California wildfires: Over 6 million in Los Angeles area under ‘critical fire threat’
California wildfires: Fanned by strong winds, the wildfires in Los Angeles area of California have killed at least 25 people and swept through 40,000 acres of land in the area. Palisades Fire, in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood of Los Angeles, alone has burned 23,000 acres of land, and was contained only 18% as of Wednesday morning as it threatened the Brentwood, Encino and Westwood neighbourhoods....Read More
Together, the fires have destroyed more than 23,000 structures.
More on the California wildfires:
- Southern California is braced for "extremely critical fire conditions" caused by a new period of Santa Ana winds today through tomorrow across parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, NBC reported.
-Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and other officials have expressed confidence that the region was ready to face the new threat with additional firefighters from around the US, Canada, and Mexico.
-The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power also warned that it could deliberately cut power for safety purposes in the coming days as wind speeds picked up, posing a serious risk for new fires in the region.
-There have been more than a dozen wildfires in Southern California since Jan. 1, mostly in the greater Los Angeles area.
-The latest started late Monday in a dry riverbed in Oxnard, about 55 miles (about 89 kilometres) northwest of Los Angeles, and was burning in an agricultural area.
-Authorities have not yet determined an official cause for any of the fires. However, electric services company Southern California Edison has acknowledged agencies are investigating whether its equipment may have started a smaller blaze.
-
California wildfires live: Donald Trump likely to visit disaster zone
California wildfires live: President-elect Donald Trump is planning to visit the disaster zone after his inauguration next week, Reuters reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.
California wildfires live: 8,500 firefighters mobilised
California wildfires live: More than 8,500 firefighters attacked the fires from the air and on the ground, preventing conflagrations at either end of Los Angeles from spreading overnight.
"This setup is about as bad as it gets," Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley told local residents, reports Reuters.
California wildfires live: Winds could reach 75 mph
California wildfires live: Los Angeles firefighters are bracing for intense winds that could fuel two monstrous wildfires that have already killed 24 people.
Hurricane force winds of 75 mph (120 kph) were possible from early Tuesday, with 50-70 mph gusts expected through Wednesday, said David Roth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center, according to Reuters.
California wildfires live: What Joe Biden said
California wildfires news live: US President Joe Biden said it would “cost tens of billions of dollars to get Los Angeles back where it was.” "We are going to need Congress to step up to provide the funding to get this done," the outgoing president has said.
California wildfires live: 24 killed in blaze
California wildfires news live: At least 24 people have died in the two massive fires in Los Angeles, which have scorched about 40,000 acres since erupting in fierce winds last Tuesday.
The wildfires – referred to as the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire – have destroyed over 12,000 structures and forced about 92,000 people from their homes.
California wildfires live: Survivors recall trauma
California wildfires news live: Los Angeles residents who escaped raging infernos have recalled their traumatic experience since last Tuesday and their desperate attempts to save their lives.
Tabitha Trosen and her boyfriend told the news agency AP about their feeling of “teetering” on the edge, fearing the blaze could spread to their neighbourhood anytime. The couple also recalled their efforts to salvage their belongings so that they do not lose their precious memories. Read more.
California wildfires live: Strong Santa Ana winds pose new threat
California Wildfires News Live: Even as firefighters raced to contain the frontiers of two Los Angeles wildfires, the National Weather Service has predicted strong Santa Ana winds to pick up starting early Tuesday and continue through midday Wednesday.
