Los Angeles wildfires: Strong winds weaken, providing respite to weary firefighters [Post Updated #51]

[KingKhanWC]

The fires are devastating and condolences to family members who have lost lives.

Many actors/celebs have seen their houses burnt to the ground.

I was watching one actor who broke down in tears.

Another resident called it a 'warzone'.

Losing a home is never nice, but these are rich famous people, who have other homes around the world.

Calling it a warzone is not correct, Gaza is a warzone.

-----------------------------------------

Los Angeles fires burn 10,000 structures as new blaze spreads​

Two wildfires in the Los Angeles area have killed at least 10 people and burned some 10,000 homes and structures, local officials have said, as a third blaze prompted the evacuation of thousands of more residents.

The latest blaze, the Kenneth fire, broke out in West Hills, a neighbourhood in the San Fernando Valley, on Thursday afternoon as fire crews were still battling to bring the Palisades and Eaton fires under control.

“We are expecting this fire to rapidly spread due to high winds,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said.

At least 10 deaths had been reported as of 9pm local time, up from seven earlier in the day, according to the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner.

The latest evacuation orders came as officials confirmed that the Palisades and Eaton fires had each destroyed more than 5,000 structures, which includes homes as well as other property such as cars and sheds.

The two fires have consumed more than 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares) of land between them, according to the state wildfire agency Cal Fire.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna earlier told a news conference that he expected the then-reported death toll of seven to rise.

“It looks like an atomic bomb dropped in these areas. I don’t expect good news, and we’re not looking forward to those numbers,” Luna said.

Nearly 180,000 people are under evacuation orders due to the fire, with another 200,000 residents subject to evacuation warnings, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

More than 285,000 residents are without electricity in Southern California, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide, while water and sewage infrastructure across the region have suffered extensive damage.

Dozens of blocks have been reduced to ash in the affluent communities of Malibu and Pacific Palisades since the start of the fires on Tuesday amid winds of more than 70mph (112km/h).

The National Weather Service has warned that winds are expected to pick up on Thursday evening after dropping earlier in the day.

Celebrities including James Woods, Paris Hilton and Billy Crystal are among those who have lost their homes in the fires.

“There are areas where everything is gone, there isn’t even a stick of wood left, it’s just dirt,” said Barbara Bruderlin, head of the Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce.

Reporting from the Pacific Palisades, Al Jazeera’s Rob Reynolds said the extent of the destruction was “hard to fathom”.

“The hillsides are burned. There’s a high school … that has been heavily damaged. You can see houses where there’s nothing left but the chimney remaining,” he said.

“It goes on – literally – for kilometre after kilometre, block after block after block.”

Authorities have not determined the cause of the fires but are investigating various possible sources of ignition.

While lightning is the most common cause of wildfires in the US, according to the National Fire Protection Association, there were no reports of lightning in the vicinity at the time the blazes began.

Other common causes include intentionally lit fires and power lines.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said the state’s National Guard was being deployed at the request of the LA County Sheriff’s Department to assist with rescue efforts and help keep order amid reports of looting.

“We’re throwing everything at our disposal – including our National Guard service members – to protect communities in the days to come,” Newsom said.

“And to those who would seek to take advantage of evacuated communities, let me be clear: looting will not be tolerated.”

US President Joe Biden, who is set to be replaced by President-elect Donald Trump in the White House on January 20, said the federal government would cover 100 percent of the cost of California’s recovery efforts for the next 180 days.

“I told the governor, local officials, spare no expense to do what they need to do and contain these fires,” Biden said after meeting with senior advisers at the White House.

Biden said he hoped that the incoming administration of Trump, who has heavily criticised Newsom and Bass over their handling of the disaster, would continue to provide the state the assistance it needs.

“I pray to God they will,” he said.

Biden urged Congress to provide aid to cover the damage once a full accounting of the devastation had been done.

“I hope they’re ready to step up because we can afford it,” Biden said, adding that he hoped lawmakers would “not make a political deal out of this.

“I’m leaving this office very shortly, but it’s not about the politics,” Biden said.

Los Angeles fires burn 10,000 structures as new blaze spreads

Third blaze breaks out in West Hills as authorities battle to bring existing fires under control.

www.aljazeera.com

 

[sweep_shot]

There is an actor who was asking to flatten out Gaza or something. His house has been destroyed by the fire and he started to cry.

I believe his name is James Woods.

 

[KingKhanWC]

There is an actor who was asking to flatten out Gaza or something. His house has been destroyed by the fire and he started to cry.

I believe his name is James Woods.

Yes, thats the chap. I did think, I've seen this guy before regarding Gaza smiling with joy.

I hope he realises how stupid he was, now he is in a situation which is not even similar to the war zone of Gaza.

I dont feel sorry for him.

 

[sweep_shot]

Yes, thats the chap. I did think, I've seen this guy before regarding Gaza smiling with joy.

I hope he realises how stupid he was, now he is in a situation which is not even similar to the war zone of Gaza.

I dont feel sorry for him.

I also do not feel sorry for him and likes of him.

But, as for innocent people, I feel sorry for them and I hope they will recover their losses.

 

[The_KING]

There is an actor who was asking to flatten out Gaza or something. His house has been destroyed by the fire and he started to cry.

I believe his name is James Woods.

Wrath of God

 

[KingKhanWC]

I also do not feel sorry for him and likes of him.

But, as for innocent people, I feel sorry for them and I hope they will recover their losses.

He wrote on twitter

"You reap what you sow. Go f*** yourself, you Hamas-loving s**m""

The 5 year olds in Gaza cant cry anymore, yet this lowlife is now crying like a little .....

Of course for innocent people seeing such horror must be very scary.

But why cant the US send in its brave army, who are happy to gave some others from 'dictators'?

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Shame about James Wood, I liked him in Once upon a time in America. But Americans are brought up on a culture of America first everyone else a distant second. Although you could argue it's actually Israel first these days, America falls in line with what they need.

Anyway, must be pretty awful living in such a wonderful part of the world but still in the back of your mind you know a natural disaster might not be far away. They had huge fires in Beverly Hills a couple of decades ago which wiped out celebrity homes if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Champ_Pal]

Woke leftie policies to save the breeding ground of a fish and defunding of fire department and refusing to store water in dams has led to this.

Governor Newsom has royally destroyed LA and California in general.

Get Woke, go broke!!

 

[KingKhanWC]

Woke leftie policies to save the breeding ground of a fish and defunding of fire department and refusing to store water in dams has led to this.

Governor Newsom has royally destroyed LA and California in general.

Get Woke, go broke!!

Why would they defund a fire department knowing these fires are a regular occurrence? Do you have any information/link to this?

