Los Angeles Wildfires Spiral Out of Control, Inflict Widespread Destruction

The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office in California announced that the death toll from the area’s wildfires has climbed to ten. Despite a slight decrease in wind intensity, flames continue to spread across Los Angeles, with the city’s vast wildfire outbreak still unchecked.

Entire sections of the United States’ second-largest city have been devastated, with over 10,000 buildings collapsing, according to the city’s fire department. Over the past five days, the wildfires have widened their reach, claiming at least eleven lives as of Saturday and extending into previously unaffected areas.

These fires have ravaged extensive parts of the country’s second-largest metropolitan region, destroying more than 12,000 buildings and scorching 15,000 hectares of land. Speaking at a White House briefing, President Joe Biden described the scene as resembling “a war zone, complete with bombings.”

Although thousands of firefighters are actively combating the flames, evacuation orders were issued for the eastern portion of Pacific Palisades—including the Getty Center area. On Friday, California Governor Gavin Newsom called for a “comprehensive, independent review” of the city’s water distribution systems. He labeled the water shortages and reduced pressure in firefighting hydrants—factors that allowed the fires to escalate in their early stages—“deeply concerning,” and wrote in an open letter, “We need answers to understand what happened.”

At least eleven people have now lost their lives, according to the latest figures from local authorities. One of the five ongoing fires has consumed more than 8,000 hectares along the Malibu coast and in the upscale Pacific Palisades area. Fire crews reported that they managed to contain about 8% of that blaze by Saturday morning.

Among those who lost their homes is actor Mel Gibson, who told Neonation he was profoundly shocked after his Malibu residence was destroyed. Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle—who severed ties with the British royal family in 2020 and moved to California—visited Pasadena to offer solace to affected residents.

Nicole Perry, whose Pacific Palisades home was burned, told the Agence France-Presse that local authorities have “completely abandoned” residents. Hundreds of thousands of homes in Los Angeles were evacuated, though some orders were apparently issued by mistake. Military reinforcements have been deployed, and dozens of individuals have been arrested.

Although it is too early to determine the exact causes of the fires, criticism over the readiness and response of the authorities is already emerging. Speaking to “KTTV,” a Fox News-affiliated station, Fire Department official Christine Crowley acknowledged “a persistent shortage of crews, resources, and funds.”

Authorities in California have urged residents to conserve water because three reservoirs that supply firefighting stations have been emptied.