homes and businesses.
On Sunday, aerial firefighters, some of whom pumped water from the Pacific Ocean, dropped water and retardant while ground crews held the lines of the Palisades Fire with hand tools and hoses as it blazed through the upper reaches of Las Vegas. The Brentwood section and other populated areas were surrounded. The Angeles fire has burned 23,713 acres (96 square kilometers), or 37 square miles, and is 11 percent contained, a figure that represents the percentage of fire perimeter that firefighters have contained. is
The Eaton fire has burned another 14,117 acres (57 square kilometers), or 22 square miles, and firefighters are 27 percent contained, compared to 15 percent a day earlier.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported that north of the city, the Hearst Fire was 89 percent contained, and three other fires ravaging other parts of the county were now 100 percent contained. Gone were the lines still burning.
Firefighters got a temporary break from the weather this weekend as Santa Ana winds, which reached hurricane force earlier in the week, finally moderated. Dry winds from inland deserts fanned the flames and blew embers up to 2 miles (3 km) from the front lines.
But, in an area that hasn’t seen significant rain since April, the National Weather Service forecast Santa Ana winds of 50 to 70 mph (80 to 112 km/h) Sunday night. will resume and continue till Wednesday.
Meanwhile, officials warned Los Angeles County’s population of about 10 million that anyone could be ordered to evacuate. As of Sunday, more than 100,000 people in Los Angeles County had been ordered to evacuate — down from a previous high of more than 150,000 — while another 87,000 faced evacuation warnings.
“These winds, combined with low relative humidity and low fuel moisture, will keep fire danger very high throughout Los Angeles County,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marvin said at a press conference. He added that the evacuated areas cannot be reopened until the red flag comes up. Conditions are lifted on Thursday.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Dan Croswell also said in a series of television interviews Sunday that active-duty military personnel are ready to help with firefighting efforts, adding that the agency urged residents to Given that they start filing for disaster relief.