The Santa Ana winds, which have fueled devastating wildfires in Los Angeles over the past week, are forecasted to intensify from Sunday night through Wednesday, reaching speeds of up to 96 km/h. This escalation has prompted firefighters to work urgently to control the flames that have raged for six consecutive days. Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin warned of “potentially disastrous wind conditions” peaking on Tuesday, leading to red flag warnings and the possibility of further evacuations.
Currently, evacuation orders affect 105,000 residents, with 87,000 more under evacuation warnings, ready to leave at short notice. Some progress has been reported in containment efforts, with the Palisades Fire now 11% contained and the Eaton Fire increasing to 27% containment. The Hurst Fire is 89% contained, while three other fires have been fully controlled. Despite these gains, the situation remains dire, with firefighters struggling to curb the damage caused by the relentless winds and spreading flames.
The wildfires have resulted in significant destruction, with 24 confirmed deaths and over 12,300 structures destroyed across 40,000 acres in the greater Los Angeles area. Accuweather estimates the financial losses to range between $250 billion and $275 billion, potentially marking this as the most devastating natural disaster in U.S. history. California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed an executive order to expedite rebuilding efforts, temporarily suspending environmental regulations for impacted homes and businesses. Authorities continue to investigate the deaths, with ten victims still unidentified, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner.
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