Devastating LA wildfires leave five dead, thousands displaced

Shafaq News/ Raging wildfires on the outskirts of Los Angeles killed at least five people, US authorities announced, warning that the death toll could rise.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told US media outlets that 70,000 residents were under evacuation orders or warnings in the Eaton Fire area, while 60,000 residents were under similar directives in the Palisades Fire region.

“Three people have been arrested for looting in fire-affected areas,” he added.

“This is still a very fluid situation, there's zero containment on this fire. I'm really praying we don't find more, but I don't think that's going to be the case,” he explained.

Fanned by powerful winds, the massive blazes have destroyed more than 2,000 structures in America’s second-largest city and forced tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes.

Thick clouds of smoke and ash have blanketed the air, prompting warnings about air quality across a wide swath of Southern California.

Deputy Medical Director for the Los Angeles Fire Department, Bonnet Gupta, stated that wildfire smoke is known to trigger heart attacks and worsen asthma, and burning homes can also release dangerous chemicals such as cyanide and carbon dioxide into the air.

“Emergency rooms are seeing patients affected by the smoke, even as hospitals grapple with overcrowding due to flu season,” he clarified.

Expressing concern about the danger to medical facilities, Gupta pointed out that some hospitals may also face evacuation orders as the fires approach their locations.

The smoke from the fires has significantly increased the concentration of particulate matter in the air, which can pose health risks, particularly for children, the elderly, and individuals with preexisting conditions such as heart and lung diseases are particularly vulnerable.

The smoke from the fires has significantly increased the concentration of particulate matter in the air, posing health risks, especially for children, the elderly, and individuals with preexisting conditions such as heart and lung diseases.

One of the blazes has been described as the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles’ modern history.