 

[JaDed]

Why would they defund a fire department knowing these fires are a regular occurrence? Do you have any information/link to this?

A month before fires, L.A. fire chief warned budget cuts were hampering emergency response

The Los Angeles Fire Department's budget was cut by $17.6 million, about 2%, this fiscal year. The fire chief warned last month it would make it harder to respond to emergencies.

www.cbsnews.com

Its not that straightforward though.. there was a MOU.

 

[KingKhanWC]

A month before fires, L.A. fire chief warned budget cuts were hampering emergency response

The Los Angeles Fire Department's budget was cut by $17.6 million, about 2%, this fiscal year. The fire chief warned last month it would make it harder to respond to emergencies.

www.cbsnews.com

Its not that straightforward though.. there was a MOU.

Thanks.

This is negligence at best but should be taken as potential manslaughter or placing lives at risk.

USA is the richest country but is on the brink of an economic collapse due to national debt but why spend so much on foreign policy, Ukraine, Israel etc while your own are burning to death. Americans need to take back control of their country, Trump wont be any better.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

America is a crazy country. They can fund wars abroad but can't put our fires at home.

 

[RexRex]

There's definitely an arsonist involved here, likely someone who wants to make insurance companies bleed green.

 

[Champ_Pal]

There's definitely an arsonist involved here, likely someone who wants to make insurance companies bleed green.

It seems there are many homeless and drug addicts living in the hills in temporary encampments "Dharavi style". Many cook in the open and the dry shrub always poses a risk of spreading wildfires. This is what videos on social media is saying. No one knows who started it.

 

[sweep_shot]

America is a crazy country. They can fund wars abroad but can't put our fires at home.

Misplaced priorities.

 

[JaDed]

America is a crazy country. They can fund wars abroad but can't put our fires at home.

In all honesty that’s story of most countries, Canada is involved in wars abroad and has massive economic issues at home, same for UK.

Only good countries in these regards are NZ and Scandinavia.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

In all honesty that’s story of most countries, Canada is involved in wars abroad and has massive economic issues at home, same for UK.

Only good countries in these regards are NZ and Scandinavia.

That's true but the decline of USA is staggering. It is like a tin pot African country. Money for weapons while the country is burning

 

[Major]

Its really sad how alot of muslims have reacted to this....

 

[JaDed]

That's true but the decline of USA is staggering. It is like a tin pot African country. Money for weapons while the country is burning

California is rich in all honesty this is their budgetary issue, you will be surprised to see their spending.

On fire I’m in Texas area and there is a snow storm here.. it’s just a country with many natural disasters, cities in US have been destroyed historically by fire SF being one.

 

[Bewal Express]

Just saw the images and it looks like Gaza. Buildings can be rebuilt but people can't. I hope the residents stay safe, looks horrendous

 

[BouncerGuy]

Hundreds of California prison inmates fight wildfires - and stigma

Nearly 1,000 incarcerated men and women have joined the frontlines in a battle against record-breaking wildfires burning across southern California.

The number deployed - now 939 - are part of a long-running volunteer programme led by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).

Their numbers have steadily increased since Tuesday, the day the deadly fires began spreading uncontrollably through Los Angeles.

Over 10,000 structures have been destroyed and 37,000 acres burned, as thousands of emergency workers descend on the Los Angeles area to fight the flames.

At least 11 people have been killed in the wildfires, officials said.

The incarcerated firefighters have been drawn from among the 35 conservation fire camps run by the state, minimum-security facilities where inmates serve their time and receive training. Two of the camps are for incarcerated women.

The 900-plus incarcerated firefighters in use account for roughly half of the 1,870 prisoner-firefighters in the scheme.

In the field, they can be seen in prison-orange jumpsuits embedded alongside members of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

The incarcerated firefighters have been working "around the clock cutting fire lines and removing fuel from behind structures to slow fire spread", CDCR told the BBC in an emailed statement.

The programme, which dates back to 1946, has divided critics, who see it as exploitative, and supporters, who say it is rehabilitative.

The state pays inmates a daily wage between $5.80 and $10.24 (£4.75 and £8.38), and an additional $1 per day when assigned to active emergencies.

Those wages are a fraction of the salaries received by citizen firefighters in California, who can earn upwards of $100,000 annually.

"You're getting pennies compared to the other folks that's alongside of you. You're just cheap labour," Royal Ramey, a former incarcerated firefighter and co-founder of the non-profit Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP), told the BBC.

"And if you do pass away while fighting fires, you don't get any benefits from that," he continued.

"You're not gonna get no award. You're not gonna be recognised as a wildland firefighter," he said, adding that he would remember in the field that he had already signed his own death certificate.

Still, Mr Ramey said the low pay is more than a California prisoner would otherwise earn performing jobs in the state penitentiaries.

The conservation camps and their "park, picnic-type feel" also offer additional perks like better food, he said, compared to California's notoriously dangerous and overcrowded prisons.

"It's a better living situation, definitely," he said.

Camp participants can also earn time credits that help reduce their prison sentences, CDRC said.

Inmates convicted of crimes categorised as "serious" or "violent" felonies are not eligible to participate.

After incarcerated firefighters are released from prison - having been trained by the state - many try to get hired as citizen firefighters, but are denied, Mr Ramey said.

"There's a stigma to it. When people think of firefighters they think of some clean-cut guy, a hero, not someone who's been locked up," he said.

He launched his nonprofit to help formerly incarcerated firefighters overcome the barriers and help fill the firefighter shortage California has faced for years.

There are currently five wildfires burning through billions of dollars worth of structures in the Los Angeles area, predicted to be one of the most expensive in history.

Strained for resources, the state has called on over 7,500 emergency personnel and first responders, including the state and National Guard and firefighters from as far away as Canada.

The fires have still been difficult to contain and continue to spread, with 35,000 acres from the two largest fires, Palisades and Eaton, already burned.

BBC

 

[psyoptica]

America is a crazy country. They can fund wars abroad but can't put our fires at home.

Wildfires are no joke. No city in the world has the funds and resources to contain wildfire quickly enough before it becomes a force of destruction. We Canadians deal with them year after year and have a lot experience fighting them still cannot stop them from causing havoc in our communities. Managing such fires in rural areas is challenging enough let alone in or near a major metropolis where the stakes are even higher and evacuation efforts become a logistical nightmare.

 

[BouncerGuy]

California fires: 11 killed and 10,000 structures destroyed as blazes continue

Weather forecasters in Los Angeles were expecting fast, dry winds to return towards the end of the weekend, threatening to fuel wildfires that have already destroyed 10,000 structures and killed 11 people.

