Los Angeles Wildfires Live: 10 Dead, Thousands Evacuated, $150 Billion in Damages

Los Angeles Wildfires Live: Los Angeles is dealing with one of the worst wildfire crises in recent history as multiple fires continue to rage through the city. Ten people have been killed, thousands of residents evacuated, and estimated property damage put at $150 billion, updated reports from authorities and AccuWeather said.

Los Angeles Wildfires Live: Fires Spread Rapidly Across Los Angeles County

The two biggest fires, the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, have destroyed more than 10,000 structures, including homes and businesses, over a total of 45 square miles. The Palisades Fire alone has destroyed more than 5,000 structures and burned 17,200 acres, with containment efforts lagging at just 6%. The Eaton Fire, meanwhile, has destroyed 5,316 structures in the San Gabriel Mountains foothills.

Things only got worse on Thursday when the Kenneth Fire flared up in the San Fernando Valley near West Hills and Ventura County. Firefighters were able to slow the fire’s spread, but that only made the already dire conditions worse. Tens of thousands of residents have been ordered to evacuate, and with winds expected to strengthen through Friday, officials fear the fires could spread even further.

While fires are ravaging Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass is facing stiff criticism over how she has run the crisis. The residents, as well as the critics, have been feeling frustrated by the lack of apparent order in her leadership and minimal communication.

At a press briefing, Bass sent the people who sought to know information related to an emergency to “all of this can be found at URL,” sending residents confused and disheartened. The blunder spread quickly, as the locals, not to mention big names such as Elon Musk, who labeled Bass as “utterly incompetent.”
One of the residents vented out on social media, “Our city is burning, and this is the leadership we get? ‘URL’? Really?”

In a written statement released later, Bass attempted to calm the public, thanking first responders and pledging the city’s full resources to manage the disaster. “We are working tirelessly to provide shelter and resources to those affected by these fires,” she wrote. Her absence during the critical early stages of the response and perceived lack of urgency, however, has many Angelenos skeptical.

This was further compounded by an evacuation alert that mistakenly reached nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles, which caused mass panic even in areas not directly affected by the fires. Officials clarified the error afterwards, but this only highlighted how disorganized the city’s emergency response had been.

Firefighters from all over the country have been fighting the flames, but dry conditions and powerful winds have made the fight a relentless one. Five active fires are still burning across Los Angeles County, and containment rates remain low, so the road to recovery will be long and arduous.

The authorities are advising residents to stay vigilant and heed evacuation orders in time, as weather forecasts predict worsening conditions in the coming days.

As Los Angeles battles these disastrous wildfires, the city faces a two-pronged challenge: that of fighting the fires and placating the irate citizenry. The coming days will test not only the mettle of Angelenos but also the leadership of those tasked with guiding them through this crisis.