Firefighters are battling to control a series of major fires in the Los Angeles area that have killed seven people, ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and forced over 180,000 people to flee their homes.
Steve Kerr’s mother among those who lost their home to the blazes
The 90-year-old mother of Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is among thousands who have lost their homes as fierce wildfires rage in the Los Angeles area.
“My mom is in good hands, but her house is gone,” Kerr said Thursday night before the Warriors played the Detroit Pistons. “I’ve been on the phone with my siblings quite a bit.”
Kerr said his mother, Ann, left her home in Pacific Palisades — Kerr’s hometown — after the evacuation orders earlier in the week.
Death toll rises to 7 in Los Angeles-area fires
County and city officials have confirmed that the death toll from the two main fires in and around Los Angeles has risen to seven.
There have been five deaths from the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, according to Carlos Herrera, a public information officer with the LA County Fire Department.
To the west in Pacific Palisades, two people have died in the fire burning in the LA area, according to LA Fire Department spokesperson Margaret Stewart.
Firefighters have achieved some containment of the Palisades Fire, officials say
The Palisades Fire, which started Tuesday and has burned through the seaside enclave of Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, remained uncontained until Thursday evening, when officials said containment was at 6%.
“Thank you to our brave firefighters working around the clock to combat the blaze fueled by hurricane-force winds,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a social media post.
All Los Angeles Unified schools to remain closed Friday
All Los Angeles Unified schools and offices will remain closed on Friday because of the fires, district Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said Thursday evening.
Classes will not resume until the conditions improve, he said.
Carvalho said the district has lost two elementary schools and that one high school is significantly damaged. He also said the district’s foundation is working to support district employees who have lost their homes.
900 more firefighters to battle fast-moving Kenneth Fire, governor says
Gov. Gavin Newsom in a social media post Thursday evening said 900 additional firefighters are now being deployed to battle the fast-moving Kenneth Fire near the West Hills and Calabasas.
The fire ballooned in size — charring over a square mile (2.6 square kilometers) — within hours of igniting.
Source : https://apnews.com/live/wildfire-los-angeles-palisades-eaton-updates
