Despite the devastating fires, President Biden pledges support for recovery.
Los Angeles: Firefighters finally started making progress on Friday in controlling two major wildfires on the eastern and western edges of Los Angeles, as the fierce winds that had fueled the fires for several days finally eased.
Since Tuesday, six simultaneous wildfires have ravaged Los Angeles County, killing at least 11 people and damaging or destroying 10,000 structures. These numbers are expected to rise as firefighters gain access to conduct house-to-house searches.
With thousands left homeless and thick smoke leading to a public health emergency declaration, firefighters reported significant progress in controlling the Palisades Fire on the western side of the city and the Eaton Fire in the foothills to the east.
The Palisades Fire is now 8% contained, and the Eaton Fire is 3% contained. These two fires have consumed 35,000 acres (14,100 hectares), an area roughly 2.5 times the size of Manhattan.
Currently, 153,000 people are under evacuation orders, and another 166,800 are under evacuation warnings. A curfew has been imposed in all evacuation zones.
President Joe Biden declared the fires a major disaster and pledged federal support, stating that the U.S. government would reimburse 100% of recovery costs for the next six months.
