Wildfires have been raging for the fourth day in Los Angeles County, California. Fire devoured thousands of buildings: from schools, hospitals and apartment buildings to luxury villas. The fire element, driven by strong winds, is already getting closer to the Hollywood Hills.
At least 10 people have died in the fires, according to the latest reports. Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated. The state of California has declared a state of emergency.
Wildfires as the norm. How did they break out?
The wildfires in Los Angeles County broke out on 7 January. In general, fires have already become a kind of norm for California. The most common causes are hot, dry weather and also strong winds that spread fire over miles. Deliberate arson is also not uncommon.
What caused this year's fires is yet to be determined. According to Los Angeles Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, county authorities are conducting an investigation. If it turns out that the fire was caused by arson, any death resulting from it would be considered a murder.
The fires cannot be localized due to strong winds. At the same time, according to forecasters, the wind is expected to pick up in the coming days.
In addition, local authorities say there is a shortage of firefighters and firefighting equipment. A number of states have already sent rescue and firefighting teams to California. Canada has provided assistance, including aircraft and firefighting crews.
The U.S. military has also joined the firefighting effort. The Pentagon sent eight C-130 military transport planes to the disaster zone.
‘It looks like an atomic bomb dropped in these areas.’ What’s the latest on casualties and destruction?
The current fires have become some of the most destructive in the history of Los Angeles County. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said: "It looks like an atomic bomb dropped in these areas.”
So far, the Los Angeles County Department of Forensic Sciences has confirmed the deaths of 10 people in the fire. However, police say the death toll could rise. As Luna notes, judging by the devastation, there is no good news to look forward to.
At least 10 people have died in the fires, according to the latest reports. Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated. The state of California has declared a state of emergency.
Wildfires as the norm. How did they break out?
The wildfires in Los Angeles County broke out on 7 January. In general, fires have already become a kind of norm for California. The most common causes are hot, dry weather and also strong winds that spread fire over miles. Deliberate arson is also not uncommon.
What caused this year's fires is yet to be determined. According to Los Angeles Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, county authorities are conducting an investigation. If it turns out that the fire was caused by arson, any death resulting from it would be considered a murder.
This time five wildfires broke out at once in Los Angeles County that is home to about 9.7 million people. The fire has already consumed more than 14,000 hectares.
The most severe fire is in the Pacific Palisades area between Santa Monica and Malibu. It has blazed through an area of over 8,000 hectares. Another large fire is raging in the Pasadena area. It has already charred more than 5,500 hectares.
The most severe fire is in the Pacific Palisades area between Santa Monica and Malibu. It has blazed through an area of over 8,000 hectares. Another large fire is raging in the Pasadena area. It has already charred more than 5,500 hectares.
The fires cannot be localized due to strong winds. At the same time, according to forecasters, the wind is expected to pick up in the coming days.
In addition, local authorities say there is a shortage of firefighters and firefighting equipment. A number of states have already sent rescue and firefighting teams to California. Canada has provided assistance, including aircraft and firefighting crews.
The U.S. military has also joined the firefighting effort. The Pentagon sent eight C-130 military transport planes to the disaster zone.
‘It looks like an atomic bomb dropped in these areas.’ What’s the latest on casualties and destruction?
The current fires have become some of the most destructive in the history of Los Angeles County. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said: "It looks like an atomic bomb dropped in these areas.”
So far, the Los Angeles County Department of Forensic Sciences has confirmed the deaths of 10 people in the fire. However, police say the death toll could rise. As Luna notes, judging by the devastation, there is no good news to look forward to.
According to the sheriff, the county authorities have requested the assistance of the National Guard to provide security. In addition, a curfew from 6pm to 6am has been imposed in the county. Violating the curfew will result in fines of up to $1,000 or up to six months in prison.
According to preliminary data, the fire has already destroyed more than 10,000 buildings. Satellite images show completely scorched neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades, where a number of U.S. celebrities lost their homes. Among them are Paris Hilton, Anthony Hopkins, John Goodman, Billy Crystal and Adam Brody. The house of U.S. President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden, estimated to be worth $4 million, also burned down in Malibu.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman called the walk through Pacific Palisades to the ruins of his sister's home “apocalyptic.” “Los Angeles has suffered fires, floods, earthquakes and riots, but I have never seen anything like this since the 1990s,” Hochman said describing the current fires.
The fire is also getting closer to the Hollywood Hills, where the famous Hollywood sign is located. According to the BBC, the fires in Los Angeles have already led to the suspension of work on many projects in the movie industry. The fire department has revoked filming permits in several areas. The announcement of Oscar nominees has been postponed because the Dolby Theater, where the ceremony is held, is located in the disaster area.
Schools, hospitals, churches, and a number of historic buildings were destroyed by fire in Altadena. Many buildings were left with only charred walls. Eyewitnesses say that because of the hurried evacuation, many people had time to take only documents and necessities, leaving behind valuables and family heirlooms. In total, about 200,000 people were ordered to evacuate.
In addition to fire, polluted air with dust and heavy metals poses a serious danger to people's health. Therefore, authorities are asking county residents who are not subject to evacuation to stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed, and use air filters if possible. Those who go outside should wear masks.
No place to lay head. What are the locals saying?
“Just imagine if you go to the front door and behind it, it’s nothing, and you walk in and you have your car keys, but there’s no place to put it, and then there’s no place to lay your head, and you don’t have a blanket, a towel,” local resident Kimiko Warner-Turner told CNN.
People realize that now they have to rebuild their life from scratch. And it's overwhelming. “We thought it was going to be our lifelong home, we thought we were never going to move, so I don’t know. … I haven’t been able to see it, or how long it will take or if we can afford to do that,” Kimiko said.
