The multiple fires that have been raging in Los Angeles for five days spread on Saturday to areas that had until now been spared.
????The most extensive, the Palisades Firein the west of the second city in the United States, devours the upscale district of Pacific Palisades, known for its villas of multimillionaires and celebrities, located between Malibu and Santa Monica. It spread northwest of Los Angeles on Saturday and now threatens the densely populated San Fernand Valley but also the Getty Museum and its priceless works of art.
????The gusts are expected to strengthen again this weekend after a lull in the winds over the last three days. “These winds, combined with dry air and dry vegetation, will keep the fire threat in Los Angeles County high”warned Anthony Marrone, the county fire chief.
????To date, at least sixteen people have lost their lives. Among these deaths, eleven bodies were found in the area ravaged by the Eaton Fire near the town of Altadena, and five people died in the Palisades Fire, around the upscale neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, his services said. Rescuers assisted by sniffer dogs continue to inspect the rubble looking for bodies or human remains. The toll could rise further, according to the authorities.
????Since Tuesday, more than twelve thousand “structures” have been destroyed. A figure which includes buildings, but also cars, the authorities said on Saturday. More than 15,000 hectares went up in smokemainly in the Palisades Fire and in the Eaton Fire, the second fire to hit Altadena, a suburb in northeast Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. These two outbreaks are already the two most destructive in the history of Los Angeles County.
????The neighborhoods affected by the flames face a second danger: looting. A strict curfew, in force between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., was decreed Friday by the authorities in the areas of Pacific Palisades and Altadena, the most ravaged. The National Guard has been tasked to patrol these affected areas.
????With luxury homes destroyed, the fires could be the costliest on record. The private meteorological service AccuWeather estimates the damage at $135 billion to $150 billion, but it could be more.
????The investigation to determine the causes of these multiple fires, in which the FBI is participating, is still ongoing.recalled Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna on Saturday. “We will not neglect any avenuehe assured. If this is a criminal act – I’m not saying it is – we need to get our hands on the person(s) responsible. »
