LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Firefighters rushed to contain the fronts of two Los Angeles wildfires that burned for a sixth consecutive day on Sunday, taking advantage of a brief respite in dangerous conditions before strong winds could reignite the flames.
At least 24 people died in what California Governor Gavin Newsom said could be the most devastating natural disaster in US history, which destroyed thousands of homes and forced the evacuation of 100,000 people.
The flames reduced entire neighborhoods to smoking ruins, leveling the homes of the rich and famous and ordinary people and leaving an apocalyptic landscape. Authorities said at least 12,300 structures were damaged or destroyed.
“Los Angeles County has had another night of unimaginable terror and heartbreak,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath.
Aerial firefighters, some of them pulling water from the Pacific Ocean, dropped water and retardant, while ground crews with hand tools and hoses maintained the line of the Palisades Fire as it approached the upscale Brentwood section and other populated areas of Los Angeles.
This fire on the west side of the city consumed 96 square kilometers and was 13% contained, a number that represents the percentage of the fire’s perimeter that firefighters have under control.
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The Eaton Fire, in the foothills east of Los Angeles, has burned another 57 km2 — almost the size of Manhattan — and firefighters have increased containment to 27%, compared with 15% the day before.
North of the city, the Hurst Fire was 89% contained, and three other fires that had ravaged other parts of the county were now 100% contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported, although areas inside the containment lines they may still be burning.
Firefighters got a temporary break from the weather this weekend as Santa Ana winds, which reached hurricane force earlier in the week, finally subsided. Dry winds originating in the country’s interior deserts fanned the flames and blew embers up to 3 km in front of the front lines.
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But in an area that hasn’t received any significant rain since April, the National Weather Service predicted that Santa Ana winds of 50 to 70 mph would pick up again Sunday night (West Coast time). ) and would last until Wednesday.
Authorities warned the entire population of Los Angeles County, which has nearly 10 million inhabitants, that anyone could be ordered to evacuate because of the flames and toxic smoke.
