Images of utter devastation are captured where luxurious mansions of movie “stars” have been reduced to ashes. The journalist Petros Kasfikis with his camera MEGA was found with difficulty in the area, reporting that 200,000 citizens have left their homes and are forbidden to approach them while new evacuation orders have been issued by the authorities as meteorologists predict stronger winds in the next few hours.
The fires have left behind 11 dead, more than 10,000 buildings were destroyed by the fire, as well as more than 140,000 acres of vegetation. Democratic outgoing president Joe Biden likened the situation in the Californian megacity to a “war scene”, saying that Los Angeles looks like it has been “bombed”.
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What caused the fire?
It is not yet clear what started the fires. It will likely take months for them to come to any firm conclusions.
Early estimates point to power lines near the Eaton and Palisades fires being fully operational when the fires broke out Tuesday. Energy experts said this was worrisome because power lines are often the cause of fires during periods of high winds.
At the same time, and while some initial estimates are given for the damages costing around 150 billion, the residents, many of whom have been left homeless, are expected to be called to fight another battle, this time with the insurance companies to cover the their properties. According to insurer JPMorgan, insured losses from the first fire alone could eventually reach $10 billion.
