Death toll rises to 24 in Los Angeles wildfires

Wildfires continued to rage through Los Angeles County, marking a catastrophic 'Black Swan' event of unprecedented scale in the history of the US' most populous county

Los Angeles: The death toll from the ravaging wildfires in Los Angeles has risen to 24, local media reported.

Wildfires continued to rage through Los Angeles County, marking a catastrophic ‘Black Swan’ event of unprecedented scale in the history of the US’ most populous county.

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Among the active fires, the Palisades Fire has burned through 19,978 acres (80.85 square km) with just six per cent containment as of Thursday night. Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire has scorched 13,690 acres (55.4 square km) and remains completely uncontained, Xinhua news agency reported.

For residents like Michael, an accountant in Altadena where the Eaton Fire erupted, the devastation has been life-altering. He was evacuated moments before his home was engulfed by flames.

“It’s like living through Armageddon,” he said, choking back tears. “We’ve lost everything.” According to Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, the wildfires, which began Tuesday night, rank among the county’s most destructive natural disasters. Over 10,000 buildings have been destroyed so far, primarily due to the Palisades and Eaton fires.

In Malibu, officials reported the first fatality from the Palisades Fire on Thursday. The cause of death remains under investigation. Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart expressed profound sorrow, offering condolences to the victim’s loved ones. “This tragedy weighs heavily on our hearts,” he said.

Currently, firefighters are battling four major wildfires: Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire, Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills and Hurst Fire in Sylmar. While some progress has been made in controlling the Eaton Fire, strong winds reaching 100 km per hour have made containing the Palisades Fire particularly challenging. Officials hope calmer weather conditions will improve containment efforts, though the National Weather Service has warned of critical fire weather persisting through Friday night.

The fires have forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents, with at least 70,000 homes under threat and 10,000 destroyed. Looting has been reported in some evacuation zones, leading to multiple arrests.

Dorothy, a retired school administrator who had lived in Pacific Palisades for 40 years, lost her home and everything in it.