Raging California Wildfires Claim Lives and Spur Looting in Stricken Areas
Blazes in Los Angeles continue to wreak havoc as death toll reaches 16; looting reported amid evacuations
The persistent wildfires ravaging California continued to devastate the state on Sunday, claiming at least 16 lives in the Los Angeles area, as officials brace for worsening conditions with the return of fierce winds.
As authorities issued further evacuation orders for over 150,000 residents, reports of looting and theft emerged in the evacuated areas.
Firefighting crews from California and eight other U.S. states, as well as Canada and Mexico, have mobilized to enhance the state's efforts to control the disaster.
Los Angeles, engulfed by flames since the previous Tuesday, has been particularly hard-hit, with search and rescue teams using trained dogs to comb through debris for possible human remains.
Diane Criswell from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) warned that 'the situation remains critical,' noting in an ABC interview that 'the winds are likely to become hazardous again,' urging people to stay extremely vigilant.
Local fire chief Anthony Maroney emphasized the challenges posed by dry weather and vegetation, stating, 'These winds, combined with dry weather and vegetation, will keep the fire threat in the Los Angeles area extremely high.'
Known as Santa Ana winds, these gusts are common in California during fall and winter, yet they reached unprecedented intensity this week, the strongest since 2011, with speeds sometimes reaching up to 160 kilometers per hour, according to meteorological experts.
Despite the efforts of thousands of firefighters, the 'Palisades Fire' has spread to the northwest of Los Angeles, threatening the densely populated San Fernando Valley, as well as the Getty Museum and its invaluable art collections.
The flames have ravaged entire sections of America's second-largest city, destroying more than '12,000 structures,' which include both buildings and vehicles, authorities reported on Saturday.
In a new development on Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump criticized California’s leaders in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, blaming political 'incompetence' for the ongoing blazes in Los Angeles.
Amid reports of looting in the hardest-hit areas or those evacuated, authorities have instituted a strict curfew from 6 PM to 6 AM in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena, the most affected neighborhoods.
The fires are expected to result in $150 billion in damages, potentially making these wildfires the costliest on record, according to experts.
California's governor expressed intentions to launch a 'Marshall Plan' to rebuild the affected areas, explaining to NBC, 'We are still fighting these fires, but we are already talking to officials, business leaders, and NGOs.'
Efforts are also being aimed at curbing the drastic rise in rent prices facing some of those displaced.
The state’s attorney general warned that artificially inflating prices is punishable with up to a year in prison and a $10,000 fine.
As authorities issued further evacuation orders for over 150,000 residents, reports of looting and theft emerged in the evacuated areas.
Firefighting crews from California and eight other U.S. states, as well as Canada and Mexico, have mobilized to enhance the state's efforts to control the disaster.
Los Angeles, engulfed by flames since the previous Tuesday, has been particularly hard-hit, with search and rescue teams using trained dogs to comb through debris for possible human remains.
Diane Criswell from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) warned that 'the situation remains critical,' noting in an ABC interview that 'the winds are likely to become hazardous again,' urging people to stay extremely vigilant.
Local fire chief Anthony Maroney emphasized the challenges posed by dry weather and vegetation, stating, 'These winds, combined with dry weather and vegetation, will keep the fire threat in the Los Angeles area extremely high.'
Known as Santa Ana winds, these gusts are common in California during fall and winter, yet they reached unprecedented intensity this week, the strongest since 2011, with speeds sometimes reaching up to 160 kilometers per hour, according to meteorological experts.
Despite the efforts of thousands of firefighters, the 'Palisades Fire' has spread to the northwest of Los Angeles, threatening the densely populated San Fernando Valley, as well as the Getty Museum and its invaluable art collections.
The flames have ravaged entire sections of America's second-largest city, destroying more than '12,000 structures,' which include both buildings and vehicles, authorities reported on Saturday.
In a new development on Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump criticized California’s leaders in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, blaming political 'incompetence' for the ongoing blazes in Los Angeles.
Amid reports of looting in the hardest-hit areas or those evacuated, authorities have instituted a strict curfew from 6 PM to 6 AM in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena, the most affected neighborhoods.
The fires are expected to result in $150 billion in damages, potentially making these wildfires the costliest on record, according to experts.
California's governor expressed intentions to launch a 'Marshall Plan' to rebuild the affected areas, explaining to NBC, 'We are still fighting these fires, but we are already talking to officials, business leaders, and NGOs.'
Efforts are also being aimed at curbing the drastic rise in rent prices facing some of those displaced.
The state’s attorney general warned that artificially inflating prices is punishable with up to a year in prison and a $10,000 fine.