Urgent “red flag” alerts – meaning critical fire weather conditions – announced by the US National Weather Service (NWS) said moderate to strong wind and low humidity would continue on Friday morning, as five fires raged across the metropolis.

Barbara Bruderlin, head of the Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce, described the impact of the fires as “total devastation and loss”.

“There are areas where everything is gone. There isn’t even a stick of wood left. It’s just dirt,” Bruderlin said.

Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass has come under intense criticism for her absence from the city during the first 24 hours of the crisis, when she was in Ghana, as part of an official White House delegation for the inauguration of that country’s president. She was assailed by political rivals on the right, including Rick Caruso, who ran against Bass in the 2022 mayoral election, but also faced criticism from left, which accused the mayor of cutting the budget for firefighting to pay for increased policing.

“The consistent defunding of other city programs in order to give the LAPD billions a year has consequences,” Ricci Sergienko, a lawyer and organizer with People’s City Council LA, told the Intercept. “The city is unprepared to handle this fire, and Los Angeles shouldn’t be in that position.”

In an interview with Fox LA, Los Angeles fire chief Kristin Crowley said that a cut of $17m in funding for her department, and problems with the water supply to hydrants in the Palisades, had undercut firefighters’ abilities to respond to the fires.

“My message is the fire department needs to be properly funded,” Crowley said. “It’s not.” Fox LA reporter Gigi Graciette then asked Crowley three times: “Did the city of Los Angeles fail you?” After the third time, Crowley responded simply: “Yes.”

One public official who has chosen not to criticize Bass during the crisis is Los Angeles city controller Kenneth Mejia, whose office drew attention to cuts to the firefighting budget in October in a widely circulated chart showing a massive increase in spending on the police department and cuts to other public services including the fire department.

As his work was being cited by critics of the mayor, Mejia, an activist accountant, wrote in a social media post: “As the City’s Accountant, we enact the budget, account for your taxes, & know the details of the City’s finances. We will gladly break down any questions about how all this works. BUT for now, we must focus on ensuring we can get through these catastrophic fires.”

Officials estimate the Palisades fire wiped away at least 5,000 structures, including many homes in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, where mansions lining the yellow beaches were hollowed out and homes in the neighborhoods’ canyons reduced to dust.

Further east near Altadena, the streets, too, were littered with fallen branches while entire blocks of homes are simply gone. In some areas, the destruction appeared almost random, one resident said, with one house leveled while a neighboring still stood.

The dead include four men who were unable to leave or had stayed behind to defend their homes in Altadena, a community near Pasadena that is home to working- and middle-class families, including many Black residents living there for generations. Two of them were Anthony Mitchell, a 67-year-old amputee, and his son, Justin, who had cerebral palsy. They were waiting for an ambulance to come when the flames roared through, Mitchell’s daughter, Hajime White, told the Washington Post.

“He was not going to leave his son behind. No matter what,” White said. White – who lives in Warren, Arkansas, and is Justin’s step-sister – said her father called her on Wednesday morning and said they had to evacuate from approaching flames. “Then he said: ‘I’ve got to go – the fire’s in the yard,’” she said.

In another incident, Shari Shaw told the local media outlet KTLA that she tried to get her 66-year-old brother, Victor Shaw, to evacuate but he wanted to stay and fight the fire. His body was found with a garden hose in his hand.

Rodney Nickerson died in his bed in his Altadena home. The 82-year-old had lived through numerous fires and felt that he would be OK waiting it out at home, his daughter, Kimiko Nickerson, told KTLA.

Briana Navarro, who lived in Altadena with her grandmother, Erliene Kelley, told NBC News that Kelley had died there after deciding not to evacuate the home she had lived in for more than 40 years with the rest of the family. “We made the choice to evacuate on Tuesday night, however my grandmother decided she wanted to stay”, Navarro wrote in a GoFundMe post. “After we left, I asked my dad to go to the house to check on her … and again, she said she was going to stay at home. She said ‘It’s in God’s hands.’”

CNN reported that Annette Rossilli, who was 85, died in the Palisades fire after refusing to leave her home and pets, according to Luxe Homecare, a company that provided in-home care to her three times a week.

Officials have said they expect the death toll to rise.

Winds were likely to diminish on Friday afternoon, the NWS said, but warned that an “extended period of elevated to potentially critical fire weather conditions are in the forecast for Sunday through Wednesday”.

While the cause of the fires has yet to be determined, the New York Times reported that power lines near the Eaton and Palisades fires had not been turned off before those blazes started, “which energy experts said was concerning because electrical equipment has often ignited infernos during periods of high wind in California and elsewhere”.

Officials said on Friday afternoon that they had some success in battling the Kenneth fire, which ignited on Thursday and grew to 1,000 acres. About 400 firefighters remained at the location overnight to guard against the fire spreading, and it was about 50% contained by Friday.

Firefighting efforts in such tough conditions, with effectively no rain for months and none forecast in the days ahead, have stretched crews and left the country’s second-largest city reeling.

The largest of the fires burning in the LA area, the Palisades fire, obliterated neighbourhoods in the scenic hilltops. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection website, that blaze has burned over 21,300 acres and been only 8% “contained”.

Containment, according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association, refers to a “control line” around a portion of the fire that flames should not be able to cross. So if a wildfire is described as 25% contained, then firefighters have created control lines – usually wide trenches – around 25% of the fire’s perimeter. Once a fire is 100% contained, firefighters can begin extinguishing it.

To the east, the Eaton fire near Pasadena has burned more than 5,000 structures – a term that includes homes, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings and vehicles – across nearly 14,000 acres, and is just 3% contained.

The Hurst fire in the hills above Sylmar, which threatened the San Fernando Valley, was about 37% contained on Friday morning and firefighters reported that they had “successfully contained the fire north of the I-210 Foothill Freeway, establishing control lines”.

The Los Angeles fire department lifted an evacuation order in Granada Hills, north-west of downtown Los Angeles, on Friday afternoon, after “firefighters combined with the aggressive attack by LAFD air ops” swiftly brought the Archer fire, which broke out on Friday morning, under control before any structures were damaged.

Human-caused climate breakdown is supercharging extreme weather across the world, including wildfires. In California, the fire season now begins earlier and ends later.

More than 150,000 people remained under evacuation orders, and the fires have consumed about 57 sq miles, an area larger than the city of San Francisco.

At least 20 arrests have been made for looting. Officials have imposed a mandatory curfew in evacuation zones as well as in the city of Santa Monica, which is next to Pacific Palisades.