"Not only are our homes gone, our entire community is gone. Everything is gone," local resident Lonnie Wittenberg told CNN.
Wittenberg lived in her home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood for 41 years where she raised four children. She said her daughter was the last person at the house before it caught fire, but she was not able to take any family photos with her. “That’s one of the things that upsets us all that much because it’s my children’s history, their lives in that house,” Wittenberg said. “We don’t have the photos, we don’t have their diplomas, we don’t have, you know, anything.”
She said that she and her neighbors have been calling each other, but many of their houses are no longer standing either. As for the next steps, Wittenberg said she is confident that the Palisades will come back, but that it will be a hard process.
Another evacuee, Raya Reynaga, told CNN that she resisted leaving fearing what she would lose it if she didn’t. “I tried to save my house because that’s all I have. Everything I’ve ever worked on for my entire life was there,” she said.
Reynaga said she had to be physically removed from her property. However, there were those who did not survive.
The Washington Post reported that a 67-year-old amputee and his 20-year-old son, who had cerebral palsy, died in the wildfire in Altadena. A family member of the victims said that the father and son had planned to evacuate, but it was too late. Or maybe they just were not able to: the 67-year-old Mitchell relied on a wheelchair and would have been unable to help his son Justin to leave the house. Authorities said that Mitchell's body was found next to his son's bed. He probably realized that he couldn't save Justin and decided to stay close.
Meanwhile, authorities in the area have been warning of looters. According to Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, at least 20 people have been arrested in the county in recent days on suspicion of looting.
Some residents, fearing possible looting, are trying to return. The police warned that the fire is still spreading and people are risking their lives trying to return home.
"Not only are our homes gone, our entire community is gone. Everything is gone," local resident Lonnie Wittenberg told CNN.
Wittenberg lived in her home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood for 41 years where she raised four children. She said her daughter was the last person at the house before it caught fire, but she was not able to take any family photos with her. “That’s one of the things that upsets us all that much because it’s my children’s history, their lives in that house,” Wittenberg said. “We don’t have the photos, we don’t have their diplomas, we don’t have, you know, anything.”
She said that she and her neighbors have been calling each other, but many of their houses are no longer standing either. As for the next steps, Wittenberg said she is confident that the Palisades will come back, but that it will be a hard process.
Another evacuee, Raya Reynaga, told CNN that she resisted leaving fearing what she would lose it if she didn’t. “I tried to save my house because that’s all I have. Everything I’ve ever worked on for my entire life was there,” she said.
Reynaga said she had to be physically removed from her property. However, there were those who did not survive.
The Washington Post reported that a 67-year-old amputee and his 20-year-old son, who had cerebral palsy, died in the wildfire in Altadena. A family member of the victims said that the father and son had planned to evacuate, but it was too late. Or maybe they just were not able to: the 67-year-old Mitchell relied on a wheelchair and would have been unable to help his son Justin to leave the house. Authorities said that Mitchell's body was found next to his son's bed. He probably realized that he couldn't save Justin and decided to stay close.
Meanwhile, authorities in the area have been warning of looters. According to Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, at least 20 people have been arrested in the county in recent days on suspicion of looting.
Some residents, fearing possible looting, are trying to return. The police warned that the fire is still spreading and people are risking their lives trying to return home.
Chronic underinvestment. Are the authorities to blame?
On 8 January, U.S. President Joe Biden approved California Major Disaster Declaration. The authorities promise to provide assistance to the victims, including grants for home repairs and low-cost loans.
However, many Americans are skeptical of the White House's promises, recalling how in 2023 Hawaii wildfire survivors received $700 per household, though many people lost everything they owned in the fire then. " All they have is their pajamas they were wearing when they fled to save their own lives! Same story for everyone who survived. And Biden is giving them only $700??!!!” U.S. House of Representatives member Marjorie Taylor Greene stated at the time.
It is worth noting that the damage from the current California wildfire is estimated at over $52 billion.
It is worth noting that the damage from the current California wildfire is estimated at over $52 billion.
Meanwhile, Trump and his associates lashed out at California state authorities. "One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It’s ashes, and Gavin Newscum [California Governor Gavin Newsom] should resign. This is all his fault," Trump said on his Truth Social account.
Trump's misspelling of the governor's last name was clearly intentional.
In turn, Donald Trump Jr., eldest son of U.S. president-elect Donald recalled that the state authorities donated firefighting equipment to Ukraine. "Of course, the LA fire department donated a bunch of their supplies to Ukraine," he wrote on social media X.
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park said the scale of fire damage demonstrates that authorities should spend more money on maintaining public safety.
Park called the ongoing fires terrifying and traumatic. However, this is not the first time California residents have faced fires. Time after time, California deals with the same problems that should have been addressed long ago. "It is indicative of chronic underinvestment in critical infrastructure as well as in public safety," she said.
Traci Park pointed out that the number of fire stations and firefighters in the city of Lost Angeles has remained the same for 50 to 60 years, despite a need for at least 62 new fire stations. "We are so understaffed that our response times are twice the national standards," Park said.
Park called the ongoing fires terrifying and traumatic. However, this is not the first time California residents have faced fires. Time after time, California deals with the same problems that should have been addressed long ago. "It is indicative of chronic underinvestment in critical infrastructure as well as in public safety," she said.
Traci Park pointed out that the number of fire stations and firefighters in the city of Lost Angeles has remained the same for 50 to 60 years, despite a need for at least 62 new fire stations. "We are so understaffed that our response times are twice the national standards," Park said.
“The underinvestment in our public safety in Los Angeles is absolutely untenable, and so I think that our residents and constituents are right to be angry,” she concluded.
Vita KHANATAEVA
BelTA
BelTA
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