The wildfires that have devastated Los Angeles have killed at least 16 people and destroyed 12,000 buildings, with six fires burning through the fifth night.
The 23,000-acre Palisades Fire between Santa Monica and Malibu on the west side of the city and the Eaton Fire on the east near Pasadena already rank among the most destructive fires in Los Angeles history, consuming more than 53 square miles and it turns all the neighborhoods to ashes.
The death toll from the fire now stands at 16, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said Saturday night. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna previously said he expected the number to rise. Wildfires have now burned more than 39,000 acres of land in Southern California.
“It looks like an atomic bomb was dropped in these areas. I don't expect good news, and we don't expect these numbers,” said Luna.
A building is burning in Altadena, California, as wildfires burn through much of the Los Angeles area. Fires may quickly spread to other aras if they are not (Invision)
Forecaster AccuWeather estimated damage and economic losses at $135 billion to $150 billion, warning of a difficult recovery and rising homeowner insurance costs.
President Joe Biden, who declared a major disaster on Tuesday, promised Thursday that the federal government will return 100 percent of the refunds over the next 180 days to pay for trash and hazardous materials removal, temporary shelters and salaries for first responders.
Where are the fires burning right now?
On the map: Los Angeles wildfires (Datawrapper/ The Independent)
In all, six wildfires have burned in Los Angeles County, with the largest Palisades fire at 11 percent containment and the Eaton fire at 15 percent containment as of Saturday afternoon. The sky was filled with airplanes dropping foul water on the burning hills.
A Super Scooper plane on loan from Canada was damaged and grounded after it crashed into an unlicensed civilian aircraft near the Palisades fire, the LA County Fire Department said. There were no injuries.
One fast-growing blaze broke out Thursday near Calabasas, one of the wealthiest cities in the US and home to many celebrities and open-air communities. The Kenneth fire grew to 1052 hectares in a matter of hours.
Officials said the Eaton fire destroyed or damaged 4,000 to 5,000 structures while the Palisades Fire destroyed or damaged another 5,300 structures.
Wind blows embers as firefighters battle a blaze in the Angeles National Forest near Mt. Wilson (REUTERS)
Some residents of Pacific Palisades retreated to areas where the fire had already swept, where brick chimneys were left on top of charred debris and charred cars.
Winds dropped Thursday from the 100 mph gusts seen earlier in the week, allowing for critical air support for ground crews.
Fire crews have brought the Sunset Fire under control in the Hollywood Hills, after flames erupted from a peak overlooking Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame on Wednesday night.
Where would the wildfire move next?
AccuWeather forecasters said it is not expected that the wind on Friday will be as strong as it was earlier this week during the storm. Wind gusts of 40-50 miles per hour are possible in parts of Southern California on Friday.
Onshore winds are expected to pick up again Sunday ahead of another low pressure area that will move south across California, the forecaster said.
Onshore winds are expected to pick up again Sunday ahead of another low pressure area that moves south across California (AccuWeather)
Santa Ana winds are expected to begin early next week, Weather Station noted. Los Angeles County remains under a red flag warning – indicating dangerous fire conditions – until at least Friday evening.
AccuWeather is predicting wind gusts of 40-60 mph Monday through Tuesday night.
AccuWeather predicts wind gusts of 40-60 mph Monday through Tuesday night (AccuWeather)
Jonathan Porter, Chief Meteorologist at AccuWeather, said the Southern California wildfire disaster is a multi-billion dollar weather disaster in the United States that is stressing the state's fire and emergency services.
“Many parts of the world are facing the negative impacts and threats from warming and extreme climate change. “California is at the forefront of climate change in the United States, and this tragic disaster is the latest in a devastating series of extreme weather events that lead to multibillion-dollar disasters,” Porter said.
Live: evacuation order locations in Los Angeles County
What causes fires?
Fast-moving wildfires are fueled by weather conditions known as Santa Ana winds.
Santa Anas are dry, warm and gusty northeasterly winds that blow from Nevada and Utah to Southern California towards the coast. They go on the other side of the normal onshore flow that carries moist air from the Pacific to the region.
The name is understood to be connected to the Santa Ana Canyon in Orange County, but the climate has other nicknames such as “devil winds” or “red wind.”
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