SOURCE: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/10/fast-dry-winds-california-wildfires

 

[Champ_Pal]

From what I hear from podcasters, it looks like the losses are around $375billion. Have to wait for more credible sources.
I will not be surprised since many of houses in Malibu area run on average over 30 million dollar.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

The apartheid regime's hypocrisy has no bounds​

====

"You Burn...": Israel's Post On Los Angeles Wildfires Draws Backlash Amid Gaza War​

Atleast ten people have died in the wildfires ravaging Southern California since Wednesday, with thousands more impacted by the devastating flames. In a show of "solidarity", the Israeli embassy in Washington voiced support for the residents, but their message has been met with significant backlash online.

"Our hearts are with the residents of Southern California as wildfires continue to impact communities," the Israeli embassy wrote on X. "Israel stands in solidarity with those affected, and we send strength to the brave firefighters and first responders working tirelessly to protect lives and homes."

Now, social media users are questioning Israel's empathy given its ongoing war on Gaza that has lasted over 15 months.

Israel has received approximately $26 billion in military aid from the Biden government. The funds have been used to target Gaza since the October 7 Hamas attack in southern Israel. The ongoing war has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, the majority being women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

One user wrote, "You burn hospitals and refugees on a live stream."

"You Burn...": Israel's Post On Los Angeles Wildfires Draws Backlash Amid Gaza War

In a show of solidarity, the Israeli embassy in Washington voiced support for the residents, but their message has been met with significant backlash online.

www.ndtv.com

 

[Bewal Express]

Fires are natural to these areas. In the past it was just a resetting to default and a source of regeneration but with large human populations, this isn't possible in natural sort of way. The terrible tragedy for locals will take years to rebuild, thankfully the loss of life is small compared to what it would be in a poor country

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Los Devilish or Angeles.

Sad though

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Hypocrisy of the western media: Crying on one while defending the other

====

 

[BouncerGuy]

LA firefighters battle to contain monster inferno as death toll rises

Firefighters are making an all-out assault to prevent the largest of the deadly wildfires that is threatening Los Angeles from spreading into one of the city's most exclusive neighbourhoods.

Aerial crews have been bombarding the flaming hills with water and fire retardant to hold back the Palisades fire, which has expanded an additional 1,000 acres and is now menacing Brentwood.

Officials have been on the defensive amid mounting anger at how hydrants ran dry as firefighters struggled to contain the fast-moving blazes.

Winds are expected to pick up again overnight, further fanning the flames that have left at least 16 people dead.

On Saturday evening, the LA County coroner's office announced that 11 of the deaths were attributed to the Eaton fire and five to the Palisades fire.

But the National Weather Service warned that the gusty Santa Ana winds that whipped up the fires at the outset would increase again on Saturday and into Sunday.

Seven neighbouring states, the federal government and Canada and Mexico have rushed resources to California.

"LA County had another night of unimaginable terror and heartbreak," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath earlier on Saturday.

Firefighters have made modest progress against the worst of the infernos, the Palisades fire, which has scorched nearly 23,000 acres and is 11% contained.

But the conflagration has spread into the Mandeville Canyon neighbourhood, sparking evacuation orders for swathes of Brentwood, a ritzy enclave where Arnold Schwarzenegger, Disney chief executive Bob Iger and NBA star LeBron James have homes.

Also in the evacuation zone is the Getty Center, a hilltop museum that holds more than 125,000 artworks, including masterpieces by Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Rubens, Monet and Degas. The building is undamaged so far.

Posting on X, it said the site "remains stable, aside from a hot spots" but that it was "we are acutely aware of our Getty neighbours and hope for their safety".

The second-biggest blaze, the Eaton fire, has razed more than 14,000 acres and was 15% contained. Firefighters have mostly contained two smaller blazes, the Kenneth and Hurst fires.

No cause has yet been established for the fires. The two biggest ones combined have razed an area more than twice the size of Manhattan.

Some 153,000 residents are under mandatory evacuation orders and another 166,000 have been warned they may have to flee, too.

The political repercussions have begun.

On Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat with rumoured White House aspirations, ordered an investigation into why a key reservoir was out of service and some fire hydrants ran dry.

Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley complained about the shortage.

"When a firefighter comes up to a hydrant, we expect there's going to be water," she said.

Chief Crowley has also attacked city leadership for cutting her department's budget and eliminating mechanic positions, which she said had resulted in more than 100 fire apparatuses being out of service.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has said all of the fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades and LA's Westside communities were "fully operational" prior to the devastating wildfires, CNN is reporting.

On Saturday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass - who has been criticised for being in Ghana attending the inauguration of the African country's president when the fires erupted in LA on Tuesday, hinted at her tensions with Chief Crowley.

"Let me be clear about something," Bass told a news conference, "the fire chief and I are focused on fighting these fires and saving lives, and any differences that we might have will be worked out in private."

More than 70,000 people have signed a change.org petition demanding the mayor's immediate resignation.

As fears of looting grow, a sunset-to-sunrise curfew is being strictly enforced in evacuated areas, official said.

Newsom announced on Saturday that he would double the number of National Guard on the ground to "keep communities safe", deploying 1,680 troops.

About two dozen arrests have been made, including for burglary, looting and curfew violations.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said cadaver dogs are helping 40 search and rescue team scour razed neighbourhoods.

The death toll is expected to rise once house-to-house searches are conducted.

The fires were so intense that wheel alloys on cars were melted to puddles of liquid metal.

Rick McGeagh, an estate agent, told Reuters news agency that in his Pacific Palisades neighbourhood only six out of 60 homes survived.

All that remained standing at his house was a statue of the Virgin Mary.

"Everything else is ash and rubble," said the 61-year-old father-of-three.

BBC

 

[Hitman]

The apartheid regime's hypocrisy has no bounds​

====

"You Burn...": Israel's Post On Los Angeles Wildfires Draws Backlash Amid Gaza War​

Atleast ten people have died in the wildfires ravaging Southern California since Wednesday, with thousands more impacted by the devastating flames. In a show of "solidarity", the Israeli embassy in Washington voiced support for the residents, but their message has been met with significant backlash online.

"Our hearts are with the residents of Southern California as wildfires continue to impact communities," the Israeli embassy wrote on X. "Israel stands in solidarity with those affected, and we send strength to the brave firefighters and first responders working tirelessly to protect lives and homes."

Now, social media users are questioning Israel's empathy given its ongoing war on Gaza that has lasted over 15 months.

Israel has received approximately $26 billion in military aid from the Biden government. The funds have been used to target Gaza since the October 7 Hamas attack in southern Israel. The ongoing war has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, the majority being women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

One user wrote, "You burn hospitals and refugees on a live stream."

