Fires in Los Angeles: authorities fear rising death toll

by Andrea
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Fires in Los Angeles: authorities fear rising death toll

These destructive fires, which have claimed five lives, have devastated communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and sent thousands of people fleeing their homes in panic.

Firefighters continued this Thursday to fight to control fires that caused large-scale destruction in Los Angeles, with the intensity of the wind appearing to decrease and with authorities predicting an increase in the death toll.

These destructive fires, which have claimed five lives, have devastated communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and sent thousands of people fleeing their homes in panic.

The slowdown in wind intensity, which is expected to last throughout the day, could allow firefighters to make progress in controlling the fires that have spread across the extensive region.

Authorities warned Thursday that the death toll from the wildfires raging in Los Angeles County is expected to rise.

“Unfortunately, I think the death toll will increase. I hope I’m wrong, but I think it will increase,” said county sheriff Robert G. Luna at a press conference.

Luna described the situation as “chaotic” and explained that the number of deaths remains “unknown” at this time.

“In some areas it looks like a bomb fell”, explained Luna, who explained that firefighters and their officers are working in very difficult conditions.

The sheriff hopes to soon be able to use search dogs and other resources to locate possible people trapped in the rubble.

Los Angeles County reported six fires earlier today (local time), and only one, which affected the Hollywood Hills, was 100% contained.

Four of the fires are currently out of control and two of them, Palisades and Eaton, have burned more than 11,000 acres, according to the California Department of Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire.

Nearly 180,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders and the number of destroyed structures stands at more than 1,900, mostly in the two largest neighborhoods, but authorities expect that number to increase as destroyed areas become accessible to assess losses.

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