Hopes tide is turning against Los Angeles wildfires
More than 10,000 structures have been destroyed by fires in the county, and the death toll has risen to seven.
Officials warn the real number of fatalities will remain unclear until they can safely access neighbourhoods.
But conditions have eased in the city, with winds losing intensity, slowing the spread of the fires.
Governor Gavin Newsom said another of the more threatening blazes, the Sunset fire, has been suppressed.
“With more favourable overnight winds, firefighting aircraft were able to safely fly and help put out this blaze,” Newsom said.
Meanwhile, the Palisades fire which close to obliterated the neighbourhoods of Pacific Palisades and Malibu, is now six per cent contained.
As firefighters struggled to contain four major wildfires surrounding the city, a new blaze has broken out, growing rapidly over a few hours.
It has quickly triggered mandatory evacuations in the area, which has many homes.
But an evacuation order intended for specific areas in the fire’s reach was mistakenly sent out to nine million people.
The evacuation order was issued for the entire Los Angeles County, the largest municipality in the US.
But a correction was quickly sent out.
Ahead of strong winds forecast in coming days, US President Joe Biden has announced an influx in federal resources.
“I’m surging every federal resource possible to Southern California, including hundreds of federal firefighters, 30 firefighting helicopters and planes, 8 DoD C-130s, and 500 military ground-clearing personnel,” the president announced.
“We’re working with (the Department of Defence) to identify what more we can surge.”
But President-elect Donald Trump has struck a different tone, accusing Newsom of not providing enough water to southern California.
“One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It’s ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!” Trump wrote on social media.
“Governor Gavin Newscum should immediately go to Northern California and open up the water main, and let the water flow into his dry, starving, burning State, instead of having it go out into the Pacific Ocean.”
Trump will be sworn in as president in ten days.
About 180,000 people are unable to return to their homes across Los Angeles County, with evacuation orders still in place.
And many of those people will have no home to go back to.
As a deterrent to looters, the sheriff’s department is preparing to implement a 6pm to 6am curfew.
If they are unable to implement it tonight, it is hoped to be in place tomorrow.