LA Wildfires: 24 Killed, 16 Missing With Over 12,000 Structures Charred - What We Know So Far

Los Angeles: The wildfires in Los Angeles, that have charred over 12,000 structures including people's homes, continue to cause immense damage to life and property. Fuelled by the strong winds, the LA Wildfires have claimed lives of 24 people so far and at least 16 people remain missing. Here's what we know so far about the horrific fires…

LA Wildfires Death Toll Mounts To 24, 16 People Still Missing

Fires ripping through the Los Angeles area have killed at least 16 people, displaced thousands of others and destroyed more than 12,000 structures while burning through an area larger than the city of San Francisco. Speaking of the death toll, as per authorities, 24 people have lost their lives till Sunday and at least 16 people are missing - the number is expected to rise.

Los Angeles Wildfires Nation's Costliest Ever, Over 1.5 Lakh People Evacuated

The blazes started last Tuesday, fuelled by fierce Santa Ana winds that forecasters expect to kick back up through at least midweek. Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires had consumed about 160 square kilometres. While a cause for the fires has yet to be determined, early estimates indicate they could be the nation's costliest ever. Preliminary estimates by AccuWeather put the damage and economic losses at between USD 135 billion and USD 150 billion.

Thousands remain evacuated or without power. The flames have threatened and burned through several highly populated neighbourhoods over the past week, including Pacific Palisades, Altadena and others. About 150,000 people were under evacuation orders with more than 700 taking refuge in nine shelters, officials said.

The California Department of Education released a statement Wednesday saying 335 schools from Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, and San Diego counties were closed. It was unclear how many would be closed Monday.

Cal Fire reported containment of the Palisades Fire at 11 per cent and the Eaton Fire at 27 per cent on Sunday. The Kenneth Fire, which broke out near West Hills in the San Fernando Valley, was 100 per cent contained as of Sunday morning, while the Hurst Fire was 89 per cent contained.

Nearly 70,000 customers were without power across California as of Sunday morning, more than half of them in Los Angeles County, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide. Sewer, water and power infrastructure across the region has been significantly damaged, officials said.

Weather Service Issues Red Flag Warnings for Severe Fire Conditions

The National Weather Service warned that strong Santa Ana winds could soon return and issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday. The winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires into infernos that levelled entire neighbourhoods around the city where there has been no significant rainfall in over eight months. The fires have destroyed several places of worship, including a mosque, a synagogue, a Catholic parish and a half-dozen Protestant churches.

Celebrity Homes Completely Destroyed, Diverse Communities Lose Their Shelter

Thousands have fled and many have lost their homes, including Hollywood stars Billy Crystal and Mandy Moore and Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick.

Fires scorched more than just landmarks and celebrity homes While the fires have reduced a number of celebrity mansions and movie landmarks to ashes, they also burned through a haven in Altadena for generations of Black families avoiding discriminatory housing practices elsewhere. They have been communities of racial and economic diversity, where many people own their own homes.

LA Wildfires Causes

Investigators studying cause of fires No cause has been determined yet for the fires. Lightning is the most common source of fires in the US, according to the National Fire Protection Association, but investigators quickly ruled that out. There were no reports of lightning in the Palisades area or the terrain around the Eaton Fire, which started in east Los Angeles County.

The next two most common causes are fires intentionally set and those sparked by utility lines. 

Major Events Including CCA and Oscars Postponed and Cancelled

Several events have been cancelled and postponed The Critics Choice Awards rescheduled Sunday ceremonies in Santa Monica for January 26. The organisation that puts on the Oscars extended the voting window for Academy Award nominations and delayed next week's planned nominations announcement.

The NFL moved the Los Angeles Rams' wild-card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings to Arizona because of the fires. The game will be played Monday night. And the NBA postponed the Lakers' game against the Hornets. NBA games are scheduled to return to Los Angeles on Monday night, with the Clippers hosting the Miami Heat and the Lakers set to host the San Antonio Spurs. It'll be the Clippers' first game in five days after having their home game against Charlotte on Saturday postponed. The Lakers had two home games pushed back.

Los Angeles Wildfires: Political Blame Game Starts As Evacuations Continue

Accusations of leadership failures are percolating LA Mayor Karen Bass faces a critical test of her leadership during the city's greatest crisis in decades, but allegations of leadership failures, political blame and investigations have begun.

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 440 million-litre reservoir was out of service and some hydrants had run dry. Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said city leadership failed her department by not providing enough money for firefighting. She also criticised the lack of water. 

(Inputs from AP)