LA wildfire: Death toll climbs to 16, more than 12,000 structures destroyed; evacuation underway
PTC News Desk: Massive winds have exacerbated wildfires turning them into infernos across Los Angeles. The death toll in catastrophic windfires has increased to 16 while more than 12,000 structures have been destroyed.
Firefighters in a race against time are in a constant battle to subside the aggressively spreading fire with officials warning that strong winds forecast overnight and early next week could jeopardize their progress.
As the fire continues to rage, the Palisades fire which is the largest of four other active blazes has expanded across additional 1,000 acres ravaging thousands of more structures in the city.
Video footage captured a striking fire tornado near the Palisades Fire, displaying a swirling vortex of flames spiraling uncontrollably. Referred to as fire whirls or fire devils, a "firenado" forms when hot air and gases from a fire create a rotating column that lifts smoke, debris, and flames into the sky.
BREAKING: A ‘firenado’ was just spotted near the 405 freeway in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/vQwM7wuyfr — News Rated (@NewsRated) January 11, 2025
Besides the 16 dead, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported that 13 people are still missing, and the grim task of searching for victims continues with systematic grid searches using cadaver dogs.
- With inputs from agencies
