A burned-out neighborhood in Los Angeles. Photo: Mark J. Terrill/AP/dpa
Keystone
Increasing winds could rekindle the fires in Los Angeles - but there is also small progress in fighting the fires.
Keystone-SDA
13.01.2025, 16:09
SDA
The number of confirmed deaths has risen to 24, with more people still missing. More than 100,000 residents had to leave their homes and were still not allowed to return.
"We need a break from Mother Nature"
The Palisades Fire, which devastated entire streets in the Pacific Palisades district, covered an area of almost 96 square kilometers by Sunday evening (local time) and was 13 percent contained, according to authorities. The "Eaton Fire" near Pasadena and Altadena northeast of Los Angeles burned over an area of around 57 square kilometers and was 27 percent under control.
Progress was made on the comparatively small Hurst Fire near the city of San Fernando. According to the fire protection authority Cal Fire, this is now 89 percent contained. It has so far destroyed an area of around 3.2 square kilometers.
The US weather service predicted stronger winds again on Monday and Tuesday and warned of "extreme" fire danger. The winds could cause the fires to spread "explosively", it said.
"We need a break from Mother Nature," Cal Fire's Brice Bennett told CNN. "We have the firefighters, we have the water, we need more time." The firefighting brigades continued to work in shifts of 24 and 36 hours at a time.
No firefighting aircraft in strong winds
A major problem is that with winds of around 50 kilometers per hour, extinguishing from the air no longer works, said Bennett. This is because the wind blows the water away before it can reach the ground in a load. Meanwhile, the winds drove sparks through the area, starting new fires.
In the beginning, gusts of up to 160 kilometers per hour quickly engulfed one house after another. People had to flee - and some stayed behind to save their homes. Some were successful, others even lost their lives. According to the new information, 16 people died in the "Eaton" fire near Altadena and Pasadena - and 8 more in the western neighborhood of Pacific Palisades.
Schools reopen
Despite ongoing fires, the majority of schools in the Los Angeles area will reopen on Monday. "The district is confident that it is safe for students and staff to return to campuses," it said in a statement. The decision was based on the status of the firefighting efforts, air quality, wind conditions and the condition of the roads, among other factors.
Seven schools remained closed, said the head of the school district, Alberto Carvalho, at a press conference, according to media reports. Four of them had been destroyed by the Palisades Fire. Three others were still in the evacuation zone. The state universities University of California and California State University are reportedly in emergency mode and are offering online classes.
Website with photos of destroyed houses
Many residents of the city do not know whether their homes have burned down or just been damaged. Television footage occasionally shows buildings among the ruins that were spared by the fire. Before residents can find out more, however, they have to wait at a checkpoint until some are allowed into the exclusion zone under police escort. In the past few days, several people have been arrested on suspicion of looting. According to media reports, one of them posed as a firefighter.
So that people can find out more quickly what has happened to their homes, the streets are now being photographed building by building. The images are uploaded to a website. Those affected can also use the photos to inform their insurance companies.
Months of clearing work expected
California Governor Gavin Newsom estimates that it could take six to nine months to clear the rubble from the devastated streets. According to previous figures, more than 12,000 buildings have been destroyed or damaged.
Internet from space
Tech billionaire Elon Musk wants to offer the affected areas free internet via the Starlink satellite system. To this end, Starlink reception systems with open Wi-Fi are to be placed where they are most needed, wrote the head of the space company SpaceX on his online platform X. "Cybertruck" electric cars from the car manufacturer Tesla, which is managed by Musk, are to be used for the power supply.
Musk is a close confidant of future US President Donald Trump. He has been criticizing those responsible in California from the Democratic Party for days.
Support from Ukraine
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi offered the USA help in fighting the fires. He said in his daily video address that 150 firefighters were on standby. The USA is Ukraine's most important supporter in the fight against Russian aggression. Firefighters from Mexico and Canada, among others, are already working in Los Angeles.
Beyoncé donates millions
US superstar Beyoncé (43) wants to donate 2.5 million dollars (around 2.4 million euros) to those affected by the fires through her foundation "Beygood". The money will be used to support families in the Altadena and Pasadena area north of Los Angeles who have lost their homes, according to a post by the foundation on Instagram.