Fri Jan 10 09:55:52 UTC 2025: ## Devastating Los Angeles Wildfires Claim 10 Lives, Cause $60 Billion in Estimated Damage

**Los Angeles, CA (January 10, 2025)** – A series of catastrophic wildfires raging across Los Angeles County have claimed at least 10 lives and caused an estimated $60 billion in damage, making it potentially the costliest natural disaster in US history. The blazes, fueled by high winds and drought conditions, have destroyed entire neighborhoods and forced over 140,000 evacuations.

The fires, which began Tuesday, have consumed nearly 34,000 acres across several affluent areas including Palisades, Pasadena, and Malibu, with the largest blaze in Palisades alone covering almost 20,000 acres. The Kenneth Fire, near Calabasas and Hidden Hills, rapidly spread to nearly 1,000 acres within hours. While firefighters have achieved 6% containment of the Palisades fire, new fires continue to ignite, hampered by a shortage of firefighting resources.

Air support, including Boeing Chinook helitankers from as far as Canada, has been deployed to drop water and retardants. However, with windy conditions expected to continue, fears remain high regarding the potential for further fire spread and reignition.

The devastation has left behind scenes of widespread destruction, with residents returning to find their homes reduced to ashes. Looting has been reported, prompting Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna to announce a curfew for affected areas and deploy National Guard troops to patrol evacuation zones. Schools remain closed in many areas.

Meteorologists warn that critical fire weather conditions, while currently abated, are likely to persist, with significant fire growth predicted through Friday. The fires, exacerbated by a prolonged drought followed by unusually wet years resulting in rapid vegetation growth, underscore concerns about the impact of climate change on wildfire severity. Scientists emphasize that while wildfires are a natural part of the western US ecosystem, human-caused climate change is intensifying their frequency and intensity.

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