Devastating wildfires continue to ravage the state of California, and according to the latest reports, four fires are currently active in Los Angeles. The main fire has scorched more than 8,000 hectares along the coast in the Malibu area and the well-known Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
At least 16 people have lost their lives in the Los Angeles wildfires, and more than 12,000 structures have been destroyed.
Around 13 people are reported missing, and 22 have been arrested during the wildfires, according to Los Angeles authorities. A curfew has been imposed, and police have arrested 22 people for violating the curfew, as well as for unauthorized entry, burglary, and looting in fire-affected areas of Eaton and Palisades, Sheriff Robert Luna said.
Fire Chief Kristin Crowley told “KTTV” that “they still lack sufficient personnel, resources, and equipment.”
Officials are urging California residents to conserve water, as some reservoirs supplying fire hydrants have been drained in the firefighting effort.
The wildfires could become the most expensive in history—weather website “AccuWeather” estimates total damage and losses at between $135 billion and $150 billion.
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“This tragic event will unite us”
Mayor Karen Bass held a press conference condemning the criminal “predators” attempting to exploit the disaster, stating that such behavior will not be tolerated.
“This tragic event will unite us. We will stand together. We will extinguish the fires and rebuild our city,” the mayor said, adding that she has not yet spoken with Donald Trump.
A fire official who joined her at the press conference said that the Palisades fire flared up significantly last night, exposing firefighters to “relentless aerial assault.”
Sheriff Robert Luna announced at the press conference that “the investigation into the fires remains absolutely active.” He added that detectives are working on investigating multiple fires in collaboration with several agencies, including the FBI.
“Every lead matters,” he said, urging anyone with information about the fire to contact his office. He also noted that there is currently no evidence to suggest the fire was intentionally set.
“Multiple power grid failures reported before the fire”
Power grid failures in Los Angeles have risen alarmingly in areas where large wildfires raged this week, prompting a new theory that these failures may have caused the disaster.
Bob Marshall, CEO of Whisker Labs, a company that monitors electrical activity, said that the company observed an increased number of faults in the hours leading up to the fires in Eaton, Palisades, and Hurst.
Marshall explained that the data also showed that power was not immediately cut off after the increase in faults.
“Faults are caused by tree branches touching wires or wires clashing due to wind. This creates sparks,” he explained.
An evacuation order has been issued for approximately 153,000 people, while 166,000 are under evacuation warnings, he added.
“An evacuation order is a mandatory instruction for residents to immediately leave the area due to imminent danger. Evacuation warnings alert residents to be prepared to evacuate, as the situation may worsen,” he clarified.
The wildfires have especially affected those who were already homeless. The organization People Concern, which helps the homeless, stated that these individuals are particularly vulnerable during disasters.
Their director, John Maceri, said that these people “were already facing significant challenges, but the fires have made their situation even more difficult. In Palisades alone, it is estimated that around 300 unhoused individuals, many of whom are now displaced along with thousands of other residents, have been affected.”
Many of them lost the little property they had, are suffering health issues due to toxic air, and have limited access to shelters.
Los Angeles has been struggling with homelessness for years. More than 46,000 people in the city and 75,000 people across the county were classified as homeless in 2023.
“We need answers”
Faced with unprecedented damage, California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered an “independent investigation” of the water distribution service on Friday. The governor described the initial water supply failures and loss of hydrant pressure during the disaster as “extremely disturbing.”
“We need answers so that we can understand what happened,” the governor said in an open letter.
At least 16 people have lost their lives in the devastating wildfires, and parts of the second-largest city in the U.S. have been completely destroyed. Twelve thousand buildings and homes have been lost, and more than 14,000 hectares of land have been reduced to ash and smoke.
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Source: NIN, Photo: TANJUG / AP / Jeff Gritchen (MBI)