At least 16 people have died in the Los Angeles wildfires, according to the latest update from local authorities this morning. The fires have been raging for five days, leaving large parts of America\u2019s second-largest city devastated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Authorities have imposed a curfew from 6 PM to 6 AM in the hardest-hit areas, Pacific Palisades and Altadena, due to widespread looting in affected and evacuated zones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The cause of the fires is still unknown, but heavy criticism has been directed at the Governor of California and the Mayor of Los Angeles for inadequate preparation and poor crisis response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The editorial team of Serbian Times<\/em> contacted Katarina Stanojevi\u0107, a young Serbian woman living near the endangered zone in Los Angeles. When asked about the current situation, she said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe fires are still raging in Palisades, about 10 kilometers from Venice Beach, where I am. There are two more fires being fought at other locations, but they are less intense. From here, you can see the flames rising behind the hills. So far, about 25,000 hectares of green land and buildings have been destroyed, over 180,000 residents evacuated, and the damage exceeds $100 billion. The fire in the famous Hollywood Hills has been extinguished, and the Hollywood sign remains untouched,\u201d Katarina explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She added that Governor Newsom had refused for five years to implement a law that would redirect water from Northern California to Los Angeles to protect the habitat of a local fish species. When asked who the residents blame for the disaster, she replied:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cResidents of LA are enduring it calmly; there is no rebellion against the authorities, but both the mayor and the governor are mentioned as being responsible for the lack of water in hydrants and the immense workload faced by firefighters. Help has arrived from Canada, planes have come, and we are all very grateful for that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She also noted that many Serbians have been evacuated and are currently safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEveryone I know is now safe, but I don\u2019t know anyone whose house has burned down. Unfortunately, I do have friends and colleagues whose parents and families have lost their homes, and it\u2019s hard to believe when you see everything happening.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n