Many California residents are experiencing no relief from the fires. The multiple and violent fires that have raged in Los Angeles for five days have left at least 16 dead and are now spreading to areas hitherto spared, according to a latest report on Saturday evening.
Entire sections of the second largest city in the United States are devastated: more than 12,000 structures have been destroyed and more than 15,000 hectares have gone up in smoke. A landscape compared by President Joe Biden to “a war scene”.
The Getty Center under threat
Despite the massive mobilization of firefighters, the progression of the fire triggered new evacuation orders on the eastern flank of the Pacific Palisades sector, in an area where the Getty Center is located. Built in part with fire-resistant stones, the famous museum houses 125,000 works of art.
And the situation remains particularly worrying. The winds which began to weaken on Friday are expected to regain strength from Saturday evening, according to forecasts from the Federal Natural Disaster Response Agency (FEMA). “These winds, combined with dry air and dry vegetation, will keep the fire threat in Los Angeles County high,” said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone.
Even if it is too early to determine the origin of the fires, criticism of the preparation and response of public authorities is increasing. Los Angeles fire chief Kristin Crowley deplored on Fox News affiliate KTTV a persistent lack of “personnel, resources and funds,” comments interpreted as targeting local authorities.
A curfew to prevent looting
During a press conference on Saturday in the presence of Kristin Crowley, the city’s mayor, Karen Bass, however, minimized the tensions, ensuring that political leaders, emergency services and security were “all on the same page wave”.
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Furthermore, in the face of looting in disaster-stricken or evacuated areas, a strict curfew, in force between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., was decreed Friday by the authorities in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena sectors, the most ravaged. The main fire, affecting Pacific Palisades, was 11% contained Saturday and was spreading eastward after burning some 9,100 hectares, while the Eaton fire was 15% contained, according to emergency services.
Source: www.20minutes.fr
