LA fires newest: Death toll climbs to 24 as hearth chief says crews prepared for intensified winds
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Gavin Newsom has described the Los Angeles wildfires as the worst natural disaster in US history “in terms of the scale and scope”.
The blazes are on track to be among the costliest ever seen in the US, with losses expected to exceed $135bn (£109.7bn).
Speaking to NBC News, the California Governor said: “I think it will be in terms of just the costs associated with it in terms of the scale and scope.”
He also announced a new executive order hoping to address the issue of fraud, price gouging and insurance claims in the wake of the disaster.
Landlords in Los Angeles have been accused of “taking advantage” of victims who have lost their homes in the city’s wildfires, as they illegally gouge prices for those desperate for a place to stay.
At least 16 people have now died as the potential return of high winds threatens to push the wildfires ravaging the city towards some of its most famous landmarks.
Santa Ana winds which initially fanned the flames were calmer on Saturday, but the National Weather Service has warned that stronger gusts of up to 70 mph could return early next week.
Cal Fire warns of “critical fire weather” between tonight and Wednesday
Cal Fire warned that Southern California will face “critical fire weather” between Sunday night and Wednesday in a post on Facebook on Sunday evening.
High winds — reaching 70mph — are expected between later on Sunday evening through Wednesday. The winds can help spread and stoke existing fires and potentially start new ones by moving embers to previously untouched parts of the region.
“Life-threatening winds and dangerously low humidity are forecast for much of Southern California – from Ventura to San Diego – creating a significant risk of rapid fire spread,” Cal Fire warned. “The winds will cause increased fire activity.”
LA County Sheriff says curfew will be in effect, law enforcement will not be deescalating number of officers on the streets
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said during a press conference on Sunday that a curfew, from 6pm to 6am, will be in effect in wildfire affected areas of LA County on Sunday night into Monday morning.
“Simply stay out of the areas if you are not a first responder or have emergency business there,” he said.
Luna also said that law enforcement would not be decreasing the number of officers and deputies on the ground. He also said that while he understood that people wanted to get back to their homes, many areas are too dangerous to allow residents to return at this time.
“I know there’s a lot of folks trying to get back to their houses. We are very empathetic and sensitive to those needs, but your safety comes first,” he said. “A lot of these areas still look like they were hit by a bomb. There are live electrical wires, gas lines and other hazards. We want to make sure you’re safe, not to mention the health hazards that come with that information.”
Los Angeles residents share what’s packed in their emergency evacuation bags amid ongoing wildfires
As deadly wildfires continue to displace people across Los Angeles, some residents affected by the natural disaster, which has now been described as the most destructive in U.S. history, have taken to TikTok to share what they packed in their evacuation bags.
Since the first flames sparked in the Santa Ana winds on January 7, at least 16 have been confirmed dead, 12,000 structures have been destroyed, and over 150,000 residents have been ordered to leave their homes.
Those forced to evacuate, leaving behind houses full of memories, have had to frantically pack necessities and decide which valuables they want to salvage in case their properties are ruined in the fires.
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Update on Palisades fire: 604 structures destroyed, 83 damaged, fire still at 11 percent containment
California fire officials offered an udpate on the state of the Palisades fire today during a press conference.
According to officials, the Palisades fire has burned 23,713 acres, has destroyed 604 structures, and has damaged another 83.
The fire is currently 11 percent contained. The fire was 11 percent contained as of Saturday morning.
“We have airplanes, we have helicopters, even drones. We’re dropping retardants. We drop out everywhere we can again to secure that edge all around the fire,” fire officials said.
High winds, expected to kick up on Sunday night, are expected to further stoke and potentially spread the fire.
LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley offered the following:
“This wind event is approaching us, and it’s approaching us very, very quickly. I want to reassure you that your LAFD, all of our regional partners, every single agency that has come from up and down this state and outside the state, we are ready … We need [the community] to stay informed. Please stay informed. With trusted news and official updates, be prepared to evacuate. We keep going back to that, but with this next wind event, [you’ve] got to stay informed follow all evacuation warnings and orders.”
Trump reposts image of Hollywood sign replaced by words “Trump Was Right” against flaming landscape
President-elect Donald Trump reposted an image showing the iconic Hollywood sign replaced by the words “Trump Was Right” set against a burning landscape.
The source image either was or was based on a criticized image showing the Hollywood hills on fire, which was generated by AI and was not reflective of the situation on the ground in Los Angeles.
Trump’s repost comes as the wildfires that have killed at least 16 and have damaged more than 20,000 structures continue to rage in the area.
Despite his criticism of California’s leadership, Governor Gavin Newsom and other California lawmakers have invited him to tour the area ahead of his inauguration later this year.
More than 24,000 people have registered for FEMA aid, White House says
Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed today on how federal resources were being used to battle the wildfires in Los Angeles and on the overall state of the ongoing response and recovery efforts.
According to a White House statement, more than 24,000 people have registered for FEMA assistance. which was made available to affected individuals on Wednesday following Biden’s Major Disaster Declaration on Wednesday.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told ABC News’s This Week that military personnel were on standby and prepared to deploy if needed to assist the wildfire response efforts.
“We are in there supporting them. You know, the support for the firefighters themselves, that is coordinated through the NIFC, the National Interagency Fire Center,” Criswell said. “There are active duty military personnel that are on a prepare to deploy order, that are ready to go in and continue to support the firefighting effort.”
Ukraine may join firefighting efforts in Los Angeles, even as it defends itself against Russian incursion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Sunday that he may be sending firefighting resources to help battle the blazes in Los Angeles.
Zelenskyy said the following:
“Today, I instructed Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs and our diplomats to prepare for the possible participation of our rescuers in combating the wildfires in California. The situation there is extremely difficult, and Ukrainians can help Americans save lives. This is currently being coordinated, and we have offered our assistance to the American side through the relevant channels. 150 of our firefighters are already prepared.”
Both Canada and Mexico have also sent firefighting resources to assist battling the wildfire.
Governor deploys another 1,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles
Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Sunday he was deploying another 1,000 National Guard troops to help the with wildfire response and law enforcement efforts in Los Angeles.
After the latest deployment, there will be 2,500 National Guard members deployed to the Los Angeles area.
Cal Fire explains why firefighting aircraft aren’t constantly in the air fighting wildfires
Cal Fire released a video explaining why firefighting aircraft aren’t constantly in the air dropping water on wildfires.
Chief among the reasons is a force that has been plaguing firefighters since the start of the wildfires — wind.
“High winds can make flying an aircraft over a wildfire much more challenging, even for the most highly-skilled pilots,” a Cal Fire spokesperson says in the video.
High winds can dispersee the fire-retardant liquid that planes drop on fires and can make flying dangerous for pilots.
Watch the full video below:
High winds — which may stoke or spread wildfires — expected as early as Sunday night
The National Weather Service issued an update Sunday that high winds expected for the Los Angeles region early next week will begin this evening and continue until Wednesday.
Winds up to 70mph (113kph) are expected over the course of the next three days.
High winds can both stoke existing fires and spread embers that can spark new fires. Relatively calm winds in Los Angeles have allowed firefighters to make gains containing the current fires torching the region.
Source: independent.co.uk
