Tens of thousands of individuals ordered to evacuate their homes as wildfires ravaged Los Angeles have been informed that they will not be permitted to return for at least a week, due to concerns about electrocution, landslides, and exposure to hazardous materials.
Evacuees are growing increasingly frustrated, expressing anger over regulations that bar them from returning, even to properties that survived the devastating flames.
“There was a group chat where everyone was venting, getting upset, asking, ‘why do they keep locking us out of our homes?'” Ronnen Miz shared with local broadcaster KTLA.
However, officials emphasized that with 40,000 acres scorched by two intense fires, the situation remains perilous.
“It’s going to take a while,” stated Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.
“I would estimate at least another week, but I believe it will likely be longer than that.”
As per the latest figures from the coroner’s office, at least 27 individuals have lost their lives in the wind-fueled fires that swept through the affluent neighborhood of Pacific Palisades and the more diverse community of Altadena.
Mr. Luna indicated that search teams are still sifting through the debris for victims, with an increase in the death toll anticipated.
Police vehicles pass by the fire-damaged Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles.
Authorities are also restricting access to certain areas “because we believe there may be deceased victims,” he noted.
Destabilized Hillsides
Environmental Protection Agency teams have begun inspections to remove pesticides, fuel, and lithium batteries from the wreckage before any debris cleanup can commence.
Los Angeles County Director of Public Works Mark Pestrella cautioned that seemingly intact buildings could be at risk of landslides, and any significant rainfall could be hazardous.
“If we experience heavy rain, we expect that all street areas and communities will be affected by debris flows that could pose health risks,” he explained.
The fires have destabilized hillsides, compounded by the vast amounts of water firefighters utilized to control the flames.
Images from the Pacific Palisades area showed a residence—unscathed by the fire—that seemed to have split in two after the flames were extinguished, likely due to a hillside collapse.
Read more: Fire-ravaged LA faces new threats as dangerous winds intensify. Watch: Before and after video showcases LA wildfire devastation.
US tennis legend Pam Shriver disclosed that a collection of significant trophies from her storied career were stolen following her evacuation from the fire.
Ms. Shriver, 62, loaded five US Open trophies, five French Open plates, five Wimbledon trophies, and one Australian Open trophy into her car when she fled her Brentwood residence for a hotel on Friday.
Later, she discovered that her car—and its invaluable contents—had been stolen.
“It’s truly heartbreaking on many levels that when people are at their lowest, facing such challenging times, others resort to these actions,” Ms. Shriver told ESPN.
Hotspots
The fierce winds that have troubled the region for over a week, allowing the fire to spread extensively, have calmed down, providing firefighters with a much-needed advantage as they address hotspots.
Firefighting battalions from across the United States have been reinforced by inmate crews, who work alongside regular firefighters to create containment lines and clear brush.
Jacob Castro, serving a 29-year sentence for his crimes, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to the firefighting effort and repay his debt to society.
“This is the first thing in my life I can genuinely be proud of,” he shared with AFP.
“I love doing this, assisting the community and atoning for the poor choices I made earlier in life,” he remarked. “It’s a chance for redemption.”
