Los Angeles:

A huge federal probe was under way Tuesday into what caused the deadly Los Angeles wildfires, with millions in the city clamoring for answers.

Social media has exploded with theories about what started blazes that tore through the city of Altadena and the upmarket neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, killing at least 24 people and leaving whole communities in ruins.

Suggestions include downed power lines, deliberate arson, a stray firework and the reignition of an earlier fire.

But Jose Medina of the federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), which is leading the inquiry, said it was too early to say.

“We know everyone wants answers, and the community deserves answers. ATF will give you those answers, but it will be once we complete a thorough investigation,” he told reporters.

The ATF is working with local law enforcement, as well as the Forest Service and the US Attorney’s office, in an operation that will involve around 75 people.

Fire investigators, chemists, electrical engineers and sniffer dogs trained to detect accelerant will be doing painstaking fieldwork to find the seats of the two fires, he said.

A team will also be deployed to gather clues from the local community and online, conducting interviews with possible witnesses.

“We are following all the leads and processing all the physical evidence,” Medina said.

“ATF is determined to leverage every available resource to deliver a thorough and transparent investigation.”

Internet users have leapt on a video posted by trail runners that shows them running away from smoke in hills above Pacific Palisades.

But one of the men, Beni Oren, told the Los Angeles Times they had nothing to do with the fire, and had actually been fleeing for their lives in the video.

“It’s definitely kind of infuriating that people are blaming us,” he told the paper.

“Just knowing as a matter of fact… that we didn’t do it but then seeing the amount of people that have different theories is overwhelming.”

Local media reported that a number of homeowners in the Altadena area have launched a lawsuit against power company Southern California Edison after a video appeared to show flames at the base of an electrical transmission tower.

The utility has said it does not believe its equipment was at fault.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Arcadia, United States:

As deadly flames swept closer and smoke poured into their Los Angeles home, Zahrah Mihm tried to calmly wake her two young children in the middle of the night.

“We gotta go baby. We’re going on a fun adventure,” she told 4-year-old Ethan in her gentlest voice, scooping up her 18-month-old baby and fleeing their house in Altadena.

The neighborhood would soon be totally razed by the inferno. At least 17 died in this community alone, with more bodies being discovered. 

The trauma has been severe for everyone, but is perhaps more acute among evacuated families with young children, many of whom are now desperately seeking diapers, milk formula and clothing.

And then there is the question of how to explain this colossal disaster to children who may sense their parents’ panic, even if they do not fully grasp what is happening.

“When we woke up at four in the morning panicking, he was shaking, scared,” recalled Mihm.

“I was like, ‘Are you cold?’ He’s like, ‘No, mommy, what’s happening? Why is there fire?'” 

The Mihms are sheltering at a friend’s home after struggling to find a hotel.

Even now, Zahrah is trying to distract her son, describing their visit Monday to a donation center in search of clean bedding and diapers as “a super fun party” packed with people, food and toys.

As his mother — still wearing the slippers in which she’d fled — spoke to an AFP reporter, Ethan proudly displayed his new dinosaur pajamas and toy car. 

“I’m trying to take this moment out of his mind, and just be like, ‘It’s all good. Our house got a little owie, we are gonna fix it. It’s gonna be fine,'” she said, out of earshot of him.

‘TraumatiSed’

The donation center in nearby Arcadia — which sprung up organically from one resident’s TikTok post asking for supplies, and has drawn hundreds of volunteers — received so many donations it is turning some away, but baby products remain among the most pressing needs.

“We desperately need diapers,” said Kellie Krievs, a 38-year-old communications director who is volunteering at the makeshift operation in the parking lot of the Santa Anita racetrack.

“A lot of people, the first thing they ask for is diapers and baby formula,” Krievs told AFP.

Beyond those products, mental health is an urgent concern.

“The kids are not alright,” said Chessa Latifi, deputy director of emergency response for NGO Project Hope.

“They’re acting differently and they’re under stress — they know that their friends have lost their homes, and they know that their school is closed.”

She urged parents to maintain whatever normalcy they can, including setting up playdates with friends.

“Just trying to make sure they understand that their community, whether it be physically or emotionally, is still there for them,” she said.

“This entire city has been traumatized, whether your house was burnt down or not,” Latifi added.

Thankfully for the Mihms, their home was only partially burnt.

Neighboring homes on three sides of their property were totally destroyed, as the blaze miraculously swept in an S-shape around them.

But they are still unable to return, with no electricity, powerlines dangling dangerously around the house, and National Guard soldiers sealing off the street.

“We’re OK. We’re just devastated, that’s all,” Mihm said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Los Angeles:

‘Wicked’ fame music producer Greg Wells is one of many celebrities who lost their homes in California wildfires.

