Wildfires in Los Angeles kill 24, dozens missing as dangerous winds fuel destruction

Wildfires in Los Angeles have killed 24, left dozens missing, and caused widespread destruction, with strong winds and red flag warnings continuing through the week.

Firefighters continued their battle against wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area on Sunday, with the death toll rising to 24 and over 16 people still missing. As the fires spread, officials warned of worsening conditions, with strong winds expected to intensify the danger through Wednesday. The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions, forecasting sustained winds of 80 km/h and gusts up to 113 km/h, with Tuesday predicted to be the most dangerous day.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief, Anthony C. Marrone, confirmed that 70 additional water trucks had been flown in to assist the crews battling the flames, fanned by Santa Ana winds overnight into early Friday. Fanned by heavy, driving Santa Ana winds and months-long drought, the small fires have become infernos that burned structures to the very ground.

The two outstanding fires raging last week have caused immense damage over more than 160 square kilometres of land, more than the area of San Francisco. The Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire are the largest two cases that are not totally contained. Thus far, the Palisades Fire has been 11% contained and the Eaton Fire 27%. With nearly 12,000 structures destroyed-the previous number of 10,863 more definitive damage is predicted to go above $135 billion, with one estimate suggesting it could exceed $150 billion.

SAR employees conduct grid searches using animal recovery dogs, which will increase the academia of the missing persons ost. In the impaired areas of Eaton and Palisades, neighbourhoods have been erased. More than 150,000 people remain evacuated in Los Angeles County, with around 700 residents in shelters.

Thus, repopulation could come in affected areas on Thursday after red flag warnings are lifted. California Governor Gavin Newsom called the fires the costliest disaster of its kind in the history of the United States. In response, Newsom signed an executive order to speed up the rebuilding process and to help homeowners from property tax hikes in the aftermath.

In the grim situation, the federal government extended help of disaster aid to over 24,000 people. Already, firefighters from other states as well as Mexico, are still fighting, with a large number of the fighters being prison inmates.

(AP inputs)