At least ten people have lost their lives as a result of the fires that have affected the city of Los Angeles, in the southwest of the United States, since Tuesday (7), according to a new report.
In a statement, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office said ten deaths were reported as related to the fires. “All cases are currently in the process of identification and notification to family members”, says the text released on Thursday night (9).
“Identification may take several weeks as the Department of Forensic Medicine is unable to access all locations due to fire conditions and safety concerns,” the note adds. The department also noted that “traditional identification methods,” such as fingerprints and visual recognition, “may not be available” due to the condition of some bodies, which are charred. “This means the victim identification process will take longer.”
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley confirmed that two deaths occurred in the Pacific Palisades fire, the most devastating in the city’s history. This fire, which affects one of the richest neighborhoods in Los Angeles, has already consumed more than 70 square kilometers, in addition to destroying more than 5,300 homes and other buildings, as reported by Crowley.
A new fire broke out north of Los Angeles yesterday afternoon, prompting authorities to order the evacuation of thousands of homes. This fire joins five others that have affected the city since Tuesday, mainly in the Pacific Coast and Santa Monica areas.
County officials reported that one of the fires, the one in Eaton, resulted in the deaths of five people, while a previous toll cited seven deaths.
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Driven by strong Santa Ana winds, the Kenneth fire, recorded at 3:34 pm on Thursday (local time), “threatens nearby communities and infrastructure, generating immediate evacuation orders”, announced the Fire Service.
Fire brigades from Los Angeles and Ventura counties were sent to the region to contain the fire, which currently affects an area of 20 hectares and is still out of control.
In total, the forest fires have already destroyed more than 117 square kilometers and more than 10,000 homes and other buildings. At least 180,000 people are under mandatory evacuation orders.
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AccuWeather, a company specializing in data on the impacts of extreme weather phenomena, on Thursday raised its estimate of damage and economic losses resulting from the fires to around US$150 billion.
(with international agencies)
