In the numerous fires that have engulfed Los Angeles for the fourth consecutive day, at least 11 people have died, though there is good news as the winds that contributed to the spread of the flames have begun to weaken.
At the same time, debates about the efficiency of rescue services and the responsibility of the authorities are becoming increasingly heated.
At least 11 people lost their lives in the fires, and large parts of the second-largest city in the United States (U.S.) have been devastated. More than 10.000 buildings were destroyed, and over 14.000 hectares of land have been lost to the flames.
In response to widespread looting in devastated or evacuated zones, authorities in the hardest-hit areas of Pacific Palisades and Altadena imposed a curfew two days ago from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Two days ago, the Governor of California Gavin Newsom, highlighting the extensive damage, called for a fully independent investigation into the operations of the city’s water distribution services.
The Democratic official described as “deeply troubling” the lack of water supply and loss of pressure in fire hydrants during the initial moments of the fires, which contributed to their spread. In an open letter, he stated that answers are needed to determine what went wrong.
U.S. President Joe Biden remarked that the situation reminded him of wartime scenes, with bombings.
In the largest of the five active fires, more than 8.000 hectares of land have burned along the Malibu coast and in the luxury neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, where firefighters confirmed they had begun to bring the blaze under control.
Among those whose homes were destroyed is actor Mel Gibson. He told the media he was devastated by the loss of his house in Malibu.
The winds weakened two days ago, allowing firefighters to act more effectively. However, new evacuations were ordered in the Palisades area.
On Thursday afternoon, a new fire broke out north of the main hotspot in Pacific Palisades, near the wealthy Hidden Hills neighborhood, home to celebrities including Kim Kardashian. That fire has largely been brought under control since then.
The situation remains very dangerous, warned Deanne Criswell of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Across Los Angeles, hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated.
The military has been deployed, and dozens of people have been arrested for looting.
Before the curfew was implemented, residents improvised their own patrols to protect what was left of their neighborhoods.
Although it is too early to determine what caused the fires, criticism is mounting over the government’s preparedness and response.
Fire Department official Kristin Crowley told a local television station that there is always a lack of personnel, resources, and funding.
California residents have been urged to conserve water because some reservoirs supplying fire hydrants were depleted during firefighting efforts.
Several evacuation alerts were mistakenly sent to phones on Thursday and Friday in Los Angeles, prompting authorities to issue an apology.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it would launch an investigation after a drone collided with and damaged a firefighting aircraft.
These fires could become the most expensive ever recorded in the U.S.
AccuWeather estimates the total damage and losses to be between 135 billion and 150 billion dollars.
Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump spread false information on his Truth Social network, claiming that California lacks sufficient water due to Democrats’ environmental policies redirecting rainwater to protect “unnecessary fish.”
Outgoing President Joe Biden stated that “many demagogues” are attempting to profit from misinformation surrounding the disaster.
The warm Santa Ana winds currently blowing are typical for California in the fall and winter, but this time they have reached a strength not seen since 2011, according to meteorologists.
As a nightmare for firefighters, California has emerged from two very rainy years that led to the growth of abundant vegetation, which has since dried out significantly due to eight months of drought.
Scientists regularly remind us that climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events.
