13 hours ago
At least five people have died as wildfires blaze across Los Angeles, remaining mostly uncontained. Evacuation orders were issued in several areas including Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills being the latest. The Palisades Fire- scorching the seaside area between Malibu and Santa Monica- exploded to more than 15,800 acres and has destroyed at least 1,000 structures, making it the most destructive ever in Los Angeles County.
About 1.5 million customers are without power in southern California, with nearly a million of them in Los Angeles County, according to PowerOutage.us.
US President Joe Biden directed the Department of Defense to rapidly provide additional firefighting personnel and capabilities, including air support, to the state of California. Joe Biden approved a Major Disaster declaration for California, allowing impacted communities and survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery.
The White House said in a statement, “As the fires continue to devastate communities, President Biden is focused on mobilizing life-saving and life-sustaining resources across the region.”
