LOS ANGELES: At least 16 have been confirmed dead, and over 12,000 structures have been damaged and destroyed in the raging Los Angeles wildfires that started last week.
The authorities have warned that conditions are expected to worsen in the coming days as devastating wildfires continue to rage across different parts of Los Angeles County, leading to widespread disruptions, including school closures and the cancellation of entertainment, sports, and community events.
The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest public school district in the United States, closed schools on Thursday and Friday to fend off students and staff from hazardous air quality. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho emphasised that travelling to school posed greater risks than staying at home, particularly for children with respiratory conditions.
Some campuses near evacuation zones also experienced power outages and low attendance before the closures were announced.
"We had to evacuate, so our lives are a mess, and the whole city is at a standstill," said Pacific Palisades resident Kenneth, who only gave his first name to Xinhua, "but at least we're still alive."
Currently, six wildfires are still burning across Los Angeles County, scorching nearly 36,000 acres. One of the biggest, the Palisades fire, has burnt over 21,300 acres and damaged or destroyed more than 5,300 structures so far.
On the east side of Los Angeles, fires in Eaton Canyon and Highland Park affected schools and homes, with reports of damage to two elementary schools and parts of Palisades Charter High School. The Eaton Fire has consumed nearly 14,000 acres with up to 5,000 structures damaged or destroyed.
Meanwhile, the entertainment industry has been hard hit by the fires, power outages, and toxic air quality. Multiple film and TV shoots currently in production have been cancelled, as well as many premieres and events, due to the uncertain spread of the fires and toxic air quality. (IANS)
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