Fire-wrecked Los Angeles gets a break as winds drop

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - A blue Volkswagen van sits intact on a street amid homes destroyed by the Palisades Fire in Malibu, California, January 15, 2025. — AFP pic

LOS ANGELES, Jan 16 — Fire-wrecked Los Angeles got a break Wednesday as dangerous winds dropped, giving hope to weary firefighters still battling to snuff out deadly blazes.

More than a week after fires fanned by hurricane-force gusts began a destructive march that has left two dozen people dead and large areas of the city in ruins, forecasters said the end was in sight — at least for now.

Onshore breezes were set to bring much-needed moisture over the coming days, forecasters at the National Weather Service told AFP.

There will be “a big improvement for tonight and tomorrow, though there'll still be some lingering areas of concern,” Ryan Kittell of the National Weather Service told AFP, though he warned there was another possibly perilous drying system in the offing early next week.

The Eaton Fire and the Palisades fire, which together have scorched more than 40,000 acres (16,000 hectares) were still smouldering Wednesday.

Battalions of firefighters from across the United States, as well as from Mexico, were working to tamp down hotspots that could still flare, Los Angeles City fire chief Kristin Crowley told reporters.

“Infrared flights last night indicated there are still numerous hot spots burning within the fire footprint, and very close attention was paid to address any flare ups swiftly as to prevent any fire spread outside of the perimeter,” she said.

Back to school

With tens of thousands of people still displaced by the fires, life was far from normal in America's second biggest city.

But children whose schools were damaged or are still affected by evacuation orders were welcomed into other institutions.

Stay-at-home mom Caroline Nick took Emery, 11, and Andrew, 7, to Nora Sterry Elementary on Wednesday after their own school was lost to the blaze.

Nick, whose home was destroyed in the Palisades fire, said the children needed whatever semblance of normality they could get.

“They don't need to be listening to the adult conversations that my husband and I are having to have. It's not good for them,” she told AFP.

“They need to be here doing this: drawing and colouring, playing and running and laughing.”

The confirmed death toll from the fires stood at 24, with Los Angeles County Coroner investigating another possible body.

But the number of fatalities could still rise, as cadaver dogs continue a painstaking search of hundreds of buildings.

More than 12,000 structures have been razed, including multi-million dollar homes in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood.

Estimates of the eventual cost of the tragedy have now risen to as high as US$275 billion (RM1.23 trillion), a figure that would make it one of the most expensive in US history.

The relief operation around the city was in full force, with local, state and federal bodies offering help with everything from replacing lost driving licences to footing hotel bills.

A huge private effort was also taking shape, with thousands of volunteers staffing giveaways of food, clothing and baby supplies for those in need.

Hollywood megastar Leonardo DiCaprio was among those stepping up with donations.

“The Los Angeles wildfires are devastating our city,” the “Titanic” star wrote on Instagram.

“I am committing US$1 million in partnership with @rewild's Rapid Response Program to support both urgent needs and post-fire recovery efforts.”

DiCaprio's cash comes on the heels of US$1 million donations from fellow actors Jamie Lee Curtis and Eva Longoria.

Federal authorities have launched a probe into the causes of the fires, as theories swirl over who was responsible.

“We know everyone wants answers, and the community deserves answers,” said Jose Medina of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which is taking the lead.

“ATF will give you those answers, but it will be once we complete a thorough investigation.” — AFP