As per Variety, he not only lost his family home but his state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos mixing room and studio also were destroyed in Pacific Palisades.

For Wells, it happened just as he was preparing to resume work on “Wicked: For Good.”

Speaking with Variety, Wells said, “You know, I think life is supposed to be hard. I’m not sure it’s supposed to be quite this hard. But it could be so, so, so much worse than it is. I know a number of people have died, but the people immediately close to me and my family, we’re all healthy and safe — and kind of depressed and bewildered.”

“I had such a collection of incredible recording equipment, like a custom-made, 48-channel analog console made by Paul Wolff, who used to own API, and 17 speakers in that room, six in the ceiling, three on each wall, two on the rear wall, four huge subwoofers up front — just a magical, magical room. But I just have to remind myself, it’s really down to the people and to the ideas, and none of that stuff makes a song better. So I’m not gonna let it define me,” he added.

Recently, Paris Hilton shared on Instagram that her Malibu home was destroyed while she watched the news about the wildfires.

“To know so many are waking up today without the place they called home is truly heartbreaking,” she wrote. Hilton’s mid-century beach house, purchased in 2021 for over USD 8 million, was the site where her son, Phoenix, “took his first steps.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Los Angeles:

US officials warned “dangerous and strong” winds were set to push deadly wildfires further through Los Angeles residential areas Sunday as firefighters struggled to make progress against the flames.

At least 16 people have been confirmed dead from blazes that have ripped through the city, reducing whole neighborhoods to ashes and leaving thousands without homes.

Despite massive efforts, including precision sorties from aerial crews, the Palisades Fire continued to grow, spreading east towards the priceless collections of the Getty Center art museum and north to the densely populated San Fernando Valley.

“The winds are potentially getting dangerous and strong again,” Deanne Criswell, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), told CNN.

“The biggest thing that people need to know is that this is still dangerous.”

A brief lull in the wind gave way to gusts that forecasters warned could reach up to 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers per hour) early Sunday, and feed the blazes for days to come.

The winds were due to weaken later Sunday before picking up again overnight, the National Weather Service said.

Nowhere to live

The Palisades Fire was 11 percent contained but had grown to 23,600 acres (9,500 hectares), while the Eaton Fire was at 14,000 acres and 15 percent contained.

Official figures show more than 12,000 structures burned, though Cal Fire’s Todd Hopkins said not all were houses and the number included outbuildings, trailers and sheds.

In some areas, the ferocious fire left streaks of molten metal flowing from burnt-out cars.

The sudden rush of evacuated people needing somewhere to live posed a growing problem for the city.

“I’m back on the market with tens of thousands of people,” said a man who gave his name as Brian, whose rent-controlled apartment has burned. “That doesn’t bode well.”

With incidences of looting and a nighttime curfew in place, police and National Guard mounted checkpoints to prevent people getting into the disaster zones.

Two people were arrested near Vice President Kamala Harris’s Brentwood house for violating the curfew order after police received reports of burglary.

A handwritten sign with “looters will be shot” was hung on one tree, next to the US flag outside a house in Pacific Palisades.

But the security checkpoints have left residents frustrated as they queue for up to 10 hours to try to get back in and see what, if anything, is left of their homes or check on family.

Prevented from entering an evacuation zone, Altadena resident Bobby Salman, 42, said: “I have to be there to protect my family, my wife, my kids, my mom and I cannot even go and see them.”

The queues left some people fuming about poor management, the latest gripe from a population already angry over hydrants that ran dry in the initial firefight.

City officials have put on a united front after reports of a behind-the-scenes row between the mayor and the fire chief.

But President-elect Donald Trump accused California officials of incompetence.

“This is one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our Country. They just can’t put out the fires. What’s wrong with them?” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

Teams with cadaver dogs were combing through the rubble, with several people known to be missing and fears that the death toll will grow.

Among those known to have died in the tragedy was former Australian child star Rory Sykes, who appeared in British TV show “Kiddy Kapers” in the 1990s.

Climate impact

A huge investigation by federal and local authorities was underway to determine what caused the blazes.

California Governor Gavin Newsom told Meet the Press he was also launching a “Marshall Plan” for the state as it looks to rebuild.

“We already have a team looking at reimagining L.A. 2.0,” he said.

He also stressed the immediate problem of weather conditions, saying “the challenge is the winds. We’ve got these winds coming back this evening, Sunday night. We’ve got peak winds on Monday.”

While the ignition of a wildfire can be deliberate, they are often natural, and a vital part of an environment’s life cycle.

But urban sprawl puts people more frequently in harm’s way, and the changing climate — supercharged by humanity’s unchecked use of fossil fuels — is exacerbating the conditions that give rise to destructive blazes.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Los Angeles:

US President-elect Donald Trump accused California officials on Sunday of incompetence over their handling of deadly wildfires raging around Los Angeles.

