11 dead and 12,000 buildings destroyed as LA fires continue to burn

Fires are raging inside the Los Angeles area have reduced some 12,000 buildings to rubble, killed at least 11 people, displaced thousands more and spread across an area larger than the city of Manchester.

Five of the victims have so far been identified.

The first to be identified was Victor Shaw, a 66-year-old Altadena resident who was found dead with a garden hose in his hand.

The deaths of 67-year-old Anthony Mitchell and his adult son Justin, in his early twenties, at their home in Altadena were later confirmed.

Mr Mitchell was a pensioner and amputee waiting for an ambulance to pick up Justin, who had cerebral palsy.

Another Altadena resident, Rodney Nickerson, has been confirmed dead, and LA police have also confirmed that 83-year-old Erliene Kelley, 83, died in the fires.

Fears have been raised for Ms Kelley after she refused to vacate her home for more than 60 years.

The fires began on Tuesday, driven by gusts from the Santa Ana winds, which subsided on Thursday, although forecasters warn that fires could reoccur later in the weekend. City of Los Angeles and county officials said Friday that the fires that ravaged the Palisades were 8% contained, while the Altadena fire was only 3% contained.

According to the LA County coroner, at least 11 people have died, five from the Palisades fire along the coast and six from the Eaton fire inland.

The financial impact of the damage is still unclear, although an estimate from AccuWeather, a private company that provides weather data, Estimates put the damage at around $135 billion to $150 billion.

Government officials have not yet provided a damage estimate.

Here’s a closer look at what you should know about the fires.

In the hilly coastal Pacific Palisades neighborhood, more than 5,300 buildings were damaged or destroyed, marking the most devastating fire in Los Angeles history. Dozens of blocks were reduced to smoldering rubble, with only the outlines of houses and their chimneys remaining.

Among those whose homes were destroyed were a number of celebrities, including Jamie Lee Curtis and Billy Crystal.

According to statistics from the Wildfire Alliance, a partnership between the city’s fire department and MySafe:LA, the amount of debris exceeded that of the November 2008 Sayre fire, which destroyed 604 structures in Sylmar, the city’s northernmost suburb.

Further inland, the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena burned more than 7,000 structures, including homes, apartments or commercial buildings and vehicles. Additionally, five school campuses in Altadena sustained significant damage and more than 21 square miles (54 square kilometers) burned.

A more recent fire, the Kenneth Fire, was 50% contained Friday, a day after the Los Angeles Fire Department issued evacuation orders. It erupted near West Hills, a densely built neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley.

The flames that threatened the Hollywood Hills Wednesday night were under control and evacuation orders were lifted Thursday morning.

In total, the fires have destroyed around 56 square miles (142 square kilometers) – more than the area of ​​Manchester.

The fires destroyed a mosque, a synagogue, a Catholic congregation and half a dozen Protestant churches.

Only holy Torah scrolls remained of the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, an 80-year-old synagogue.

Cantor Ruth Berman Harris and three companions rushed to save the scrolls as flames began to spread across the campus.

The Masjid Al-Taqwa mosque also burned. It was founded as an African American place of worship and has attracted diverse young families as well as professionals and students over the past 20 years.

The wildfires destroyed the Altadena Community Church, known for its colorful stained glass windows and popular choir. The Altadena United Methodist Church and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Altadena were also leveled.

In Pacific Palisades, Corpus Christi Catholic Church and Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church were destroyed.

California National Guard troops arrived on the streets of Altadena before dawn Friday to help protect property in the fire rescue zone. At least 20 people were arrested for looting.

Officials promised that looters who took advantage of the wildfire crisis would be prosecuted.

“This is simply unacceptable,” said Kathryn Barger, chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. “I promise you, you will be held accountable.”

Officials said Friday that a National Guardsman was being deployed to the Palisades fire area to direct traffic.

More than 150,000 people were under evacuation orders Friday, officials said.

The flames threatened densely populated and affluent neighborhoods, including Calabasas and Santa Monica, home to California’s rich and famous. Hollywood stars like Mark Hamill, Mandy Moore and James Woods were among those forced to flee, and Moore later said she lost her home in Altadena.

A thick cloud of smoke and ash filled the sky, triggering air and dust warnings for 17 million people across Southern California, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

In East Los Angeles, the air quality index reached an unhealthy level of 173. Good air quality is considered to be a level of 50 or less.

Dr. Puneet Gupta, deputy medical director of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said smoke from wildfires can cause heart attacks and worsen asthma, while burning homes can release cyanide and carbon dioxide.

Due to the fires, several events were canceled and postponed.

The Critics Choice Awards have postponed Sunday’s ceremonies in Santa Monica until January 26th.

The organization that puts on the Oscars has extended the voting window for Oscar nominations and postponed the announcement of nominations scheduled for next week.

Film studios canceled two film premieres and Universal Studios canceled filming for numerous series.

The Universal Studios Hollywood theme park was closed that day, but Disneyland, further from the Anaheim fires, remained open.

All schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District remained closed Friday.

Because of the fires, the NFL moved the Los Angeles Rams’ wild-card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings to Arizona. The game will be played on Monday evening. And the NBA postponed the Lakers’ game against the Hornets.

More than 175,000 customers in Southern California were without power, nearly half of them in Los Angeles County, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.

Sewage, water and electricity infrastructure across the region suffered significant damage, officials said.

With wires