Aircraft have been deployed to drop water and fire retardant on the steep hills of Los Angeles in an attempt to halt the eastward spread of the Palisades wildfire. The situation has become increasingly dire due to warnings of wind gusts reaching up to 70 mph, which could exacerbate the situation.
The Palisades Fire has expanded over an additional 1,000 acres in the past 24 hours, leading to further destruction of homes, according to officials.
Six concurrent fires that have been ravaging Los Angeles County since Tuesday have resulted in the deaths of at least 16 people as of late Saturday, as reported by the Washington Post and other media outlets, citing the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office. Reuters was unable to immediately contact the coroner for confirmation.
These devastating blazes have damaged or destroyed a staggering 12,000 buildings, say fire officials. It is estimated that at least 13 people are currently missing.
The death toll is anticipated to rise once firefighters can conduct house-to-house searches.
The National Weather Service has issued a warning about worsening Santa Ana winds, expected to intensify from Saturday night into Sunday morning in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and again from late Monday through Tuesday morning. These winds could reach speeds of up to 30 mph, with gusts peaking at 70 mph.
“We’re in a continued period of critical fire weather through Wednesday,” warned NWS meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld. Conditions are expected to improve by Thursday.
Evacuation orders have been issued to 153,000 residents in the Los Angeles area, putting 57,000 structures at risk. An additional 166,000 residents have been warned that they may need to evacuate, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.
Take a look at the latest pictures below.
