‘Like an atomic bomb’: Los Angeles fire chiefs warn death toll is likely to rise

Summary

• Wildfires in Los Angeles have killed at least five people, and forecasters warn more high winds may fan the flames further
• Three bodies were found in the vicinity of the Eaton fire, with a further two deaths recorded in the Palisades fire
• Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna says it hasn’t been safe to reach many hard-hit areas and the death toll is “absolutely going to change”
• Arson investigators are looking into the start of one fire, in the Palisades, which has gone on to destroy more than 5,300 structures
• The Eaton fire is estimated to have destroyed 4,000 to 5,000 structures
• A curfew is planned for some areas after police arrest 20 people for looting abandoned homes
• Crews dealing with the blaze tell our reporter they are desperately short of water – and fear they are fighting a losing battle

Live Reporting

Edited by Gavin Butler

1. ‘One of the costliest wildfire disasters in modern U.S. history’published at 10:2810:28In a matter of 24 hours, Accuweather has nearly tripled its preliminary estimate for total damage from the California wildfires. Its latest projection says losses could amount to as much as $150bn. That’s revised from an estimate of up to $57bn yesterday.“These fast-moving, wind-driven infernos have created one of the costliest wildfire disasters in modern U.S. history,” AccuWeather’s chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter said.The blazes have ripped through areas that are home to some of the most expensive property in the United States.Fire authorities say more than 5,300 structures have been destroyed by the Palisades blaze, while between 4,000 and 5,000 structures have potentially been damaged or destroyed by the Eaton Fire.The insurance industry is also bracing for a major hit, with analysts from firms such as Morningstar and JP Morgan forecasting insured losses of more than $8bn.Share
2. LAPD believes Kenneth fire was intentionally ignitedpublished at 10:1910:19Twenty to 30 minutes after the Kenneth fire started, a suspected arsonist was detained by citizens in the Woodland Hills area, LAPD senior lead officer Charles Dinsel has told NewsNation.When asked if “someone purposely set the Kenneth fire”, Dinsel confirmed that this is what the police currently believe.When asked if police knew why or how the suspect did that, Dinsel said: “That I don’t know.”The incident is being investigated as a crime, he added.Share
3. Man detained on suspicion of lighting latest fire – Ventura Country Sheriffpublished at 10:1010:10BreakingCaptain Karl Patterson, Watch Commander with Ventura County Sheriff’s office tells the BBC that the LAPD has an arson suspect in custody regarding the Kenneth fire, and that Ventura County is sending a detective now to question the suspect.He says the suspect is male and was detained “in the vicinity of the fire, which is why LAPD got there first”.Share
4. Palisades fire now 6% contained – Governor Newsompublished at 09:5109:51Containment of the Palisades fire is at 6% as of 18:00 local time (02:00 GMT), California governor Gavin Newsom announced in a post on X.”Thank you to our brave firefighters working around the clock to combat the blaze fueled by hurricane-force winds,” Newsom wrote.”Please continue to heed emergency orders from local officials and first responders.”Share
5. Federal government to cover 100% of costs – Bidenpublished at 09:4309:43President Biden has announced that the federal government will cover “100% of the cost of measures to protect lives and property in Southern California for six months”.”I’ve told the Governor and officials to spare no expense and do whatever they need to contain the fires and protect families,” he wrote on X.We earlier reported that Biden approved a slew of emergency measures, including a major disaster declaration allowing residents to request cash for necessities, increased federal funding for disaster relief and the deployment of firefighting helicopters and military planes to help fight the fires.Share
6. ‘We do plan to rebuild, bigger and better’published at 09:3609:36John Sudworth
   North America Correspondent, reporting from Los AngelesImage source,John Sudworth / BBCDown the block, 70-year-old Stephanie Hunt-Graves is looking over the remains of her small home with her family.She’s lived here for four decades.Like so many in this neighbourhood, when she got the warning to leave she thought it was a precaution. She never expected something like this.But she used to work in the insurance industry and, as a result, has always kept her premiums up to date.“We do plan to rebuild, bigger and better,” she says.“We’re praying for everybody,” her sister Jamille adds.“Altadena is the number one place to live. It’s friendly, family oriented. Just a wonderful community.”Share
7. Couple look through rubble to see what remainspublished at 09:2709:27John Sudworth
   North America Correspondent, reporting from Los AngelesImage source,John Sudworth / BBCWe’ve been hearing more stories of residents returning to find their homes devastated.Pete and Angela Mitchell choke up as they get out of the car in front of the charred embers where their Altadena home used to be.Pete, an electrician with Disney, finds a few objects in the rubble – some of his woodworking tools, part of a new chandelier the couple had only recently installed, one of Angela’s sewing tins with some needles inside.Almost everything else is gone.The couple talk of how lucky they feel to have lived in the neighbourhood since 2013.Altadena is a place of special community spirit they tell me, and they’re sure it will be rebuilt.Share
8. Death tally is believed to be five, not seven, sheriff sayspublished at 09:2009:20BreakingWe’ve just heard Los Angeles county Sheriff Robert Luna say the death tally from all of the fires currently stands at five people.He says there are two deaths from the Palisades fire, and three deaths from the Eaton fire in Altadena.Previously, it was reported that there had been five deaths in the Eaton fire. But the sheriff has just advised that number is actually three.”Even as I’m telling you that, it’s leaving my lips, I’m nervous about that number,” he says.”And the obvious question is do you think it’s going to grow? I’m praying it doesn’t, but based on the devastation… (it looks like) an atomic bomb dropped on these areas.”I don’t expect good news, and we’re not looking forward to those numbers.”Share
9. Offers of support coming from across the country, says mayorpublished at 09:0709:07Asked what it will take to stop the fires and whether the city has enough resources, Mayor Bass says support is coming from all over the country as well as Canada.”We have certainly seen Los Angeles firefighters deployed around the country [in the past],” she says. “So just as we have provided mutual aid, I am getting calls from [state governors] who have offered to send people.””I think we have been rich in support. I don’t know if we ever have enough resources.”Image source,Getty ImagesImage caption,Traffic backs up as residents evacuate ahead of the Kenneth Fire in Calabasas, California