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Death Toll Rises To 16 As Fires Continue To Burn In California

Five cases are from the Palisades Fire and 11 are from the Eaton Fire in the Altadena area, the department said.

At least 16 people are believed to be dead as the devastating wildfires continue across Southern California amid dry and windy conditions, the medical examiner said on Saturday.

Five cases are from the Palisades Fire and 11 are from the Eaton Fire in the Altadena area, the department said.

10 of the cases have been confirmed to be human remains, the medical examiner said.

Thousands of firefighters are battling at least four different blazes. The Palisades Fire, in Pacific Palisades, is the largest of them all. It has burned over 23,000 acres, destroyed thousands of homes, and is 11% contained. The Eaton Fire, in Altadena, is 15% contained.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District extended its smoke advisory into Sunday night amid concerns over air quality and more high Santa Ana winds are expected.

“Smoke from the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire is expected to most heavily impact coastal and central Los Angeles County on Saturday and Sunday,” it said, adding PM2.5 levels could remain at unhealthy levels “in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Pasadena, downtown Los Angeles and areas nearby the fires.”

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The Palisades continued to grow on Saturday as it moves close to the Brentwood neighborhood.

A White House official told Fwrd Axis News that 16,000 people have registered for FEMA assistance since President Joe Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration for the California fires.

At the president’s direction, the Department of Defense has made more than 1,000 beds available for displaced personnel and families in bases in the region.

Canada, Texas and Mexico will join in “providing critical support” fighting the LA wildfires, The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

“These reinforcements are crucial not only for containment efforts but also to provide much-needed relief to the brave firefighters on the frontlines,” Cal Fire said on X Saturday. The crews will join more than 14,000 personnel already deployed to fight the fires.

President-elect Donald Trump criticized the officials managing the LA wildfires early on Sunday, calling them “incompetent”.

“The fires are still raging in L.A.,” he wrote on Truth Social. “The incompetent pols have no idea how to put them out.”

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Stephen Anderson
Written By

Stephen Anderson is FWRD AXIS' Co-founder and Chief Political Reporter based in the United States.

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