Los Angeles wildfires live: City braces for more destruction as blazes continue to burn in neighborhoods
Death toll continues to climb as more than 7,500 firefighting personnel are deployed across California, with three of the most ferocious fires at zero percent containment
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Your support makes all the difference.At least five people have been killed as several fast-moving wildfires sweep across the Los Angeles area, leaving thousands of firefighters attempting to extinguish the blaze.
The death toll climbed to five as of Thursday morning after the Eaton fire raged through Altadena and Pasadena, L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone confirmed to The New York Times.
The Palisades fire, now the one of the most destructive L.A. has seen, is burning more than 17,200 acres, while the Eaton fire has scorched some 10,600 acres. The Sunset fire in Hollywood has engulfed 60 acres. All three fires are at zero percent containment.
An estimated 2,000 buildings have been scorched and 130,000 residents ordered to evacuate, including more than 60,000 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. More than 330,000 people are without power throughout the region, according to PowerOutage.us.
On Thursday, California Governor Gavin Newsom revealed that more than 7,500 firefighting personnel and almost 1,200 fire trucks have been deployed across Southern California. He also thanked President Joe Biden, who announced the approval of a major disaster declaration and ordered federal assistance to bolster response efforts.
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Utility systems have been ‘significantly damaged’ and municipal water system continues to suffer poor quality
Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella told reporters Thursday that the county’s utility systems have been “significantly damaged” by the wildfires.
He said that there’s a “tremendous amount of debris” that needs to be processed and moved out of the area, some of which may be hazardous or toxic.
While the reservoirs are full and continue to be ready, Pestrella warned that the municipal water system continues to suffer poor quality due to ash from the blazes.
He noted that specific areas, like Malibu, require water to be boiled, and that those in areas burned to the ground should boil their water.
Evacuations will probably continue as winds pick up, LAPD Chief predicts
“The air is not healthy for people who are challenged from a respiratory standpoint,” Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim Mcdonnell told reporters on Thursday.
He said that evacuations will probably still continue as the winds pick up.
LA County Sheriff impacted areas, homes: ‘Some of ‘em looked like a bomb was dropped in ‘em’
“Some of ‘em looked like a bomb was dropped in ‘em,” Sheriff Robert Luna said.
“This is a crisis and we don’t know what to expect, but we’re ready for everything.”
Nearly 180,000 residents in Los Angeles County are under evacuation orders
Nearly 180,000 residents in Los Angeles County remain under evacuation orders, according to Sheriff Robert Luna.
Nearly 200,000 were under evacuation warnings.
20 people arrested for allegedly looting, number expected to go up: LA County Sheriff
Some 20 individuals have been arrested for allegedly looting homes and businesses affected by wildfires.
“Absolutely unacceptable,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told reporters.
Those who remain in the area are guilty of a misdemeanor.
“Our first choice isn’t to do enforcement...” he noted. “It’s to help people.”
Eaton Fire growth has been ‘significantly stopped'
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Thursday that the growth of Acton’s Eaton Fire has been “significantly stopped.”
Mutual aid resources continue to arrive in response to the blaze, and 879 firefighting personnel are working on the incident.
There have been several reported injuries and deaths and more than a thousand structures were damaged.
The fire’s cause remains under active investigation.
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