Los Angeles fires toll increase as authorities try to contain crisis


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Yemen News Agency SABA
Los Angeles fires toll increase as authorities try to contain crisis
[06/ July/2025]

Los Angeles - Saba:

Los Angeles firefighters are battling to contain devastating wildfires that have raged for a sixth day, killing 24 people, destroying 12,000 buildings, and forcing 100,000 people to flee.

The Los Angeles County Coroner released a list of victims, including eight deaths from the Pacific Palisades Fire and 16 from the Eaton Fire.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said these fires could be the most destructive in US history, noting that they have destroyed thousands of homes and forced 100,000 people to evacuate their homes.

The National Weather Service warned that strong winds, gusting up to 110 kilometers per hour, could return in the coming days, threatening to exacerbate the situation.

The fires have caused extensive damage to neighborhoods, destroying approximately 12,000 buildings, including luxury homes and ordinary residences, and leaving entire neighborhoods covered in smoldering rubble. Officials described the situation as catastrophic.

Firefighters continue their efforts to combat the Palisades Fire, one of the largest blazes to sweep through Los Angeles County, as seen from the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on January 11, 2025.

Firefighters have only 11% containment of the Pacific Palisades Fire, which has consumed 23,713 acres (96 square kilometers). The flames have advanced toward the upscale Brentwood neighborhood, prompting a massive deployment of firefighters using aircraft and heavy equipment.

The Eaton Fire in the foothills east of Los Angeles has consumed 14,117 acres (57 square kilometers), an area roughly the size of Manhattan. It has increased to 27% containment, up from 15% the day before.

In the northern reaches of the city, firefighters have declared the Hearst Fire 89% contained, while three other fires are fully contained. However, some areas within containment lines are still burning, according to a report from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Lindsay Horvath, a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, described the situation as "another night of unimaginable horror and grief," noting the trauma residents are experiencing.