The Death Toll from Los Angeles Fires Reaches at Least 11

Firefighters in Los Angeles have managed to achieve a relative containment of two out of five major fires in the city; at least 11 people have died in these fires. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection announced early Saturday, January 12, that with the reduction of strong winds, firefighters were able to contain the Palisades and Eaton fires, located in the west and east of Los Angeles, respectively. However, the fires continue in these two areas, with firefighters currently managing to contain 8% of the fire in Palisades and 3% in Eaton. These two fires have so far devastated approximately 14,000 acres. According to the latest official data, the status of three other fires is as follows: the fire in the Lydia area has been nearly fully contained, the fire in the Hearst area is about 70% controlled, and the fire in the Kenneth area is about 50% controlled. The fires began on Tuesday and have reportedly caused the destruction or damage of over 13,000 structures. On Friday, it was reported that a 67-year-old man and his son, who had cerebral palsy, died before an ambulance could reach them, bringing the death toll to 11. It is expected that as the fire subsides and house-to-house searches are conducted, the number of victims will increase. The U.S. Department of Health declared a public health emergency in California on Friday. Additionally, according to Anthony Maroney, the head of the Los Angeles Fire Department, following the allocation of more aid, the area is in 'much better shape' than in previous days. Over the past two days, the federal government, seven neighboring states to California, and Canada have allocated aid, equipment, and personnel to combat these fires.