Los Angeles wildfire: Updates
The devastating and horrific Los Angeles wildfires, now stretching into day eight, continue to wreak havoc, with firefighters battling multiple blazes. The Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires have collectively burned approximately 38,549 acres, according to CNN. Not helping matters and adding fuel to the fires, the Santa Ana winds are expected to return to potentially exacerbate the situation even more as they fan those deadly flames.
As of this writing, at least 24 people have lost their lives as a result of the wildfires, with dozens still missing and unaccounted for, and officials warning that the death toll will probably climb. Sixteen people died in the Eaton blaze, making that fire one of the deadliest in California’s history, and at least eight people perished in the Palisades fire, according to Al Jazeera.
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Over 92,000 Los Angeles County residents are under currently evacuation orders, with an additional 89,000 under evacuation warnings. The fires have also caused significant cultural losses, including the destruction of the music catalog of famed composer Arnold Schoenberg, according to CNN.
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An entirely new fire had erupted in Ventura County, adding to the challenges already confronting over-worked firefighters and other first responders, according to Fox News.
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You may have heard about firefighters growing frustrated by low water pressure levels in certain areas, making it virtually impossible to extinguish flames – especially when they’re spread through entire neighborhoods. The Associated Press reports that California Governor Newsom has ordered an investigation into the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power over a loss of water pressure that hindered firefighting efforts.
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Adding to the threat and possibly hampering future containment of the fires, the National Weather Service has issued warnings about winds that could gust up to 70 mph. Recall that it was these hurricane force winds that spread the fire across Los Angeles County when it first erupted last week.
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Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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