In the US, at least 11 people have died in the devastating firestorms raging across Los Angeles County. According to preliminary numbers from state and local officials, more than thirteen thousand structures have been destroyed in the fires.
The sheriff’s department said, over one lakh people are under evacuation orders. At present four major wildfires are raging across the region. The largest blaze, the Palisades fire between Santa Monica and Malibu, was 8 percent contained till yesterday. To the east, firefighters have contained 3 percent of the Eaton fire, near Altadena and Pasadena. Both fires now rank in the top five most destructive fires in California’s history.
California’s Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered an inquiry into the county’s water management after reports emerged that a critical reservoir was offline when the fires started and that firefighters were left with dry hydrants as they battled blazes ripping through Los Angeles. Media reports said, it is not clear what ignited the fires which erupted on Tuesday, and investigators will likely take months to come to any firm conclusions.
