The death toll from the fires ravaging Los Angeles has doubled to 10 as firefighters battled a new blaze investigated as a possible arson attack.
Fierce wildfires continue to rage. On Thursday, the fast-moving Kenneth Fire tore through the San Fernando Valley just two miles from a school serving as a shelter for fire evacuees and then moved to neighbouring Ventura County.
According to reports, this latest fire is under investigation as a possible case of arson. Members of the public detained a person in the West Valley area, near where the blaze was burning.
NBC has reported that the Los Angeles Police Department is questioning the person on suspicion of arson and any possible links to other fires in the area.
It comes as the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Department said the number of deaths caused by the blazes has risen to 10. The number of deaths is expected to rise as fire crews continue to search fire-ravaged areas.
More than 5,300 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the hilly coastal neighbourhood of Pacific Palisades, making it the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history.
Dozens of blocks were flattened to smouldering rubble, leaving behind just the bare outline of homes and chimneys.
Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges was among the most recent stars to confirm the family home his parents bought in Malibu years ago, which he owned, was destroyed in the Pacific Palisades fire.
TV personality Paris Hilton, US actor Billy Crystal, The Princess Bride star Cary Elwes, talk show host Ricki Lake, The Hills stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, and Oscar-winning songwriter Diane Warren also lost their homes in the fires.
US singer and actress Jessica Simpson was among those evacuating the Kenneth fire, writing on Instagram: “We stayed as long as we could.”
Oscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis and her family have pledged £812,000 ($1million) to start a “fund of support” for those affected by the wildfires. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are also understood to have donated supplies to people affected by the weather event.
Some 179,000 people have been evacuated from their homes as the fires burn for a fourth day. California Governor Gavin Newsom said the state has deployed more than 1,400 firefighting personnel to fight the flames. Firefighters have also joined the effort from Oregon, Washington, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona.
The Eaton Fire north of Pasadena has burned more than 5,000 structures, including homes, apartment blocks and commercial buildings.
The Hurst Fire, which broke out on Tuesday night, sparked evacuations in Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley. In the Hollywood Hills, the Sunset Fire broke out on Wednesday evening and burned near the iconic Hollywood Bowl. Firefighters managed to tame the flames, and evacuation orders were lifted on Thursday.
Altogether, the fires have consumed about 55 square miles, an area larger than the size of San Francisco.
A thick cloud of smoke and ash has filled the skies, prompting air and dust warnings for 17 million people across a vast swathe of Southern California, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
US President Joe Biden said at a White House briefing on Thursday that he was making federal resources available and approved extra funding to help California battle the fires. He described the blazes as the “worst fires to ever hit Los Angeles. Ever”.
Mr Biden said the new funding will cover all the costs for 180 days of hazardous materials removal, temporary shelters, first responders’ salaries and measures to protect life.
Meanwhile, officials vowed to prosecute looters who have taken advantage of the wildfire crisis by targeting vulnerable communities. There have been at least 20 arrests.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger warned looters: “This is simply unacceptable. I promise you, you will be held accountable.”
The NFL has moved the Los Angeles Rams playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings to Arizona because of the fires. The game will be played on Monday at the home of the Arizona Cardinals in suburban Glendale, Arizona. The NBA postponed the Lakers’ game against the Hornets.
The Universal Studios Hollywood theme park closed on Thursday, but Disneyland in Anaheim, which is further away from the fires, stayed open.
Universal Studios also cancelled shooting for a number of series, including Hacks, Ted Lasso and Suits LA. The organisers of the Oscars extended the voting window for Academy Award nominations and delayed next week’s planned nominations announcement.
