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Los Angeles Wildfires: Updates & Causes
The Los Angeles area is grappling with a series of wildfires, with the most destructive blaze in the city’s history causing widespread devastation. Eleven lives have been lost and thirteen people are missing as a result of the ongoing situation. While firefighters are making progress against some fires, the two largest remain largely uncontrolled. Residents are advised to steer clear of coastal waters due to potential contamination from the fires, adding another layer of concern to the ongoing emergency.
The largest fire in the Palisades gained 1,000 acres overnight, despite firefighters making some progress in containment. The blaze is advancing eastward, posing a direct threat to the affluent Brentwood neighborhood, home to the renowned Getty Center art museum. As a precautionary measure, the Getty Center has been evacuated. Over 3,700 firefighters are currently battling the blaze.
Students at the nearby University of California, Los Angeles are awaiting updates from officials.
The Eaton fire has tragically claimed eight lives, while the Palisades fire has resulted in three fatalities. Authorities are actively investigating reports of 13 additional missing individuals. As of Saturday, over 153,000 Los Angeles County residents have been ordered to evacuate their homes, with another 166,000 under evacuation warnings.The combined devastation of both fires has led to the destruction of more than 12,000 structures, encompassing homes, outbuildings, sheds, mobile homes, and vehicles. The Eaton fire alone has razed over 7,000 structures, while the Palisades fire has destroyed approximately 5,300, including at least 426 residences.
Authorities are strictly enforcing a curfew, in effect from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM local time, within the areas impacted by the Palisades and Eaton fires. This measure was implemented following reports of looting. Law enforcement has made 22 arrests: 19 in the Eaton fire zone and 3 in the Palisades fire zone. Two individuals were apprehended for curfew violations. The remaining arrests were related to alleged crimes such as burglary, looting, identity theft, and narcotics possession. One individual, who was on parole, was also found in possession of a concealed firearm. Approximately 400 National Guard members have been deployed to the region to assist with road closures and critical infrastructure support. According to a preliminary estimate by AccuWeather, these fires have the potential to become the most expensive in US history, with projected costs ranging from $135 billion to $150 billion. Insured losses are anticipated to exceed $8 billion due to the significant value of the damaged properties.”
Even celebrities haven’t been immune to the devastation. Mel Gibson, Leighton Meester and Adam Brody (Golden Globe attendees just days ago), and Paris Hilton are among those who have tragically lost their homes in the recent wildfires.
Where are the fires?
Four major wildfires are currently burning across the region, according to California fire officials:
Palisades Fire: This is the largest and most concerning fire, erupting on Tuesday and threatening to become the most destructive in state history. It has consumed over 22,660 acres, including the upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood. Containment efforts have been slow, reaching only 11% as of Saturday. Eaton Fire: ignited Tuesday night near a canyon in the sprawling national forest lands north of downtown Los Angeles. It had exploded to 14,117 acres by Saturday night and was 15% contained, according to Cal Fire. The agency said more than 7,800 structures were likely damaged or destroyed in the blaze. Hurst Fire: This fire ignited on Tuesday night north of San Fernando and has grown to 799 acres. Containment efforts have been more successful, reaching 76%. Kenneth Fire: This fire erupted on Thursday along the Los Angeles-Ventura county border and has spread across over 1,052 acres. Firefighters have effectively halted its progress, achieving 80% containment with no reported damage to structures.What caused the fires?
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna stated that detectives are actively investigating all potential causes of the recent wildfires. ‘Everything is absolutely on the table,’ he emphasized.
Lightning, the most frequent cause of wildfires in the US, has been ruled out as the source of the Palisades and Eaton fires. Furthermore, there has been no official confirmation that arson or downed utility lines, the next most common culprits, ignited any of these blazes.
California experienced a period of heavy rainfall in 2022-2023, leading to a significant surge in vegetation growth. However, the subsequent drought of last year caused this lush growth to dry out, creating an abundance of readily combustible material.
This exceptionally dry period, exacerbated by downtown Los Angeles receiving only 0.16 inches (0.4cm) of rain since October, has combined with powerful offshore Santa Ana winds to create highly favorable conditions for wildfires.
