Los Angeles, CA — The death toll from a series of devastating wildfires tearing through Los Angeles County this week climbed to 10, officials from the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office reported on Friday. Firefighters, grappling with challenging high winds, continue their battle on the fourth day against the fires that have decimated entire neighborhoods, leaving over 10,000 buildings and homes in ruins as residents scramble to safety.
The blazes, which began Tuesday amid severe wind warnings, have led to watching entire communities vanish overnight. One of the most recent to ignite, the Kenneth Fire in San Fernando Valley, erupted dangerously close to a school now serving as a temporary shelter. As of Friday morning, the fire was reported to be 35 percent contained, while the Palisades Fire near the coastline stood at only 8 percent containment. The Eaton Fire, particularly lethal as it raged north of Pasadena, had not been contained at all. Meanwhile, the Hurst Fire located south of Santa Clarita, was held at 37 percent containment.
A dire night on Thursday saw helicopters hastily dropping water over the Palisades Fire, as hurricane-force winds, recorded up to 99 miles per hour, caused the blaze to spread unpredictably. Complicating efforts, an aerial firefighting aircraft was incapacitated after a collision with a civilian-operated drone, as reported by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. In response to the escalating crisis, California National Guard troops have been deployed to assist with road closures and provide additional support in areas like Altadena, enhancing security measures as reports of looting begin to emerge.
The Palisades Fire is now noted as the most destructive fire in Los Angeles’s history, demolishing over 5,300 structures, including homes, businesses, and vehicles, as it made its relentless advance toward the coastline. Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire alone has consumed around 5,000 structures and charred approximately 14,000 acres.
On the economic front, extreme weather analytics service Accuweather has revised the estimated financial toll of the fires to between $135 billion and $150 billion, marking these events as some of the costliest natural disasters in the region’s history. To date, over 36,000 acres have been scorched—an area comparable to the size of Miami or two and a half times the size of Manhattan.
Adding to this catastrophic scenario, meteorological authorities confirmed on Friday that 2024 ranks as the hottest year recorded on Earth, surpassing critical long-term global warming thresholds.
As firefighters wage a relentless battle against the elements, aided by emergency crews and national troops, the complex interplay of fierce winds, arid conditions, and extreme heat continues to underscore the growing impact of climate change on the frequency and intensity of wildfires. The communities affected brace for more challenging days ahead as officials and rescue teams work tirelessly to mitigate the destruction and provide aid to those displaced by the fires. This ongoing situation remains critical, with forecasts predicting little reprieve from the dry, windy weather that has fueled these historic fires.