‘I lost everything:’ Fire crews battle ‘unprecedented’ Los Angeles blazes

Crews have a chance to advance in their fight against the deadly wildfires that have ravaged several areas of the second-largest city of the United States thanks to a pause in the strong winds that are causing them to burn in and around Los Angeles.

Five separate fires had burned more than 14, 000 hectares (35, 000 acres) by Friday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire.

According to officials, the Palisades and Eaton fires are already considered to be Los Angeles’ worst fires ever.

“We are doing everything we can to bring the situation under control, and success has been reported”, the city’s mayor, Karen Bass, said during a news conference.

Our number one duty is to get Los Angeles prepared for a potential increase in the force of the winds at the beginning of the week by doing everything we can to save lives.

Cal Fire reported that the Palisades Fire in the coastal Pacific Palisades neighborhood was 8% contained on Friday morning, compared to the Eaton Fire’s 3 percent containment in the community of Altadena.

According to National Weather Service meteorologist Allison Santorelli, “it’s not as gusty, so that should hopefully help firefighters,” noting that dry vegetation and low humidity were still critical for fire conditions.

However, any change in wind patterns is anticipated to give firefighters on the ground access to significant support, with aircraft capable of dropping water and fire retardant onto the flaming hills. “There’s a bit of good news, if there can be”, Santorelli said.

After the quickly igniting fires started earlier this week, thousands of residents of Los Angeles were forced to flee their homes.

At least 10 people have been killed and more than 10, 000 structures destroyed across the city, according to official tallies.

In advance of a briefing with federal and state officials about the wildfires, US President Joe Biden stated to reporters on Friday that “the scope, the scale, and the erratic movements of these fires are truly unprecedented.”

Governor Gavin Newsom appoints the National Guard to bolster law enforcement and soldiers on the streets in response to fears of looting and crime. In some locations, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna also placed a nighttime curfew.

According to Luna, “This curfew will be strictly enforced and is being taken to enhance public safety, protect property, and prevent any burglaries or looting in the area that the residents have evacuated.”

About 20 people have been arrested for looting so far, the Sheriff’s Department said.

According to Al Jazeera’s Rob Reynolds, who was reporting from the Pacific Palisades on Friday morning, the area’s air quality is still very poor as the fires continue to burn.

“There’s ash and dust dropping around us like a light snowfall”, he said.

However, Reynolds claimed that as a result of the improved wind conditions, firefighting crews have been given more resources and manpower to help contain the flames.

“The troops have arrived. There’s a lot more firefighting personnel on the scene right now”, he said.

Meanwhile, as the scale of the damage has begun to come into focus, residents have been grappling with scenes of devastation.

In the Pacific Palisades, brick chimneys loomed over charred waste and burned-out vehicles.

“I can’t describe it”, Kelly Foster, a 44-year-old psychiatrist, said as she combed through the ashy rubble where her home once stood while smoke rose from neighbouring homes and planes dropped water nearby. &nbsp, “I have no words”.

Source: Aljazeera