(BBC): Los Angeles is experiencing uncontrolled wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of buildings, forced the evacuation of about 180,000 residents, and claimed at least ten lives. The biggest fires are still uncontrolled despite the efforts of firefighters, and it is predicted that weather patterns and climate change will prolong the destruction for a few more days.
Nearly 179,000 individuals in Los Angeles County are under evacuation orders; many of them are only taking their most basic possessions with them. Evacuation warnings are also in effect for over 200,000 residents, and they may soon become required.
At least ten people have been declared dead by authorities, while their names are still being verified. The number of fatalities from the Eaton fire was reduced from five to three after two deaths from the Pacific Palisades fire were confirmed earlier on Thursday.
As evacuation orders continue, looting and theft have increased in certain neighborhoods. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna reported 20 arrests related to these crimes.
On Thursday, a new fire, the Kenneth fire, broke out in the West Hills area. A suspect was quickly detained by the police, and he is being investigated for possible arson related to the blaze.
Authorities have not yet established how the other fires began, and their cause is still being investigated.
With almost 5,300 buildings destroyed, the Pacific Palisades fire has been very catastrophic and is now the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history. Significant damage has also been inflicted by the Eaton fire, which destroyed almost 5,000 buildings just outside the city.
Celebrities like Paris Hilton, Adam Brody, and Leighton Meester are among those impacted by the flames; they all lost their houses in the devastation.
Given the high value of the houses in the impacted areas, the insurance industry predicts that insured losses from this wildfire epidemic could surpass $8 billion, making it one of the most costly in U.S. history.
Rainfall is still not expected in southern California for at least the next week, despite the fire weather prediction being dropped from "extremely critical" to "critical." This keeps making things more favorable for flames to spread.
As citizens try to leave or flee danger, there have been severe traffic jams and power disruptions in several parts of the city. The prolonged crisis has also resulted in the closure of schools, including the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
The city's readiness for the flames has been the subject of a political controversy, especially after it was revealed that some firemen were running low on water. Given these problems, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump questioned the city's preparedness.
However, Anthony Marrone, the fire chief for Los Angeles County, said he had not heard of any firefighters experiencing low water pressure or running out of water. Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin, on the other hand, acknowledged that a few hydrants had a momentary drop in water pressure, but that this issue has now been fixed.
Multiple fire engines pulling water at once and a power outage that affected pressure were blamed for the low pressure.
At least five large fires were still burning in the greater Los Angeles area as of Thursday, according to California fire officials.
The largest of these fires and regarded as one of the most catastrophic in California history was the Palisades fire, which broke out first on Tuesday. Nearly 20,000 acres have been engulfed by it, including the posh Pacific Palisades area. By Thursday evening, the fire was just 6 percent contained.
About 14,000 acres have been destroyed by the Eaton fire in northern Los Angeles, which has primarily affected communities like Altadena. As of Thursday, there has been no progress in containing the fire, and it is still totally uncontained.
Located north of San Fernando, the Hurst fire began Tuesday evening and has burned 670 acres thus far. The fire is beginning to be contained by firefighters.
Another fire, the Lidia fire, began on Wednesday afternoon in the mountainous Acton area north of Los Angeles. This fire has scorched nearly 350 acres and is 60% contained.
The Kenneth fire, a new blaze that began on Thursday on the border of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, has consumed almost 1,000 acres.
The earlier Sunset, Woodley, and Olivas fires have now been contained, and firefighters have made progress in controlling these smaller blazes.
It has been determined that one of the factors causing wildfires in the western United States to become more intense and frequent is climate change. Experts point to the increasingly common hotter and drier weather brought on by climate change.
The increasing risk of wildfires is clearly linked to climate change, according to U.S. government research. The region is more vulnerable to large-scale flames due to a “thirsty atmosphere,” prolonged droughts, and rising temperatures, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
California is particularly susceptible to wildfires due to an exceptionally scorching summer and a lack of precipitation in recent months. Gavin Newsom, the governor of the state, said that the state's fire season is now practically year-round. He declared, "There is no fire season." "Fire year."
In addition, experts pointed out that the Palisades fire is only the third significant fire to occur in January in the previous 30 years, demonstrating how fire seasons have spread outside of their typical range.
Experts caution that if climate change continues to alter weather patterns, severe fire events like these could become more frequent, increasing the risk to property and human life in the western United States.
