{"id":122025,"date":"2025-01-09T17:41:41","date_gmt":"2025-01-09T17:41:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/los-angeles-wildfires-live-city-braces-for-more-destruction-as-blazes-continue-to-burn-in-neighborhoods-the-independent\/"},"modified":"2025-01-09T17:41:41","modified_gmt":"2025-01-09T17:41:41","slug":"los-angeles-wildfires-live-city-braces-for-more-destruction-as-blazes-continue-to-burn-in-neighborhoods-the-independent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/los-angeles-wildfires-live-city-braces-for-more-destruction-as-blazes-continue-to-burn-in-neighborhoods-the-independent\/","title":{"rendered":"Los Angeles wildfires live: City braces for more destruction as blazes continue to burn in neighborhoods – The Independent"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Death toll continues to climb as more than 7,500 firefighting personnel are deployed across California, with three of the most ferocious fires at zero percent containment
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At least five people have been killed as several fast-moving wildfires sweep<\/a> across the Los Angeles area, leaving thousands of firefighters <\/a>attempting to extinguish the blaze.
The death toll climbed to five as of Thursday morning after the Eaton fire raged through Altadena<\/a> and Pasadena, L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone confirmed to The New York Times.<\/em>
The Palisades fire, now the one of the most destructive L.A. has seen<\/a>, is burning more than 17,200 acres, while the Eaton fire has scorched some 10,600 acres. The Sunset fire in Hollywood has engulfed 60 acres. All three fires are at zero percent containment.
An estimated 2,000 buildings have been scorched and 130,000 residents<\/a> ordered to evacuate, including more than 60,000 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. More than 330,000 people are without power throughout the region, according to PowerOutage.us<\/a>.
On Thursday, California Governor Gavin Newsom<\/a> revealed that more than 7,500 firefighting personnel and almost 1,200 fire trucks have been deployed across Southern California. He also thanked President Joe Biden, who announced the approval of a major disaster declaration and ordered federal assistance to bolster response efforts.
Cadaver dogs and search crews are beginning to search the rubble, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Thursday.
\u201cRight now, frankly, we don\u2019t know yet,\u201d he said.
Months before the devastating Palisades Fire swept the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, the city reportedly cut $17.5 million from the fire department\u2019s budget this fiscal year, according to ABC 7<\/a>.
The station said the total budget for the Los Angeles County Fire Department was $819.64 million. In the previous year, it was $837.2 million.
\u201cIf you go back and look at reductions, none would have impacted the situation they were dealing with over the last few days,\u201d Mayor Karen Bass told reporters on Thursday.
The Los Angeles Zoo says its animals and campus have not been impacted by the local wildfires and that animal care teams have been working to ensure their care and wellbeing.
\u201cThere are some down trees and branches from the wind storm but no damage to buildings, exhibits or critical infrastructure, and there have been no injuries to staff or animals,\u201d the zoo said in an email to The Independen<\/em>t. \u201cThe LA Zoo will remain closed today as staff continues to work to clean up from the storm.\u201d
Officials said that firefighters have a \u201cmuch better posture\u201d than on Tuesday and Wednesday. However, forecasters say a red flag warning will remain in effect for Los Angeles and Ventura Counties through Friday.
While damage assessments are ongoing, preliminary reports of damaged or destroyed structures are in the thousands, Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley reported.
She said this is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles.
All incidents are under active investigation.
Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella told reporters Thursday that the county\u2019s utility systems have been \u201csignificantly damaged\u201d by the wildfires.
He said that there\u2019s a \u201ctremendous amount of debris\u201d that needs to be processed and moved out of the area, some of which may be hazardous or toxic.
While the reservoirs are full and continue to be ready, Pestrella warned that the municipal water system continues to suffer poor quality due to ash from the blazes.
He noted that specific areas, like Malibu<\/a>, require water to be boiled, and that those in areas burned to the ground should boil their water.
\u201cThe air is not healthy for people who are challenged from a respiratory standpoint,\u201d Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim Mcdonnell told reporters on Thursday.
He said that evacuations will probably still continue as the winds pick up.
\u201cSome of \u2018em looked like a bomb was dropped in \u2018em,\u201d Sheriff Robert Luna said.
\u201cThis is a crisis and we don\u2019t know what to expect, but we\u2019re ready for everything.\u201d
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