A new fire in Los Angeles expanded on Thursday evening in the West Hills area to five square kilometers within a few hours, while firefighters across Southern California battled fires that have killed at least 10 people and destroyed thousands of structures.
The fire in Kennett shows that "we are not yet rid of this extreme weather phenomenon," said Los Angeles Fire Chief Christine Crowley, quoted by The New York Times. City Mayor Karen Bass warned of the risk of rapid spread of the new fire.
Meanwhile, the largest fire in California, covering nearly 80 square kilometers, destroyed more than 5,000 structures, including in Pacific Palisades on the west side of Los Angeles. According to firefighters, the Eaton fire, which broke out near Altadena and Pasadena to the northeast of the city, destroyed up to another 5,000 structures. Both fires are among the five most destructive in California's history.
On Thursday, President Biden stated that the federal government will cover 100 percent of the costs of firefighting in the region for the next 180 days, promising that all federal government forces—and his successor's administration—will be directed at containing the rapidly spreading fires.
In various areas of Los Angeles and its surroundings, more than 117 square kilometers of land have burned, which is about twice the size of Manhattan. Robert Luna, Los Angeles County Sheriff, said he believes the death toll may rise.
The economic damage from the fires could exceed $50 billion, and California's insurance industry could be severely affected in an already unstable market. Insurers are already struggling after previous wildfires wiped out their profits, writes NYT.
Photo: The New York Times