Los Angeles wildfires devour thousands of homes even as fierce winds ease
- Wildfires are worst in Los Angeles history
- Two largest blazes consume 34,000 acres (13,750 hectares)
- Death toll rises to 10, 180,000 evacuated, 200,000 under warnings
- Firefighting efforts aided by diminished winds, aerial support
LOS ANGELES, Jan 9 – Two massive wildfires menacing Los Angeles from the east and west devoured nearly 10,000 homes and other structures, burning into a third night on Thursday even as the fierce winds eased and gave firefighters a welcome but temporary respite.
The Palisades Fire between Santa Monica and Malibu on the city’s western flank and the Eaton Fire in the east near Pasadena already rank as the most destructive in Los Angeles history, consuming more than 34,000 acres (13,750 hectares) – or some 53 square miles – turning entire neighborhoods to ash.
The death toll from the blazes rose to 10 from seven, Los Angeles County’s Medical Examiner said in an update late on Thursday.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told an earlier press conference he expected the number to grow.“It looks like an atomic bomb dropped in these areas. I don’t expect good news, and we’re not looking forward to those numbers,” Luna said.
Officials said the Eaton Fire had damaged or destroyed 4,000 to 5,000 structures while the Palisades Fire destroyed or damaged another 5,300 structures.
Private forecaster AccuWeather estimated the damage and economic loss at $135 billion to $150 billion, portending an arduous recovery and soaring homeowners’ insurance costs.
“We’re already looking ahead to aggressively rebuild the city of Los Angeles,” said Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, who faced criticism from President-elect Donald Trump and other Republicans over her handling of the disaster.
President Joe Biden, who declared a major disaster on Tuesday, promised on Thursday that the federal government would reimburse 100% of the recovery for the next 180 days to pay for debris and hazard material removal, temporary shelters and first responder salaries.
“I told the governor, local officials, spare no expense to do what they need to do and contain these fires,” Biden said after meeting with senior advisers at the White House.
In all, five wildfires burned in Los Angeles County, and the skies buzzed with aircraft dropping retardant and water on the flaming hills.
One rapidly growing blaze broke out on Thursday near Calabasas, one of the wealthiest cities in the U.S. and home to numerous celebrities and gated communities. The so-called Kenneth Fire expanded to 960 acres (388 hectares) in a matter of hours.
With nerves on edge, Los Angeles County mistakenly sent an evacuation notice countywide to a population of 9.6 million, even though it had been meant only for the area of the Kenneth Fire, officials said. A correction was quickly sent.
‘WE ARE ALIVE’
Some Pacific Palisades residents ventured back to areas the fire had already swept through, where brick chimneys were left looming over charred waste and burnt-out vehicles.
“We are alive. That’s all that matters,” private security guard Bilal Tukhi said while standing watch outside his employer’s damaged home, saying the scene reminded him of his native, war-torn Afghanistan.
School was canceled for a second day on Friday due to the smoke, ash and particulates that contaminated the air, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said.
While still strong, winds have diminished since the 100-mile-per-hour (160-kph) gusts seen earlier in the week, permitting crucial aerial support for crews on the ground.
But officials warned that the wind was forecast to intensify again overnight, and red flag conditions were expected until Friday afternoon.
The Eaton Fire reached the grounds of the Mount Wilson Observatory, the place where a century ago Edwin Hubble discovered the existence of galaxies beyond the Milky Way and that the universe is expanding. The Observatory later said the flare-up appeared under control.
HOLLYWOOD FIRE CONTAINED
Firefighting crews managed to fully control the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills, after flames had raged atop the ridge overlooking Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame on Wednesday night.
The two biggest conflagrations – the Palisades and Eaton fires – formed a pincer around the city so enormous that it was visible from space.
In Pacific Palisades, once-palatial homes stood in ruins, while downed power lines and abandoned cars littered the roadways.’
One resident, John Carr, 65, said he defied evacuation orders and stayed to successfully protect his home.“The house was built by my mother and father in 1960 and I lived here my whole life so there’s a lot of memories hers. And I think I owed it to them as well to try my best to save it.”
Carr said there were no fire crews to help him try to save his neighbors’ homes.
“If they had had some fire trucks and just put a squirt here, a squirt there and kept an eye on things, all these houses would be here now. I’m telling you right now.”
The smell of heavy smoke filled the air, and residents wearing masks rode bicycles, hoping to catch a glimpse of their damaged houses.
Officials said they were working to establish curfews for areas affected by mandatory evacuation orders.
Aerial video showed block after block of leveled homes, while satellite images showed the two largest fires forming a pincer around the city and thick plumes of smoke from the fires being blown out over the Pacific Ocean.
The home of movie stars and celebrities were among those consumed by flames.
Chef Jose Andres, the Spaniard known for providing free food to disaster victims around the world, set up a food truck near the Palisades Fire on Pacific Coast Highway.
“Everybody needs support and love in these moments, wealthy or not, poor or not,” he said.
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis said on Thursday her family would donate $1 million to relief efforts.
Firefighters from half a dozen other U.S. states and Canada were being rushed to California, in addition to U.S. federal personnel and material.
“To our American neighbours: Canada’s here to help,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose country has experienced its own severe wildfires.
Reuters