Massive Los Angeles Fire Reaches Palisades, Threatens New Areas"

Massive Los Angeles Fire Reaches Palisades, Threatens New Areas”

LOS ANGELES: The most significant wildfire in Los Angeles has reportedly changed its course as of Saturday (Jan 11), leading to additional evacuation orders and new challenges for weary firefighters. Since Tuesday, six simultaneous wildfires have swept through various neighbourhoods in Los Angeles County, resulting in at least 11 fatalities and damaging or destroying around 10,000 structures. The death toll is anticipated to rise once firefighters can carry out searches on a house-to-house basis.While the intense Santa Ana winds that fueled the fires subsided on Friday night, the Palisades Fire on the city’s western edge has shifted direction, necessitating a new evacuation order as it approaches the Brentwood area and the San Fernando Valley foothills, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“The Palisades fire has experienced a new and significant flare-up in its eastern portion and continues to move northeast,” stated LA Fire Department Captain Erik Scott during an interview with local station KTLA, as reported by the LA Times.This fire, which is the most destructive in Los Angeles’ history, has wholly obliterated entire neighbourhoods, reducing them to smouldering remnants of what used to be homes and possessions.

Prior to this latest flare-up, firefighters had reported advancements in controlling the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire in the foothills to the east of the city, which had been raging out of control for several days. As of Friday night, the Palisades Fire was 8 per cent contained, while the Eaton Fire was at 3 per cent, according to state agency Cal Fire.

Together, these two major fires have scorched 14,100 hectares, 2 1/2 times the size of Manhattan.Approximately 153,000 individuals are under evacuation orders, while another 166,800 are under evacuation warnings. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna reported that a curfew has been imposed across all evacuation zones.

Seven neighbouring states, the federal government, and Canada have swiftly sent aid to California, enhancing the efforts of aerial teams dropping water and fire retardant on the blazing hills while ground crews work to establish fire lines using hand tools and hoses.

The National Weather Service indicated that conditions in the Los Angeles area are expected to improve over the weekend, with sustained winds decreasing to around 32 kph.

“It’s not as gusty, which should facilitate the work for firefighters,” explained NWS meteorologist Allison Santorelli, noting that conditions remain critical due to low humidity and dry vegetation.

Cal Fire has warned of the possibility of strong winds returning on Tuesday.“There is still a high likelihood of critical fire weather conditions continuing into next week,” it stated.Officials have issued a public health emergency owing to the hazardous smoke that is thick and toxic.

HOMES REDUCED TO ASH

Residents of Pacific Palisades who returned to their ravaged neighbourhoods on Friday were stunned to discover brick chimneys towering over scorched debris and burned-out cars, with acrid smoke still pervasive in the air. “This house was filled with love,” said Kelly Foster, 44, as she sifted through the remains of what used to be her home. Foster’s 16-year-old daughter, Ada, mentioned her attempt to enter but said, “I just felt sick. I just couldn’t even… Yeah, it’s difficult.” In Rick McGeagh’s Palisades area, only six out of 60 houses remained intact, and the only thing still standing at his ranch was a statue of the Virgin Mary. “Everything else has turned to ash and debris,” McGeagh, 61, a commercial real estate broker, noted, who, along with his wife, brought up three children in their residence. On Friday morning, hundreds of individuals gathered at a parking lot near Pasadena’s Rose Bowl stadium for donations of clothing, diapers, and bottled water. Denise Doss, 63, expressed her eagerness to return to her devastated Altadena home to check for any salvageable items, but officials prevented her entry due to safety issues. “I just want to say goodbye until we’re able to rebuild. I will let God show me the way,” Doss stated.

BILLIONS IN LOSSES

Many residents of Altadena expressed concerns that government funding would be directed towards more affluent areas and that insurance companies might undercompensate those unable to dispute fire claim denials. In addition to those who lost their homes, tens of thousands were without electricity. At the same time, millions faced deteriorating air quality due to the fires releasing particles of metals, plastics, and other synthetic materials. Private weather service AccuWeather projected that the damage and economic losses could range between US$135 billion and US$150 billion, indicating a challenging recovery and increased homeowners’ insurance premiums. California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara urged insurers on Friday to halt any pending non-renewals and cancellations of homeowners’ policies issued before the fires and to prolong the grace period for payments. President Joe Biden has categorized the fires as a major disaster and announced that the US government would cover 100 per cent of the recovery costs for the next six months.