Evacuees will not be able to return home for at least a week, according to authorities.
Authorities in Los Angeles have asked people evacuated by wildfires in California not to return to their homes for at least a week while emergency services clear the disaster areas.
Return of conditions conducive to fires on Sunday
Firefighters, who have been battling the blazes for 10 days, expressed relief after weather conditions improved.
The National Weather Service, the American meteorological institute, however warned that this improvement would be short-lived, with a return of conditions favorable to fires being expected on Sunday.
Residents who were evacuated due to the fires are nevertheless frustrated and waiting to return home to assess the damage and salvage what they can. “It’s going to take a while.”according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.
The authorities considered that it was too dangerous to allow these people to return home and that it would be stressful for members of the emergency services.
Possible landslidesLos Angeles County officials said some people living in evacuation zones could return home in less than a week, but others may have to wait longer.
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Power lines and gas pipes damaged by the fires pose a danger, as do toxic materials and ashes as well as the numerous debris that litter the ruins.
“In the event of heavy rain, we expect the entire neighborhood and streets to be affected by water flows carrying debris,” says Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella.
Landslides could also occur, while the hills of Los Angeles are unstable, with buildings built there having been destroyed and the ground having been saturated by the water used by firefighters to fight the flames.
Insurance companies have asked victims not to start cleaning up until they can examine the damage.
The death toll from the fires stands at 27.
The fires destroyed or damaged more than 12,000 structures, leaving entire neighborhoods in ashes, and 82,400 Los Angeles residents were still affected by an evacuation order, with another 90,400 still at risk of having to evacuate.
