What to know about the devastation from the Los Angeles-area fires
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fires tearing through the Los Angeles area have killed at least 24 people, displaced thousands of others and destroyed more than 12,000 structures in what might be the most expensive conflagrations in the nation's history.
The blazes started last Tuesday, fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds that forecasters expect to kick back up through at least midweek. Cal Fire reported that the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires have consumed about 62 square miles (160 square kilometers).
The Palisades Fire, along the coast, has been blamed for eight deaths, while the Eaton Fire farther inland has been blamed for 16 others, the LA County medical examiner's office said. At least 23 people are missing.
Investigators are still trying to determine what sparked the fires. They could be the nation's costliest ever. Government agencies haven't provided preliminary damage estimates yet, but AccuWeather, a company that provides data on weather and its impact, puts the damage and economic losses at $250 billion to $275 billion.
Here's a closer look at what to know about the fires.
The National Weather Service issued a rare warning about a “particularly dangerous situation” related to severe fire conditions beginning overnight Monday into Tuesday.
Sustained winds of up to 40 mph (64 kph) and gusts in the mountains reaching 65 mph (105 kph) are predicted through Wednesday, forecasters said. Winds picked up on Monday and were expected to strengthen on Tuesday, fire behavior analyst Dennis Burns said.
Strong Santa Ana winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires into infernos that leveled neighborhoods in and around Los Angeles where there has been no significant rainfall in over eight months.
Southern California’s winds typically flow onshore from the Pacific, carrying moist air onto land. The Santa Ana winds are warm currents that move in the opposite direction. They usually occur from September through May.
Fire agencies say the suppressants are an invaluable tool as flames race through canyons and other rugged areas that are difficult for firefighters on the ground to reach. The hot-pink mixture is generally considered safe for people, but some worry about potential effects on wildlife.
Daniel McCurry of the University of Southern California says the suppressants are typically a mix of water, ammonium phosphate fertilizer and iron oxide, which is added to make the retardant visible. Aircraft are dropping hundreds of thousands of gallons of the suppressant ahead of the flames in a desperate effort to stop them before they destroy more neighborhoods.
LA County Recovers, a government-run program, posted interactive maps on its website that show the damage.
The maps for the Eaton and Palisades fires allow users to click on an icon and get a description of the type of structure, such as a home or commercial building, and the type of damage, such as “major” or “destroyed.”
Addresses may be entered into a search bar to find a specific location. Users can also see photos of the damaged buildings.
Nearly three dozen people have been arrested for taking items from damaged homes and businesses, authorities said.
“We’re starting to see the criminal emerge," Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said at a news conference Monday.
Price gouging has become an issue with hotels, short-term rentals and medical supplies. Scammers are also soliciting donations for bogus relief efforts, authorities said.
Flames have threatened and burned through several highly populated neighborhoods over the past week, including Pacific Palisades, Altadena and others.
Officials on Monday lowered the number of people under evacuation orders from about 150,000 to under 100,000. However, they cautioned that more evacuations could be ordered when high winds return.
Cal Fire reported containment of the Palisades Fire at 14% and the Eaton Fire at 33% as of Monday morning.
The Kenneth Fire, which broke out near West Hills in the San Fernando Valley, was completely contained, while the Hurst Fire was 95% contained.
About 92,000 customers, more than half in Los Angeles County, were without power across California as of Monday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.
Sewer, water and power infrastructure across the region has been significantly damaged, officials said.
Thousands have fled and many have lost their homes, including Hollywood stars Billy Crystal and Mandy Moore, and Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick.
Although the fires have reduced a number of celebrity mansions and movie landmarks to ashes, they also burned through more affordable communities such as Altadena, which has served generations of Black families who might have faced discriminatory housing practices elsewhere.
The fires have also destroyed several places of worship, including a mosque, a synagogue, a Catholic parish and a half-dozen Protestant churches.
Investigators haven't determined the cause. But a person whose home was destroyed in the Eaton blaze claims in a lawsuit filed Monday that Southern California Edison’s equipment sparked it. Gabriela Ornelas, an Edison spokesperson, said the utility is aware that a lawsuit has been filed, but has not yet reviewed it.
Lightning is the most common source of fires in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association, but investigators quickly ruled that out. There were no reports of lightning in the Palisades area or the terrain around the Eaton Fire, which started in eastern Los Angeles County.
The next two most common causes are fires that are intentionally set or caused by electricity lines.
Health insurer Anthem Blue Cross and media companies Netflix and Comcast NBCUniversal said they each plan to donate $10 million to bolster response and recovery efforts.
Meanwhile, singer Beyoncé has contributed $2.5 million to a newly launched LA Fire Relief Fund created by her charitable foundation, BeyGOOD. And Metallica's foundation, All Within My Hands, pledged $500,000 to the relief effort.
The theater world also is joining the donation drive. The nonprofit fundraising group Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has awarded $500,000 in emergency grants to help with meals, shelter, medical care, clothing and emergency financial help.
President Joe Biden said Monday the federal government is covering most costs associated with the devastation for the next 180 days, but it will take tens of billions of dollars for a full recovery. Congress “needs to step up” and provide funding, he said.
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