“The fires are still raging in L.A. The incompetent pols (politicians) have no idea how to put them out,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

“This is one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our Country. They just can’t put out the fires. What’s wrong with them?” he wrote.

The speed and intensity of the blazes ravaging Los Angeles have tested its firefighting infrastructure and given rise to questions and criticism about the state’s preparedness.

Hydrants ran dry in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood as it was ravaged by one of the region’s five separate fires, while water shortages additionally hampered efforts elsewhere.

With just over a week before he returns to the White House, Trump has launched a series of evidence-free broadsides accusing California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom of failings in response to the blazes.

Newsom has meanwhile invited Trump to visit Los Angeles and survey the devastation with him.

The fires have so far killed at least 16 people, displaced 150,000 more, and destroyed more than 12,000 structures according to state officials.

“Thousands of magnificent houses are gone, and many more will soon be lost. There is death all over the place,” Trump said in his post.

Despite firefighters’ heroic efforts, including precision sorties from aerial crews, the Palisades Fire has continued to push east towards the priceless collections of the Getty Center art museum and north to the densely populated San Fernando Valley.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Firefighters watch as water is dropped on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles.
| Photo Credit: AP

Five days after an inferno razed Pacific Palisades, Maya Lieberman is desperate to find somewhere to live. But unscrupulous landlords who are jacking up prices are making it hard.

“The price gouging is going haywire, it’s obscene,” the 50-year-old stylist told AFP.

“I can’t find anywhere for us to go.”

Huge fires that have torn through Los Angeles since Tuesday have levelled whole neighborhoods, turning swathes of the city to ash.

More than 150,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes as authorities try to keep down a death toll that has already reached 16.

One blaze devastated Pacific Palisades, an upmarket enclave that was home to celebrities like Billy Crystal and Kate Beckinsale, which — until this week — was some of the most desirable real estate in the United States.

With the area now under a compulsory evacuation order, even those whose homes survived the inferno need to go elsewhere for the forseeable future.

The higher-than-average incomes of people forced to leave homes there appears to have tempted chancers, who see the opportunity to make money from others’ misery.

“We put in an application at a house… that was listed at $17,000 a month, and they told us if we didn’t pay $30,000, we weren’t going to get it,” Lieberman said.

“They told me they have people ready to offer more and pay cash. It’s absolutely insane.”

State of emergency

Similar stories of apparent price gouging abound.

“I have friends who booked a hotel outside Los Angeles, and when they arrived there, they were asked for a higher price,” said TV producer Alex Smith, who has been forced to leave his home.

The sharp practice has drawn the ire of California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta, who warned Saturday there are laws against it.

“Price gouging is illegal. We will not stand for it. We will hold you accountable. We will prosecute,” he told reporters, adding those found guilty could land themselves a year in jail.

Once a state of emergency is declared — as it has been for the out-of-control fires — vendors cannot increase their prices by more than 10%.

That applies to small businesses as well as to mega companies whose automated tools use supply and demand to set the cost of everything from hotel stays to concert tickets.

“If those algorithms lead to prices higher after the declaration of emergency than before, by more than 10%, you’re violating the law,” he said.

“You need to figure out how to adjust your prices consistent with the law. And if that means departing from your algorithm, depart from your algorithm.”

For Brian, a retiree who has been sleeping in his car since the evacuation order was raised, the short term rules protecting against price gouging are almost beside the point.

The 69-year-old, who did not want to give his full name, has been living in a rent-controlled studio apartment in Pacific Palisades for two decades.

That has now gone, along with it the guarantee that his rent cannot rise.

His pension, he fears, will not stretch far in a city where rents have doubled in the last 10 years — a problem likely to be exacerbated by the sudden rush of people needing somewhere new to live.

“I’m back on the market with tens of thousands of people,” he said.

“That doesn’t bode well.”

The devastating Los Angeles wildfires are poised to become one of the costliest natural disasters in US history, with estimated losses already surpassing $135 billion. According to a preliminary estimate by private forecaster AccuWeather, the total losses could reach as high as $150 billion, making it one of the most expensive wildfires the country has ever seen, BBC has reported.

“These fast-moving, wind-driven infernos have created one of the costliest wildfire disasters in modern US history,” said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter. The sheer scale of the destruction is staggering, with over 5,300 structures destroyed by the Palisades blaze and more than 5,000 structures destroyed by the Eaton Fire.

