Los Angeles wildfires: Death toll rises to 10; flames devour thousands of homes

Two massive wildfires menacing Los Angeles from the east and west devoured nearly 10,000 homes and other structures, burning into a third night on Thursday even as the fierce winds eased and gave firefighters a welcome but temporary respite.

The Palisades Fire between Santa Monica and Malibu on the city's western flank and the Eaton Fire in the east near Pasadena already rank as the most destructive in Los Angeles history, consuming 34,000 acres (13,750 hectares) - or some 53 square miles - turning entire neighbourhoods to ash.

The death toll from the blazes rose to 10 from seven, Los Angeles County's Medical Examiner said in an update late on Thursday.

However, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told a press conference he did not want to pronounce an exact number until it was safe for human remains detection teams to conduct house-to-house searches.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.

But based on the widespread devastation, he expected the number to grow.

"It looks like an atomic bomb dropped in these areas. I don't expect good news, and we're not looking forward to those numbers," Luna said.

Earlier, he reported the Eaton Fire alone had damaged or destroyed 4,000 to 5,000 structures. Officials said the Palisades Fire destroyed another 5,300 structures.

Private forecaster AccuWeather estimated the damage and economic loss at $135 billion to $150 billion, portending an arduous recovery and soaring homeowners' insurance costs.

"We're already looking ahead to aggressively rebuild the city of Los Angeles," said Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, who faced criticism from President-elect Donald Trump and other Republicans over her handling of the disaster.

President Joe Biden, who declared a major disaster on Tuesday, promised on Thursday that the federal government would reimburse 100% of the recovery for the next 180 days to pay for debris and hazard material removal, temporary shelters and first responder salaries.

"I told the governor, local officials, spare no expense to do what they need to do and contain these fires," Biden said after meeting with senior advisers at the White House.

In all, five wildfires burned in Los Angeles County, and the skies buzzed with aircraft dropping retardant and water on the flaming hills.

One rapidly growing blaze broke out on Thursday near Calabasas, one of the wealthiest cities in the US and home to numerous celebrities and gated communities. The so-called Kenneth Fire expanded to 960 acres (388 hectares) in a matter of hours.

With nerves on edge, Los Angeles County mistakenly sent an evacuation notice countywide to a population of 9.6 million, even though it had been meant only for the area of the Kenneth Fire, officials said. A correction was quickly sent.

'We are alive'

Some Pacific Palisades residents ventured back to areas the fire had already swept through, where brick chimneys were left looming over charred waste and burnt-out vehicles.

"We are alive. That's all that matters," private security guard Bilal Tukhi said while standing watch outside his employer's damaged home, saying the scene reminded him of his native, war-torn Afghanistan.

• Tens of thousands flee as wildfires tear through Los Angeles area