US: 10 dead, thousands of homes burned to ashes in wildfire disaster
A man helps his wife put on a mask as they inspect their home damaged by wildfires in Altadena, California (Photo: Reuters).
The Palisades Fire between Santa Monica and Malibu in west Los Angeles, and the Eaton Fire in the east near Pasadena, have become the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history. The two fires have burned more than 35,000 acres, reducing entire neighborhoods to ashes.
The death toll from the fires has risen to 10, according to an update late Friday from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, which did not provide names or other details.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at an earlier news conference that he expected the death toll to rise.
“The scene in these areas looks like an atomic bomb has just fallen. I don’t expect good
, and we don’t expect those numbers either,” said Mr. Luna.
Private weather forecaster AccuWeather estimates the economic damage and loss caused by the wildfires at $135 billion to $150 billion, signaling a difficult recovery and skyrocketing home insurance costs.
“We are moving forward with the goal of rebuilding Los Angeles in a big way,” said Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat who has faced criticism from President-elect Donald Trump and other Republicans over her handling of the disaster.
President Joe Biden, who declared a major disaster on January 7, pledged that the federal government would cover 100% of recovery costs over the next 180 days. That includes debris removal, hazardous material removal, temporary shelters and first responder salaries.
“I told the governor and local officials to do everything possible to put out these fires,” Biden said after a meeting with senior advisers at the White House.
Five wildfires are breaking out in succession in Los Angeles (Graphic: BBC).
In all, five wildfires are raging in Los Angeles County, with the largest, the Palisades Fire, only 6 percent contained, and the Eaton Fire still out of control. Airplanes are dropping fire retardant and water on the burning hillsides.
A large Super Scooper aircraft on loan from Canada was damaged and grounded after colliding with an unauthorized civilian drone near the Palisades Fire, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Fortunately, no one was injured.
A fire broke out quickly on January 9 near Calabasas, one of the wealthiest cities in the US and home to many celebrities and a gated community. The blaze, dubbed the Kenneth Fire, spread to 388 hectares in just a few hours.
With the situation tense, Los Angeles County accidentally sent out an evacuation notice to the entire region, affecting 9.6 million people, even though the notice was only for the Kenneth Fire area, officials said. A revised notice was sent out shortly after.
“The important thing is to be alive”
Officials say the Eaton Fire has damaged or destroyed between 4,000 and 5,000 structures, while the Palisades Fire has destroyed or damaged another 5,300.
Some Pacific Palisades residents have ventured back into areas the fire has passed through, where the remains of brick chimneys tower over charred rubble and burned-out cars.
“We are still alive. That’s the most important thing,” said Bilal Tukhi, a private security guard who stood guard outside his employer’s damaged home, saying the scene reminded him of his conflict-torn homeland of Afghanistan.
Schools will remain closed on January 10 due to air pollution, according to Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.
Winds had eased on January 9 from the 100mph seen earlier in the week, allowing air support for ground crews.
However, officials said winds were expected to pick up again overnight, and red alert conditions were expected to last until the afternoon of January 10.