The insurance industry is bracing for a significant hit, with analysts from firms such as Morningstar and JP Morgan forecasting insured losses of over $8 billion. This could exacerbate the existing challenges faced by the industry, which has been struggling to cope with the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters. As the full extent of the damage becomes clear, insurers will be forced to reevaluate their risk assessments and pricing strategies, potentially leading to higher premiums and reduced coverage options for homeowners in high-risk areas.

As a result, many people are turning to state government-backed insurance plans, which are often more expensive and offer less protection. In California, the number of policies offered through the state’s Fair plan has more than doubled since 2020, from around 200,000 to over 450,000 in September last year. Areas hit by the fires have seen some of the highest take-up rates, according to data from the program.

The long-term effects of the wildfires will be significant, with potential damage to property values, strain on public finances, and impacts on health and tourism. Denise Rappmund, a senior analyst at Moody’s Ratings, warned that the fires would have “widespread, negative impacts for the state’s broader insurance market.” She added that “increased recovery costs will likely drive up premiums and may reduce property insurance availability.”

The 2018 Camp fire in northern California currently holds the record for the highest insured costs, at around $12.5 billion. However, the Los Angeles wildfires are likely to surpass this total, given the high property values in the affected areas. Aon, a leading insurance company, has already indicated that this disaster is likely to rank among the top five costliest wildfires in US history.

However, the US and California government estimates on the damage are yet to be announced.
 

Aerial views of Los Angeles ravaged by fires

| Video Credit:
The Hindu

The massive wildfires in California engulfed whole neighbourhoods in Los Angeles, the second-largest city in USA. At least ten people have been killed, and thousands displaced.

Officials have placed the origin of the wind-whipped blaze behind a home on Piedra Morada Drive, which sits above a densely wooded arroyo. Multi-million dollar mansions have vanished entirely.

The biggest of the multiple blazes has ripped through almost 20,000 acres of the upscale Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, while another fire around Altadena has torched 13,700 acres.

Residents of Altadena who recalled the horrors, likened it to the apocalypse.

Read more: Los Angeles fire deaths at 10 as National Guard called in

Video: AFPTV

New Delhi:

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has sent firefighting resources to California as the state grapples with devastating wildfires. This comes despite the ongoing verbal duel between US President-elect Donald Trump and the outgoing Canadian Prime Minister.

Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of making Canada the “51st American state,” while Trudeau has dismissed any such possibility.

On Thursday, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Canadian PM shared a video showing a Canadian waterbomber dousing flames in Los Angeles County ravaged by wildfires. He captioned the post, “Neighbours helping neighbors.” Interestingly, he used British and American spellings for “neighbours”, perhaps underlining the distinction between the two countries.

Neighbours helping neighbors. ????????????????pic.twitter.com/qRuEsu31T0

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 9, 2025

“Canada is mobilizing to help fight the wildfires in southern California. Canadian water bombers are already in action. 250 firefighters are ready to deploy,” Trudeau wrote in a follow-up post, adding, “To our American neighbours: Canada’s here to help.”

Canada is mobilizing to help fight the wildfires in southern California. Canadian water bombers are already in action. 250 firefighters are ready to deploy. The @CanadianForces are standing by to move personnel and equipment.

To our American neighbours: Canada’s here to help.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 9, 2025

What Trump said

In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly provoked Canada with his proposal to merge it into America as the 51st state. He has even hinted at deploying financial pressure to bring Canada under US control. Following Trudeau’s resignation a few days ago, Trump intensified his call for a United States-Canada merger.

“Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State. The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned. If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

In a sharp response, Trudeau said there was “a snowball’s chance in hell” that Canada would become part of the United States. “Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other’s biggest trading and security partner,” he added.

California Wildfires

The wildfire situation in Los Angeles remains dire. According to a CNN report, at least seven people have died, and over 10,000 structures have been destroyed. The fires, fuelled by fierce Santa Ana winds, continue to spread across the region, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate.

The most destructive blaze, the Palisades Fire, has ravaged coastal areas, while the Eaton Fire has swept through communities near the Angeles National Forest, reported CNN. While firefighters made some progress on January 9 as winds weakened, officials said that gusts were expected to pick up again.

Los Angeles Wildfires LIVE Updates: Los Angeles Wildfires that have killed at least five people continue ravaging the city. United States’ second-largest city lay in ruins. California’s National Guard has been deployed to assist in managing the crisis. The biggest blaze had ripped through over 19,000 acres of the upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood, while another fire in Altadena had torched 13,000 acres. Neither of the two fires was contained on Thursday, but the spreading has slowed, the firefighters said. Over 9,000 structures across the city have been damaged. Nearly 180,000 people across Los Angeles remain under evacuation orders.

Amid this, looting has broken out. At least 20 people have been arrested in the aftermath of wildfires that started on Tuesday.

Here are LIVE updates on California wildfires: