Over the weekend, the firefighters could make progress in controlling the two biggest wildfires in the city due to the Santa Ana winds that eased in intensity
The death toll from the wildfires in Los Angeles has risen to 24 as on Sunday, according to California Governor Gavin Newsom. Officials have given the estimated that at least 12,300 structures are either destroyed or damaged. The number of people ordered to evacuate stood at 100,000. Many people are reported missing due to the infernos that began on last Tuesday.
While the Palisades fire which has scorched 23,713 acres has been 13% contained, the containment of Eaton fire in the east of the county has reached 27%. Among the other fires, the Hurst fire in the north has been 89% contained. Other three fires, as per the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, have been fully contained.
Over the weekend, the firefighters could make progress in controlling the two biggest wildfires in the city due to the Santa Ana winds that eased in intensity. These winds reached hurricane force earlier in the week and are expected to pick up again. The National Weather Service has forecasted Santa Ana winds of up to 50 to 70 miles per hour (80 to 112 kph) to resume on Sunday night and last through Wednesday. Another round of strong, gusty winds are expected to contribute to another stretch of dangerous and extreme fire conditions.
Taking water from the Pacific Ocean, aerial firefighters are dropping water and retardant to douse the blaze, while the firefighters on the land are holding the line of the Palisades fire as it is reaching the populated areas of the city.
City officials have warned the entire population of nearly 10 million in the city that anyone can be ordered to evacuate.
The students of the Los Angeles Unified School District will return to their schools on Monday except for the ones in the mandatory evacuation zones, according to an official announcement on Sunday.
The economic loss from the wildfires is estimated to stand at $135– 150bn, according to the private forecaster AccuWeather. “To put this into perspective, the total damage and economic loss from this wildfire disaster could reach nearly 4% of the annual GDP of the state of California,” the forecaster’s chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter had said.