More than three weeks after two massive forest fires broke out on each side of Los Angeles, officials announced on Friday that both Eaton fire and the Fire of the Palisades are now 100% content.
Extent of destruction
- Eaton fire (east of Los Angeles) burned 14,000 acres (57 km2).
- Fire of the Palisades (to the west of the city) burned 23,448 acres (95 km2).
- Combined, fires caused The worst natural disaster in the history of the County of Los AngelesAccording to Cal Fire.
- Victims: 28 people have lost their lives.
- Material damage: On 16,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed.
- Evacuations: At its peak, 180,000 residents were forced to flee their homes.
- Economic impact: Accuweather estimates the losses exceeding 250 billion dollars.
Confinement and challenges
Fire containment measures indicate that the share of the perimeter of a fire is secure to prevent additional spread. However, civil servants warn that certain areas of the burning areas can still be smoked.
South California received essential precipitation during last week, which helped the firefighters to obtain complete confinement. However, the rain too Sudden floods triggeredmake recovery efforts more difficult.
According to The spokesperson for the fire service of Los Angeles Margaret StewartThe rain arrived too late to be of significant help in the abolition of fires. Instead, it caused road blockages and dangerous conditions for the first stakeholders.
Current recovery efforts
Although fires are now fully contained, the impact on communities, infrastructure and the environment remains severe. Cleaning operations are underway and managers warn against potential risks for the health of toxic debris.
The authorities urged residents to remain vigilant as dangers after fire like mudslides and air quality problems persist in affected areas.