"You Burn...": Israel's Post On Los Angeles Wildfires Draws Backlash Amid Gaza War

In a show of solidarity, the Israeli embassy in Washington voiced support for the residents, but their message has been met with significant backlash online.

www.ndtv.com

The fire happened due to natural reasons. People didn't deserve it, nor it was not their own doing. How did the war on Gaza start?

 

[aboveandbeyond]

The fire happened due to natural reasons. People didn't deserve it, nor it was not their own doing. How did the war on Gaza start?

Natural reasons yes. But there was people in these locations who had no sympathy of mass slaughter of innocent Palestinians even when it clear IDF infact was targeting civilian Population .

You think people who back the demise of children, women deserve sympathy.
Definitely not from me.

Always thought History was maybe your weak point in discussions. Maybe it's through ignorance who knows.

seventy six years of brutal occupation and mass murders is a hint or clue .

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Hypocrisy of the western media: Crying on one while defending the other

====
View attachment 149594

Los Angeles is basically Tel Aviv....

 

[SpiritOf1903]

The fire happened due to natural reasons. People didn't deserve it, nor it was not their own doing. How did the war on Gaza start?

As an ongoing assault during an 80 year occupation

 

[Hitman]

Natural reasons yes. But there was people in these locations who had no sympathy of mass slaughter of innocent Palestinians even when it clear IDF infact was targeting civilian Population .

You think people who back the demise of children, women deserve sympathy.
Definitely not from me.

Always thought History was maybe your weak point in discussions. Maybe it's through ignorance who knows.

seventy six years of brutal occupation and mass murders is a hint or clue .

As an ongoing assault during an 80 year occupation

Yea, poor Hamas 'freedom fighters' who merely kill innocent Israelis for fun, and then cry hoarse when retaliation comes back to strike them.

A quote from the Bible, 'As you sow, so shall you reap'.​

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Indians still cry about Jalianwala 100 years ago!

Yea, poor Hamas 'freedom fighters' who merely kill innocent Israelis for fun, and then cry hoarse when retaliation comes back to strike them.

A quote from the Bible, 'As you sow, so shall you reap​

 

[Hitman]

Indians still cry about Jalianwala 100 years ago!

Yea, that's because it happened without any fault from our side. It's not that Indians killed more than 1000 British officials before it happened.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Stay on topic instead of bringing Pakistan and india in this thread

 

[BouncerGuy]

Talk about the wildfire here

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Rest assured, none of us would walk to the IMF with a begging bowl in our hands asking for alms.

Yea, that's because it happened without any fault from our side. It's not that Indians killed more than 1000 British officials before it happened.

See: Rowlatt Act

 

[FearlessRoar]

'Nothing left' of Mel Gibson's house as he urges California governor to 'spend less on hair gel'

Mel Gibson says there is "nothing left" of his Hollywood home following the LA wildfires and "someone should answer" for the devastation.

The Braveheart star was with podcaster Joe Rogan when the flames engulfed his Malibu mansion and said he was a "little tense" while recording their discussion.

But he knew his family were "out of harm's way" and a few "necessary things" such as passports had been saved.

But the loss of his home and others is "tragic" and it "makes you really sad", he added.

While describing lost items as "only things", he said they included "works of art, photographs, [and] rare books", some of them dating back to 1600.

Regarding the conduct of the authorities, he told Fox News: "Apparently, some people were asleep on the job, mainly our leaders.

"That's something they have to live with. Kids are traumatised. Someone should answer for it."

Asked if he had a message for California governor Gavin Newsom, or Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, he commented: "Spend less on hair gel."

Sky News

 

[aboveandbeyond]

Yea, poor Hamas 'freedom fighters' who merely kill innocent Israelis for fun, and then cry hoarse when retaliation comes back to strike them.

A quote from the Bible, 'As you sow, so shall you reap'.​

Once again BS. IDF are not confronting hamas rather killing kids and women and health workers in Refugee Camps.

Yet we had residents whose properties are now history fully backing mass slaughter.

What goes round, comes round.

 

[Hitman]

Once again BS. IDF are not confronting hamas rather killing kids and women and health workers in Refugee Camps.

Yet we had residents whose properties are now history fully backing mass slaughter.

What goes round, comes round.

And Hamas targeted IDF on 7th October, right?

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Los Angeles wildfires claim 14 lives as containment efforts struggle

Firefighters made slow progress in their battle to contain the inferno that has burned wide areas of Los Angeles' Pacific Palisades neighborhood to the ground, but spreading flames and strong winds still threatened communities and officials warned on Sunday that a death toll of 14 people was likely to rise.

Aircraft dropped water and fire retardant on steep hills to stem the eastward spread of the Palisades Fire and KTLA television reported that ground crews had managed to save a number of houses, although others were lost.

"LA County had another night of unimaginable terror and heartbreak," Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said.
Six simultaneous blazes have ripped across the second-largest U.S. city since Tuesday, killing at least 14 people as of Sunday morning. At least 16 others were believed missing.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said he expected the death toll to rise. "I've got search and rescue teams out. We've got cadaver dogs out and there's likely to be a lot more," he told NBC's "Meet the Press" program.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/san-fernando-valley-under-threat-los-angeles-fire-rages-2025-01-12/

 

[FearlessRoar]

LA fires death toll rises to 24 as high winds expected​

Weather forecasters in California are warning fierce winds which fuelled the infernos around Los Angeles are expected to pick up again this week, as fire crews on the ground race to make progress controlling three wildfires.

Officials warned that after a weekend of relatively calm winds, the notoriously dry Santa Ana winds would pick up again from Sunday night until Wednesday, reaching speeds of up to 60mph (96km/h).

Ahead of the wind's uptick, some progress has been made in stopping the spread of the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires, which are burning on opposite ends of the city. Local firefighters are being assisted by crews from eight other states, as well as Canada and Mexico, who continue to arrive.

The LA County medical examiner updated the death toll on Sunday to 24, while officials said earlier at least another 16 remain missing.

Sixteen of the dead were found in the Eaton fire zone, while eight were found in the Palisades area.

Three conflagrations continue to burn around Los Angeles.

The largest fire is the Palisades, which has now burnt through more than 23,000 acres and is 13% contained.

The Eaton fire is the second biggest and has burnt through more than 14,000 acres. It is 27% contained.

The Hurst fire has grown to 799 acres and has been almost fully contained.

The wildfires are on track to be among the costliest in US history.

On Sunday, private forecaster Accuweather increased its preliminary estimate of financial losses from the blazes to between $250bn-$275bn.

While crews have managed to start containing the largest fires, authorities have warned the incoming wind event could lead to "potential disastrous wind conditions", with the whole of LA County put under fire threat.

