Wednesday 15 / January / 2025
Los Angeles: Winds that have fanned wildfires in the US city of Los Angeles are again expected to kick up in the early hours of on Wednesday - after a 25th death from the huge, week-long outbreak was confirmed.
Forecasters have again identified an area of "extreme fire danger", emphasising the risk level in a region to the north-west of the city centre, BBC news reported.
The anticipated increase in wind speeds threatens to further fan the remaining four blazes, which firefighters have made further progress in tackling during a few days of calmer conditions.
There are hopes of another drop-in wind speeds after today, but officials have highlighted the need for rain that would help fire crews in their battle.
The 25th death was confirmed by the LA County Medical Examiner's Office. Thirteen other people remain missing.
Most of the victims have died in the Eaton Fire, which has burned more than 14,000 acres to the city's north, but has now been 35% contained by firefighters.
Further west, the larger Palisades Fire has torched more than 23,000 acres, and is now at 18% containment. Two smaller fires also continue to burn.
Tens of thousands of people are therefore still under evacuation orders - where night-time curfews also apply - and thousands of homes have been destroyed in one of the costliest natural disasters in American history.
