Los Angeles Addresses Recent Fire Amid Growing Property Damage and Home Losses -

The situation in Los Angeles is worsening as firefighters battle the blazes into their third day. A new wildfire has emerged north of the 101 Freeway, expanding rapidly and leading to further evacuations.

Named the Kenneth Fire, it ignited Thursday afternoon in Hidden Hills, roughly 50 miles northwest of downtown LA. An evacuation alert mistakenly sent to 10 million people was designed for local residents and later retracted, causing widespread confusion and escalating tensions.

Across Los Angeles, wildfires have resulted in at least seven deaths, displaced around 180,000 individuals, and left entire communities in ruins. AccuWeather estimates the financial toll could be between $135 billion and $150 billion, ranking it among the most costly natural disasters in U.S. history.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is set to enforce a 12-hour curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in evacuation zones, as indicated by LA County Sheriff Robert Luna during a press briefing on Thursday. This curfew is expected to begin tonight after necessary legal steps are completed.

Kristin Crowley, chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department, has confirmed two fatalities from the extensive Palisades Fire, while the Eaton Fire has claimed five lives. Both fires remain uncontained.

On a positive note, the Eaton Fire, which poses a threat to Pasadena, has shown a significant reduction in its spread compared to the previous day. A smaller blaze in the Hollywood Hills has been quickly contained, allowing local residents to return home. Wind conditions that have exacerbated this week’s fires are projected to decrease on Friday, providing firefighters with a better opportunity to combat the wildfires.

“Even with significant threats ongoing, I remain optimistic that we are turning a corner,” stated Kathryn Barger, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

The wildfires have ravaged thousands of structures and charred over 30,000 acres, with firefighters being dispatched to new blazes consistently. Southern California Edison, a division of Edison International, has reported that no fire authority has linked its electrical facilities to the start of the Eaton Fire, although the utility has been instructed to retain evidence by insurance companies.

As the fires continue, their impact is becoming more evident. JPMorgan Chase & Co has warned that the cost to insurers could exceed $20 billion, doubling the bank’s earlier assessment from a day prior. The Eaton Fire alone has resulted in over 5,000 buildings being damaged or destroyed, according to officials on Thursday.

The wildfires are causing major disruptions in a city of around 12 million residents. Schools are closed, numerous roads are impassable, and nearly 120,000 homes and businesses in LA County are without power. Authorities have apprehended 20 individuals for looting and burglary in the evacuated regions.

Local news organizations have cautioned that their broadcasts may be interrupted as a fire nears a mountaintop housing their antennas. Residents are worried about breathing some of the most polluted air in the world. Officials have advised those living near burn zones to boil their water because of ash and debris contaminating reservoirs.

The Lakers have postponed their basketball match against the Charlotte Hornets, while the National Football League is considering backup plans for the game scheduled on Monday between the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings. The LA Kings also postponed their match on Wednesday.

Fires engulfing the Sunset Fire area in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles on January 8. Photographer: Jill Connelly/Bloomberg

The Palisades Fire, the largest of the blazes, has consumed over 17,200 acres. The Eaton Fire has ravaged parts of Altadena, expanding to 13,690 acres, while the Kenneth Fire has grown to nearly 1,000 acres.

Regrettably, forecasters anticipate no rain for Southern California for at least a week, indicating that the dry conditions fueling the area’s vegetation will persist. Another wind event may occur on Monday or Tuesday of the following week, according to Allison Santorelli from the U.S. Weather Prediction Center.

“While current winds are not expected to be as strong, any increase in wind is concerning,” Santorelli noted.

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