Wildfires continue to rage across Los Angeles, destroying neighborhoods and killing at least 24 people.
The Los Angeles wildfires have entered their sixth day, but show no signs of being contained and are threatening to rage on.
At least 24 people have died in the wildfires. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue teams search for missing people in areas where the flames have swept through. Most of the fires remain uncontained and additional evacuation orders have been issued in some areas.
In this photo, a resident stands in a residential area that was completely destroyed by the fire.
A car is left charred and charred on a Pacific Palisades street.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said on January 12 that about 105,000 people have been evacuated due to the wildfires and nearly 87,000 are in the warning area.
He acknowledged that it was difficult for people to leave their homes, but stressed that the affected areas were not yet safe. “These places really look like war zones and there are still some smoldering fires. We want to get you home, but we can’t allow that until it’s safe,” Sheriff Luna said.
The Palisades streets were in disarray, with trees charred along the sides. AccuWeather, a private US weather forecasting company, estimates that rebuilding the fire-ravaged areas could cost between $135 billion and $150 billion over 10 years.
Officials estimate the fires have damaged at least 10,000 structures.
To boost reconstruction efforts, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on January 12 suspending environmental regulations and construction permit requirements for homes and businesses destroyed by wildfires.
Smoke from the Palisades fires has been billowing into the surrounding area, with local officials scrambling to keep the blazes from spreading to the upscale Brentwood neighborhood and the densely populated San Fernando Valley.
Firefighters are racing to contain a series of wildfires before strong winds return and threaten to fan the flames.
Fires rage in the Mandeville Canyon area.
Fires rage in the Mandeville Canyon area.
Firefighters are 11 percent contained on the Palisades Fire and 27 percent contained on the Eaton Fire, with the Hurst and Kenneth fires at 89 percent and 90 percent contained, respectively, California Fire Department spokesman Chris Harvey said on Jan. 12.
Helicopters dump water on the Palisades fire.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a flight restriction over the wildfire-affected areas from January 9-23, preventing any aircraft and flying equipment from interfering with air-based firefighting efforts. Impeding firefighting efforts could result in fines of up to $75,000 and even a maximum prison sentence of 12 months.
Smoke from the Mandeville Canyon wildfires has surrounded firefighters. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said the department has been reinforced with dozens of specialized vehicles and personnel, ready to face new threats.
