Los Angeles fires: 24 dead, 12,000 structures destroyed | All you need to know
Fires in the Los Angeles area have claimed at least 24 lives, forced thousands to flee, and destroyed over 12,000 structures, burning through an area larger than San Francisco.
The fires, which began last Tuesday, were driven by strong Santa Ana winds expected to continue through midweek. Cal Fire reported that the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth, and Hurst fires have scorched approximately 160 square kilometres.
The cause of the fires remains undetermined, but early estimates suggest they could become the most costly in U.S. history. Preliminary figures from AccuWeather estimate the damage and economic losses could range from USD 135 billion to USD 150 billion.
The flames have threatened and destroyed several densely populated neighbourhoods, including Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
Around 150,000 people have been evacuated, with over 700 seeking shelter in nine facilities. As of Sunday, Cal Fire reported the Palisades Fire was 11 percent contained, and the Eaton Fire was 27 percent contained.
As of Sunday morning, nearly 70,000 customers in California were without power, with over half in Los Angeles County, according to PowerOutage.us. Officials reported significant damage to sewer, water, and power infrastructure across the region.
Santa Ana winds fuel wildfires, red flag warnings issued
The National Weather Service warned that strong Santa Ana winds could soon return and issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday. The winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires into infernos that levelled entire neighbourhoods around the city where there has been no significant rainfall in over eight months.
Thousands have fled and many have lost their homes, including Hollywood stars Billy Crystal and Mandy Moore and Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick.
While the fires have reduced a number of celebrity mansions and movie landmarks to ashes, they also burned through a haven in Altadena for generations of Black families avoiding discriminatory housing practices elsewhere. They have been communities of racial and economic diversity, where many people own their own homes.
The fires have destroyed several places of worship, including a mosque, a synagogue, a Catholic parish and a half-dozen Protestant churches.
Investigators rule out lightning
While lightning is the most common cause of wildfires in the US, the National Fire Protection Association found no evidence of it in the Palisades area or around the Eaton Fire, which began in east Los Angeles County.
Investigators are now focusing on the next two most likely causes, deliberately set fires and those sparked by utility lines.
Meanwhile, several events have been cancelled and postponed. The Critics Choice Awards rescheduled Sunday ceremonies in Santa Monica for January 26.
The organisation that puts on the Oscars extended the voting window for Academy Award nominations and delayed next week’s planned nominations announcement.
The NFL moved the Los Angeles Rams’ wild-card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings to Arizona because of the fires. The game will be played Monday night. And the NBA postponed the Lakers’ game against the Hornets.
NBA games are scheduled to return to Los Angeles on Monday night, with the Clippers hosting the Miami Heat and the Lakers set to host the San Antonio Spurs. It’ll be the Clippers’ first game in five days after having their home game against Charlotte on Saturday postponed. The Lakers had two home games pushed back.
335 schools closed, mayor faces criticism
The California Department of Education announced on Wednesday that 335 schools across Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, and San Diego counties were closed, with uncertainty surrounding Monday’s closures.
Meanwhile, LA Mayor Karen Bass is facing growing criticism over leadership failures as the city navigates its most significant crisis in decades. Allegations of political blame and investigations are emerging.
California Governor Gavin Newsom directed state officials on Friday to investigate why a 440 million-litre reservoir was out of service and several hydrants ran dry.
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley stated that the city’s leadership failed her department by not allocating enough funds for firefighting and criticised the shortage of water.