At twenty-four (24) they increased from the to that burns the place unstoppable. for a sixth day and turned entire communities into burnt ruins, while leaving thousands homeless and at least 16 missing.
Massive firefighting efforts have halted the spread of the Palisades Fire, which threatened upscale Brentwood and the densely populated San Fernando Valley.
The Los Angeles County Coroner released a list of the dead, but did not provide details on the identity of anyone.
Los Angeles fires death toll rises to 24, says coroner
— AFP News Agency (@AFP)
Eight of the dead were in the Palisades Fire zone and 16 in the Eaton Fire zone, the document said.
Images of immense destruction – Ashes and debris
In areas where the fires have now been extinguished, only ashes and debris remain, AFP journalists found on the ground.
In the Altadina neighborhood, Janelle Grass said she feared she would die as she removed horses from stables amid the fire.
“There was a lot of smoke, it was dark — I couldn’t see anything. And the horse and I were tripping over things, on branches…,” he said at a Los Angeles equestrian center where many rescued animals have temporarily taken refuge. “I believed I would be among the victims” of the fire, she said, unable to hold back her tears, and crucified herself.
After a brief lull, hot, dry winds are expected to pick up again until at least Wednesday, complicating the work of firefighters.
The US Weather Service has warned that gusty winds of up to 110 kilometers per hour are expected: an “extremely dangerous situation” will prevail from tomorrow Tuesday morning, according to meteorologist Rose Schoonfeld, as its strength will begin to strengthen the flames again.
The fire service warned that the winds meant residents would not be able to return to their homes until Thursday at the earliest, urging patience for residents who had been waiting in lines for hours in the hope they would be allowed to go get their homes. their medicine, some clothes, or just to find out if their houses are still standing or not.
“A lot of areas look like they were bombed,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.
Despite the efforts of thousands of firefighters, the Palisade Fire spread northwest of the metropolis over the weekend and is now threatening the densely populated San Fernando Valley.
More than 12,000 structures — houses and various other buildings — were destroyed or damaged, according to authorities’ estimates.
Many residents are now questioning or openly criticizing the authorities’ handling of the crisis, especially as firefighters were faced with hydrants without water, or with insufficient pressure.
Democratic Mayor Karen Bass, who is under fire from many sides, assured Saturday that her agencies are “all on the same page.” A day earlier, the city’s fire chief complained about the municipality’s insufficient budget for her service.
California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, has called for an “independent and full investigation” of the city’s water services.
Donald Trump launched a new verbal attack on the state’s Democratic leaders for their handling of the wildfires. “The incompetent politicians have no idea how to turn them off,” the Republican, who will be re-sworn in as president in a week, beamed and thundered, via Truth Social.
In the face of increased looting in fire-prone areas, as well as in neighborhoods where residents were ordered to evacuate, a strict curfew has been imposed from 18:00 to 06:00 (local time) in the worst-hit areas of Pacific Palisades and Altadena. disasters.
Authorities yesterday announced the arrest of several suspects in the thefts, including one who was wearing a firefighter’s uniform.
The disasters that have been caused raise fears that the damages will amount to tens of billions of dollars. Some experts predict these fires will be the costliest on record in US history.
California Governor Newsom said yesterday during an interview with NBC News that he wants a “Marshall Plan” to be drawn up to rebuild his state and that he plans to ease some restrictions so that fire victims can rebuild their homes as quickly as possible. possible.
Rescue crews, with the help of specially trained dogs, continue to search the wreckage, looking for bodies.
Firefighters from across the state have rushed to join operations in Los Angeles. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered yesterday to send 150 firefighters from his country to Los Angeles.
The investigation to find out the causes of the multiple fires, in which the FBI, the federal police, is still ongoing, reminded yesterday Saturday the sheriff of the county of Los Angeles Luna.
Warm and dry winds, known as Santa Ana winds, are common during the Californian winter. But last week, their intensity was the highest since 2011, forecasters said, with gusts of up to 100 miles per hour, sending sparks and embers sometimes miles away.
A truly nightmare scenario for firefighters, as California, after two fairly rainy years, is suffering from an abnormally dry winter, with virtually no rain recorded for eight months.
Scientists have not stopped warning that climate change will make extreme weather events more frequent and multiply so-called natural disasters.
Trump attacks Democrats
Donald Trump on Sunday launched a fresh verbal attack on California’s Democratic leaders, accusing them of incompetence in handling the devastating fires in Los Angeles, with the governor responding by inviting him to go there.
“The fires are still raging in Los Angeles. Incompetent politicians have no idea how to turn them off,” the Republican, who will be re-sworn in as president in a week, said via Truth Social.
The fires damaged and destroyed 12,000 structures, according to fire officials. The flames have turned entire neighborhoods into glowing ruins, destroying the homes of the rich and famous as well as ordinary people and leaving an apocalyptic landscape.
Progress made in containing the fire on the two major fronts, Palisades and Eaton, is at risk of being halted by strengthening winds. In particular, although the warm, dry winds known as Santa Ana winds were calmer on Saturday, the National Weather Service warned that stronger gusts of up to 70 mph (110 kph) could return early next week.
Residents not in their homes before Thursday
People forced from their homes by wildfires that continue to rage in suburban Los Angeles will not be able to return until Thursday at the earliest, the county fire department warned Sunday.
Residents of various areas are pushing, at checkpoints set up by law enforcement, to let them go back, to get their medicine, some clothes, or simply to see if their homes were destroyed or not.
“They can’t go home, simply because it’s dangerous,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Maroni said yesterday.
