The deadly wildfires sweeping Southern California continued to remain extremely volatile Thursday, marking the third frightening day of severe fire weather threats across much of Los Angeles County.
The full-scale attack of the inferno, driven by once hurricane-force winds, sparked five major fires across the region, burning more than 29,000 acres of land. More than 293,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate as the region's relentless enemy continues to devour everything in its path.
At least five people have been killed, and the human toll from the disaster is likely to increase significantly in the coming days and weeks.
The economic toll from these fires is staggering. Initial estimates put the damage at about $52 billion, potentially making it the costliest wildfire in U.S. history.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said more than 7,500 firefighters and emergency personnel were being deployed to protect the state. President Joe Biden also announced continued response efforts to combat the relentless advance of five megafires sparked by the most ferocious Santa Ana fires: the Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire, Hearst Fire, Lydia Fire, and Sunset Fire. It also approved Newsom's request for a presidential major disaster declaration to help. The first wind in over 14 years.
“We are committing all available resources to fighting these wildfires, including leveraging local and federal assets,” Newsom said. “California has thousands of boots on the ground fighting these fires. The state is doing everything possible to protect California communities.”
According to a report from the Los Angeles County Fire Department: palisades fire It has destroyed over 1,000 structures, Eaton Fire Another 1,000 were damaged or destroyed. This includes a number of house, businessthe school was reduced to ashes, making it the county's most destructive fire on record.
The Los Angeles Unified School District confirmed that at least two elementary schools and one high school were damaged or destroyed in the fire. All schools and offices will be closed Thursday, and the district said it will continue to assess the situation over the next 24 hours and prepare for the possibility of online learning on Friday.
““The combination of wind, fire, smoke and other factors creates a dangerous and complex situation that poses a risk to the school community,” school district administrators said.
Water shortage reported, communications failure hampers Palisades fire
The massive Palisades Fire ignited in the Santa Monica Mountains late Tuesday morning and exploded with ferocity, burning more than 17,200 acres at last check, according to Cal Fire.
FOX News Senior National Correspondent William La Jeunesse, reporting Thursday from downtown Palisades, highlighted the critical issue of water shortages, with reports of water tanks running dry and hampering firefighting efforts. .
The Department of Water and Power (DWP) denies these claims, but residents are advised to boil their tap water due to possible contamination.
“Los Angeles County and all 29 fire departments within the county are unprepared for this type of widespread disaster,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said at a press conference Wednesday. “LA County does not have enough firefighters to fight four separate fires of this size.”
Communication issues further complicate the situation. Power outages and cell phone service interruptions have left many residents stranded and unable to contact loved ones.
Stay up to date with NYP's coverage of horrific fires in the Los Angeles area
Elon Musk has promised to provide Starlink satellite internet service to affected areas, providing a communications lifeline. DWP said it has restored power to more than 150,000 of its 1.5 million electric customers since the firestorm began.
Eaton Fire: Death toll rises as search, rescue efforts continue
The Eaton Fire, which broke out in the Angeles National Forest near Pasadena and Los Angeles' San Gabriel Valley, claimed five lives. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said a significant number of injuries were also reported.
Search and rescue teams, including a K-9 unit, are actively searching for additional victims. Officials said the uncontained fire threatened more than 37,000 structures and injured four firefighters.
The fire broke out just after 6:15 a.m. Tuesday near Eaton Canyon in Pasadena. Crews continue to fight aggressively as the fire advances one mile into the Altadena area.
At last check, nearly 1,000 structures in the area were damaged or destroyed.
However, the exact number is unknown and experts have been dispatched to inspect the damage.
Strong winds continue Thursday, but are significantly weaker than they have been over the past 48 hours. Strong winds are expected to return on Friday.
An extended fire weather warning will be in effect for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties through Thursday, and a fire weather warning will be in effect Thursday night through Friday.
