Los Angeles wildfires: Death toll rises to 24; many believed missing
More than 1.5 lakh residents and 57,000 buildings are under evacuation orders, and another 1.66 lakh residents have been warned that they may need to evacuate;
A view of the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood of Los Angeles in the aftermath of the fire. Photo: PTI
The death toll from the devastating wildfires has risen to 24, said Los Angeles county officials on Sunday (January 12).
Many people are believed to be missing, as more than 12,000 buildings have been destroyed or damaged in the wildfires last week.
More than 1.5 lakh residents and 57,000 buildings are under evacuation orders, and another 1.66 lakh residents have been warned that they may need to evacuate.
Also Read: Los Angeles wildfires: Death toll rises to 16; strong winds threaten to worsen crisis
‘Doing all we can to rebuild LA’: California Governor
“The road ahead is going to be difficult, but we're doing all we can to help LA rebuild and move forward,” California Governor Gavin Newsom posted on his X handle.
Governor Newsom wrote that he had just signed an executive order to direct fast action to clear wildfire debris across Southern California and prepare for the heightened risk for mudslides in burned areas.
“Seeing the devastation from the #EatonFire & the #PalisadesFire firsthand, I can't emphasize enough the scope of the damage. We're on the road to recovery. 53 teams are on the ground doing housing inspections to get debris & hazardous waste removed to rebuild these communities,” Governor Gavin Newsom wrote in another post on X.
Dangerous dry winds return
On Sunday, dangerous dry winds returned to further inflame the wildfires and push them further through the residential areas of Los Angeles.
Firefighters struggled to control the spread of the flames. Aerial firefighters dropped water and fire retardant on the flames, while the crews on land fought the flames with hoses.
Also Read: California wildfire explodes, burning across 25 miles in day
The National Weather Service warned of worsening weather conditions in the days ahead and predicted that the winds would pick up speeds between 30–70 mph.
‘Marshall Plan’
Governor Newsom said he was launching a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild the ravaged city.
“We already have a team looking at reimagining L.A.2.0,” he said.
“The spirit of California is embodied by the heroic firefighters and first responders battling the Los Angeles wildfires,” wrote Newsom on X.
Also Read: California wildfires: Celebrity mansions reduced to ashes
Trump accuses California officials of incompetence
In the meantime, President-elect Donald Trump accused California officials of incompetence in their inability to contain the fires.
“They just can’t put out the fires. What’s wrong with them?” Trump wrote on his TruthSocial platform.