"Unfortunately, we're going right back into red flag conditions with some potential disastrous wind conditions between now and Wednesday, with the peak winds expected to be on Tuesday," Pasadena fire chief Chad Augustin told the BBC.

"While we're making some progress, the end is not even close yet," he said.

The National Weather Service has issued a rare 'particularly dangerous situation' alert for Tuesday, warning of "extreme fire behaviour" - running from 04:00 local time, until midday on Wednesday.

Kristin Crowley, the fire chief for the city of LA, called for residents near evacuation zones to be prepared to flee if an order is issued, and to stay off the roads as much as possible in order to not hinder crews.

Despite the dire forecast, all schools except those in mandatory evacuation zones would reopen on Monday, the LA Unified School District announced.

Topanga Canyon resident Alice Husum, 67, told the BBC a new fire that began in the area overnight was quickly contained, but that she and her neighbours are all "dreading Tuesday" when the wind speeds are likely to peak.

But Ms Husum, who has stayed behind despite evacuation orders, notes that the forecast "is a little better than the 100 mile-gusts that were hammering us" earlier in the week.

New fires continued to flare up on Sunday, threatening communities in the San Fernando Valley and near Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

On Sunday, firefighters were able to quickly stop the spread of new fires in the Angeles National Forest, which surround the facility that is at the heart of the US space programme and contains top secret technology.

At least 29 people have been arrested for looting in mandatory evacuation zones. Two people were caught posing as firefighters in order to steal from evacuees.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said in a news conference Sunday he had requested more National Guard troops to bolster the 400 already in the area. California Governor Gavin Newsom has since announced that 1,000 additional members of the National Guard would be deployed.

"When I was out there in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman that looked like a firefighter. And I asked him if he was okay because he was sitting down. I didn't realise we had him in handcuffs," Sheriff Luna told reporters.

"We are turning him over to LAPD because he was dressed like a fireman, and he was not. He just got caught burglarising a home. So those are issues that our front-line deputies and police officers are dealing with."

There are now 14,000 firefighters in the southern California region, being assisted by 84 aircrafts and 1,354 fire engines, said Sheriff Luna.

Evacuation numbers have dropped, with around 105,000 residents still under mandatory evacuation orders and 87,000 under evacuation warnings.

Deanne Criswell, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), told CNN on Sunday that a significant threat remained.

"I know that so many people probably want to get back into the area and check on their homes, but with winds picking back up, you never know which way they're going to go," she said.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said that limited access had been allowed to evacuated residents over the weekend, but that his officers are once again barring all residents from returning.

Officials have issued repeated orders for drone operators to not fly near fire zones, and are now seeking information after a drone crashed into a vital plane.

The FBI has shared photos of the small drone which on Thursday collided with a plane known as a "Super Scooper", one of the world's most affective firefighting aircrafts, briefly grounding it.

The drone ripped a 3-by-6-inch (8-by-15cm) hole in the plane.

Officials have also warned of scammers seeking to take advantage of victims, and issued a stern warning that anyone caught price gouging will be prosecuted.

Meanwhile the spat between California Governor Newsom and President-elect Donald Trump continues.

Trump, who takes office on 20 January and has been invited by the governor to come tour the fire damage, on Saturday blamed "incompetent" politicians for "one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our country".

Newsom, who is a Democrat, has in turn attacked Trump for sharing "inexcusable" misinformation about the fires.

LA fires death toll rises to 24 as high winds expected

The dry Santa Ana winds are expected to pick up overnight and continue to cause problems until Wednesday.

www.bbc.com

 

[BouncerGuy]

LA braces for stronger winds as fires continue to burn

Los Angeles residents are bracing for further destruction as weather forecasts indicate that winds helping fuel the flames might pick up again.

Three fires continue to blaze. The largest, the Palisades Fire, has burned more than 23,000 acres and remained at 14% contained as of Monday evening.

LA Mayor Karen Bass said "urgent preparations" are being made in advance of near hurricane-force winds predicted to peak on Tuesday.

At least 24 people have died in the fires and 23 others are missing in the Eaton and Palisades fire zones.

On Monday, authorities also announced nine people were arrested for looting and one for arson.

At a news conference, LA District Attorney Nathan Hochman showed videos of some looting and outlined maximum sentences if the accused are convicted.

In some of the cases the suspects could face life in prison under California's "three strikes" law – under which repeat offenders can be sentenced to 25 years to life after a third conviction.

The one arson suspect was arrested in the nearby city of Azusa, around 20 miles (32km) east of downtown Los Angeles.

The arson is not linked to any of the major fires but was allegedly started in a local park.

Law enforcement also warned against price gouging, internet scams, and flying drones, which can interfere with firefighting aircraft.

They said a number of ongoing investigations means more charges could be filed.

Blake Chow, the assistant chief of the Los Angeles Police Department's office of special operations, issued a stern warning to looters: "You're not going to get away with it."

Also on Monday, two lawsuits were filed against power company Southern California Edison (SCE) by property owners who lost homes in the Eaton fire.

They alleged the company failed to de-energise its electrical equipment despite warnings of high winds.

A company spokesperson said that SCE had not yet been served with the complaint but that would review it once received.

"The cause of the fire continues to be under investigation," the spokesperson said.

A separate lawsuit was filed against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) by residents of the Pacific Palisades, accusing the utility company of failing to supply enough water to fight the fire there.

The complaint, filed by law firm Robertson & Associates in Los Angeles Superior Court, claims a reservoir that had been drained should have been maintained.

"The Palisades Fire has been a traumatic event for its victims, who through no fault of their own, went from homeowners to homeless in a matter of hours," the complaint said, according to Reuters news agency.

The BBC has asked LADWP for comment.

In a statement on its website last week, LADWP said: "The water system serving the Pacific Palisades area and all of Los Angeles meets all federal and state fire codes for urban development and housing."

It said it was launching its own investigation into water resiliency.

The Eaton Fire, the second-largest of the series of blazes that broke out across the city last week, has burned more than 14,000 acres, and is 33% contained, authorities said.

There had been "very little fire growth" of the Palisades blaze on Monday, said Jim Hudson, deputy chief of CalFire.

The BBC Weather Centre says Santa Ana winds - blowing in from the east or north-east - could reach gusts up to 70mph (112km/h) on Tuesday, potentially stoking further fires.

Weather officials say lighter winds are forecast to develop after Wednesday, bringing an opportunity for firefighters to further contain the blazes.

A curfew remains in place in evacuation areas between 18:00 and 06:00 local time.

Adam Schiff, the newly elected Democratic senator for California, told the BBC that he hoped that the incoming Trump administration would move quickly to provide disaster relief.

