A lull in winds gives hope in the fight against fires in Los Angeles

A lull in winds gives hope in the fight against fires in Los Angeles – rts.ch

Ravaged by more than a week of fires, the Los Angeles region has benefited for two days from a certain calm in the winds which fan the flames. While the death toll has now reached 27, the fires have not yet been contained and the evacuated people cannot return home.

The two main outbreaks which devastated the upscale district of Pacific Palisades and the city of Altadena are still smoldering and remain worrying, but the winds have calmed, finally favoring the work of the firefighters.

Forecasters also predicted breezes bringing needed moisture in the coming days, before a return to dry weather next week. However, possible heavy rains represent a potential threat, as drainage networks have been damaged and water leaks could occur.

27 dead

According to a latest report published Thursday, at least 27 people died in the flames, but this number is likely to increase further in the days to come, as search teams continue to search the rubble.

The damage is also considerable: more than 12,000 homes and other buildings, as well as vehicles were destroyed or damaged and entire neighborhoods razed, for a total of 16,000 hectares gone up in smoke. The cost of this devastation is estimated at $275 billion.

>> Images of the fires in Los Angeles:

Three fires remain uncontrolled in Los Angeles / 12:45 p.m. / 2 min. / Monday at 12:45

Fear of flooding

And the tens of thousands of evacuated people will have to wait “at least one more week” before returning, the authorities have warned. The situation is too dangerous at the moment, as the electricity, gas and sewer networks have suffered considerable damage. Toxic waste is found everywhere.

And the risk of landslides or mudslides is growing. The hills of Los Angeles were indeed destabilized by the fires that swept through them and by the enormous volumes of water used by firefighters to fight them. Apparently intact buildings could also be affected by landslides.

Environmental Protection Agency crews began inspections to pick up pesticides, gasoline and lithium batteries from among the mountains of rubble, before the debris could begin to be cleared.