The wildfires that swept through the Los Angeles area have left a trail of destruction and loss. At least 27 people have died in the fires, according to Los Angeles County officials. The county medical examiner’s office is still investigating many of the deaths.
It could take weeks to confirm the identities of those killed. The death toll may rise as assessments continue. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone reported significant injuries among individuals who did not heed evacuation orders in both the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire.
The Palisades Fire erupted the morning of January 7 in Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood in Los Angeles east of Malibu. The blaze grew to 23,713 acres and was 56% contained by Sunday afternoon. It likely damaged or destroyed more than 5,000 structures.
The Eaton Fire ignited hours after the Palisades Fire near a canyon in the sprawling national forest lands north of downtown Los Angeles. It exploded to 14,021 acres and was 81% contained by Saturday night. More than 10,300 structures have been confirmed damaged or destroyed in this blaze.
L.A. wildfires tally lives, damage
At one point, nearly 200,000 people were under evacuation orders as crews battled the fires. By Tuesday morning, the number had dwindled to around 88,000, with another 84,800 in evacuation warning zones across Los Angeles County.
The fires have destroyed entire blocks, leaving many people homeless. According to JPMorgan estimates, damage from last week’s fires may exceed $20 billion, with total economic losses potentially reaching $50 billion. This would far exceed the $12.5 billion in insured damages from previous costly blazes in U.S. history.
The exact cause of the fires has not been determined. However, the combination of drought-like conditions and powerful offshore winds created dangerous fire weather. Wind gusts reaching 70 mph were recorded in several locations.
Climate scientist Daniel Swain pointed to California’s weather whiplash in recent years, which has seen severe drought followed by heavy rainfall. This oscillation exacerbates wildfire risks, particularly in Southern California. As investigations continue and recovery efforts proceed, the full extent of the damage and the factors contributing to the fires will become clearer.
The L.A.-area wildfires have had a devastating impact on the region and its residents.