When asked whether wildfires had become increasingly politicised, Schiff said: "There has been people doing that since the moment the fires started."

"It's not helpful right now, let's just focus on putting these fires out, getting people the help that they need."

President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly planning to visit the area in the coming days.

Federal lawmakers are set to meet on Tuesday morning to discuss disaster aid for the state.

President Joe Biden said he has directed hundreds of federal personnel, aerial and ground support to California, and his team will "respond promptly" to any request for more help.

"Our hearts ache for the 24 innocent souls we have lost," he said.

Meanwhile, as city fire crews continue to try to contain the blazes, local residents joined in relief efforts.

Actor and comedian Will Arnett told the BBC that he has friends who lost their homes.

"I think that everybody should help in ways they can," said Arnett, who was helping to distribute water to those affected by the fires.

"It is nice seeing people coming together and volunteering the way that they are."

Fardad Khayami, a 24-year-old restaurant owner in Pacific Palisades, was delivering hundreds of meals to people affected by the fires.

He told BBC Newsday: "If you look, outside, it seems to offer a normal city where we are. But if you drive five minutes to the west, it seems like a different world."

He hoped to provide locals with 500 meals a day "for as long as they need them".

Altadena resident Michael Storc, who lost his family home, said "rents have gone up a lot."

"I grew up a poor kid who was renting, so going back to renting is a bit gutting," he said.

His family wonders if they will ever be able to rebuild on the land where their home once stood, he said.

"We don't know if it will ever be safe," he told the BBC.

While many expensive mansions were lost in the fires, Pete Brown, a spokesman for a local council member in Pacific Palisades, said many owners bought the homes some 50 years ago, some for prices around $25,000 (£20,500).

He said those elderly homeowners are now left with nothing.

"Their wealth was in that home," said Mr Brown.

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

LA fires: Santa Ana hurricane-force winds could intensify wildfires

Firefighters on Tuesday held the line against two massive wildfires that have ravaged parts of Los Angeles for the past week, even as desert winds and a parched landscape presented extremely hazardous conditions.

Some 8,500 firefighters from at least seven states and two foreign countries prevented the blazes from growing for the second day running. Still, the fires have consumed an area the size of Washington, D.C.

A fleet of aircraft dropped water and retardant into the rugged hills while ground crews with hand tools and hoses have worked around the clock since the fires broke out on Jan. 7, with the aircraft occasionally grounded by high winds.

The Palisades Fire on the west edge of town held steady at 23,713 acres (96 square km) burned, and

The Eaton Fire in the foothills east of the city stood at 14,117 acres (57 sq km) with containment at 35%.

Southern California has lacked any appreciable rain since April, turning brush into tinder as Santa Ana winds originating from the deserts whipped over hilltops and rushed through canyons, sending embers flying up to 2 miles (3 km) ahead of the fires.

Winds were weaker than expected during the day on Tuesday but forecast to peak around 3 a.m. (1100 GMT) on Wednesday, with gusts in the mountains possibly reaching 70 mph (112 kph), the the National Weather Service said, as it kept a red flag warning in place.

The death toll from the fires rose by one on Tuesday to 25, according to the Las Angeles medical examiner's office. The estimate of structures damaged or destroyed held steady at over 12,000, still portending a Herculean rebuilding effort ahead.

Entire neighborhoods have been leveled, leaving smoldering ash and rubble. In many homes, only a chimney is left standing.

In hard-hit Pacific Palisades, Karina Maher and her husband Michael Kovac experienced some "survivor guilt" that their home made it through the fire while many of their neighbors' properties were lost.

“Designing the house so close to nature and knowing the history of Southern California, we were acutely aware that, at some point in the house's life, there would be a serious fire," said Kovac, an architect who designed the building. "So we designed the house to be both fire resilient and sustainable. And happily, those two systems are often one in the same."

A few thousand more people were allowed back home but 88,000 remained under evacuation orders with another 84,000 under evacuation warning - large-scale displacements unprecedented in the metropolitan area's history.

"It's one thing to see it on television. It's another thing to see it from the air. The massive, massive destruction is unimaginable until you actually see it," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass told a press conference after taking an aerial tour.

John Adolph, 48, who lost his home in Altadena to the Eaton Fire, was grateful to be safe but uncertain of what lies ahead. Adolph said he went back to see what he could salvage as the fire raged.

"There were burning grocery stores, gas stations, exploding cars that went pop with glass flying ... Walls of flames two stories tall, tornadoes of flame. I was stupid with a side of crazy to try," Adolph said.

Urban search and rescue teams worked from an Altadena grocery store parking lot, tracking progress on whiteboards and handing out assignments from inside a trailer.

A team of 50 firefighters and sheriff's deputies conducted house-by-house searches, looking for any lingering fires and hazards such as lithium-ion batteries connected to solar panels.

PRICELESS ART DEEMED SAFE

The Palisades Fire also approached the priceless art collection at the J. Paul Getty Museum, which houses paintings by Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Monet and Degas.

But the collection remained safely inside the Getty Center's fortress of travertine stone, fire-protected steel and reinforced concrete. "It would be extremely foolish to try and remove artwork" from its safe harbor, Getty Trust President Katherine E. Fleming said. In Washington, a battle over emergency aid broke out between Republicans and Democrats over what is already the costliest wildfire in terms of insured losses.

Private forecaster AccuWeather estimates total damage and economic loss between $250 billion and $275 billion, which would make it the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, surpassing Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Democrats in Congress opposed the suggestion by House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, that conditions be placed on aid. Johnson also said any wildfire disaster assistance funding should be "paid for," meaning the cost should be covered to prevent adding to the budget deficit, possibly by cutting other programs.

That is a departure from many previous natural disasters, and Democratic Representative Ted Lieu of California called Johnson's position "outrageous."

"We should not be leveraging the pain and suffering of our fellow Americans to try to force new policy changes," Lieu said.

SOURCE: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/los-angeles-firefighters-alert-return-extreme-winds-2025-01-14/

 

[Romali_rotti]

I wonder if this fire was lit by the democrats as a parting gift Trump.... Nothing surprises me these days.

 

[BouncerGuy]

LA faces 'extreme fire danger' as high winds forecast

Winds that have fanned wildfires in the US city of Los Angeles are again expected to kick up in the early hours of Wednesday - after a 25th death from the huge, week-long outbreak was confirmed.

Forecasters have again identified an area of "extreme fire danger", emphasising the risk level in a region to the north-west of the city centre.

The anticipated increase in wind speeds threatens to further fan the remaining four blazes, which firefighters have made further progress in tackling during a few days of calmer conditions.

There are hopes of another drop in wind speeds after Wednesday - but officials have highlighted the need for rain that would help fire crews in their battle.

The 25th death was confirmed by the LA County Medical Examiner's Office. Thirteen other people remain missing.

Most of the victims have died in the Eaton Fire, which has burned more than 14,000 acres to the city's north, but has now been 35% contained by firefighters.

Further west, the larger Palisades Fire has torched more than 23,000 acres, and is now at 18% containment. Two smaller fires also continue to burn.

Some of the victims of the Eaton Fire have now been allowed to return to their homes, although officials say they have no firm date for repopulation of the Palisades area, an upmarket area ravaged by the fire to which it lent its name.

Tens of thousands of people are therefore still under evacuation orders - where night-time curfews also apply - and thousands of homes have been destroyed in one of the costliest natural disasters in American history.

On Tuesday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described the scenes as "unimaginable", vowing to exercise her executive powers to trigger rapid rebuilding efforts.

Setting out other measures to help locals, another official, the LA County supervisor, said an emergency proclamation would be issued to prevent alleged price-gouging by LA landlords amid the crisis.

Wednesday's critical conditions are due to the effects of moderate to locally strong Santa Ana winds coupled with very low humidity, said BBC Weather forecaster Sarah Keith-Lucas.

The winds are expected to peak again at 03:00 local time (11:00 GMT) for a period of twelve hours, according to the local office of the National Weather Service (NWS). Gusts could reach 50mph (80km/h).

Compared with last week's conditions, winds are "weaker but still strong", the NWS cautions.

For that reason, areas to the north-west of Los Angeles - including Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks - have been deemed to be particularly dangerous.

But an improvement in conditions is forecast later on Thursday and into Friday. Despite a change in winds, no rainfall is forecast for at least the next week, BBC forecaster Sarah Keith-Lucas added. And the Santa Ana winds that have been blamed for stoking the blazes could again develop from Sunday.

The fire chief for the city of Pasadena echoed the need for precipitation.

There had been no "real rain in southern California" for more than 250 days, Chad Augustin told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

On Wednesday, his firefighters would be on "standing guard ready to ensure that we hold our containment lines and we don't burn up any more structures", Mr Augustin added.

BBC

 

[KingKhanWC]

I wonder if this fire was lit by the democrats as a parting gift Trump.... Nothing surprises me these days.

I thought Cali is almost all democrat, surely they wouldnt harm themselves.

These fires are scary but are regular occurrences now in Cali. Arson could be the cause, maybe trying to destroy evidence of Epstein at some Hollywood celeb house?

 

[sweep_shot]

LA Wildfire Insurance-Loss Estimates Approach $40 Billion​

(Bloomberg) -- The cost of wildfires ravaging swaths of Los Angeles keeps rising, with new estimates of the total losses for the insurance industry now seen as high as $40 billion.

The fresh figure Tuesday from Keefe Bruyette & Woods analysts is double their rough initial estimate from just a day earlier. In a note to clients, they cited “continuing upside insured loss potential” as the fires across the region remain largely uncontrolled. Their most optimistic scenario implies insured losses of $25 billion.

Los Angeles is bracing for increased fire risk through at least Wednesday as hot, dry winds pummel the area. After raging for a week, the blazes killed at least 24 people and incinerated entire neighborhoods.

The containment of the Palisades and Eaton fires, which unleashed the most devastation over the past week, stood at 17% and 35%, respectively, as of Tuesday, according to California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Allstate Corp., Travelers Cos. and Chubb Ltd. are the firms that could face the most gross primary losses from the fires, according to the KBW analysts.

However, insurers for high-net-worth homeowners such as Chubb, American International Group Inc. and Cincinnati Financial Corp., may have higher exposure than their statewide market share would suggest, the analysts wrote.

©2025 Bloomberg L.P.

Reference: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/investi...insurance-loss-estimates-approach-40-billion/.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Strong winds weaken in LA, giving respite to weary firefighters​

Firefighters battling two fires that have wreaked destruction across Los Angeles for nine days could get some respite on Thursday from the weather.

The hurricane-strength winds that initially fanned the flames and hampered rescue efforts have weakened into much lighter gusts.

Progress has been made in containing the two largest fires burning across a combined total of about 40,000 acres.

At least 25 people have been killed and more than 12,000 structures destroyed in some of the worst fires in memory to engulf America's second biggest city.

The two largest fires, Eaton and Palisades, are still burning after more than a week - and firefighting help has been sought from Mexico and Canada.

Red flag warnings have been lifted by the National Weather Service (NWS), but could return in a few days.

There will be "a big improvement for tonight and tomorrow, though there'll still be some lingering areas of concern," Ryan Kittell of the NWS told news agency AFP.

Fire warnings remain critical with parts of southern California continuing to see an elevated risk despite the weakening winds and rising humidity, says BBC Weather forecaster Paul Goddard.

There is no rain forecast for California over the next week.

Officials are also keeping an eye on the Santa Ana winds, which have been blamed for stoking the blazes. The winds are forecast to return early next week, bringing a high risk of further red flag warnings.

Winds could bring gusts of 30-50mph (48-80km/h).

The Palisades Fire, the largest to burn, has seen no fire growth as firefighters work to contain the flames, according to Jim Hudson, a Cal Fire incident manager.

It has burned 24,000 acres. Over 20% has been contained as of Thursday morning.

"There are extreme hazards and extreme heat that still lie around the perimeter and the interior of this fire," Mr Hudson said during a news conference in Malibu on Wednesday.

Mr Hudson added that 5,100 personnel had been assigned to contain the blaze.

"As we move forward we will continue to increase our containment when we feel it's safe and that safety comes down to not only life and property, but also fire growth as well," he added.

The 25th death from the fires was confirmed by the LA County Medical Examiner's Office earlier this week. A number of other people remain missing.

Most of the victims have died in the Eaton Fire which has burned more than 14,000 acres to the city's north. Firefighters have contained 45% of the fire.

Some of the victims of the Eaton Fire have now been allowed to return to their homes, but tens of thousands of people are still under evacuation orders - where night-time curfews also apply.

Thousands of homes have been destroyed in one of the costliest natural disasters in American history.

An extreme weather attribution study from climate scientists at 'Climameter' has concluded that the Californian wildfires have been fuelled by meteorological conditions strengthened by human-induced climate change.

The study found that current conditions have been warmer, drier and windier compared with the past, in the areas affected by the fires.

Strong winds weaken in LA, giving respite to weary firefighters

The two largest fires are still burning after more than a week - but gusts that fanned the flames have eased.

www.bbc.com