Death toll from LA wildfires rises as new fast-moving blaze breaks out

Officials confirm first deaths in the Palisades fire, as another blaze prompts fresh evacuation orders

The death toll from the destructive wildfires ripping through Los Angeles has risen to seven and damaged thousands of structures, authorities have said, as a fresh blaze broke out.

Of the seven deaths so far, LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley confirmed two were in Pacific Palisades.

Firefighters are now tackling a fast-growing fire, called the Kenneth Fire, which started in the late afternoon in the San Fernando Valley near the West Hills neighbourhood and close to Ventura County.

The fire, which ignited less than two miles away from the a school where people are sheltering from the fire in Palisades, has prompted fresh evacuation orders

Officials have warned the death toll could rise again. LA county sheriff Robert Luna said the figures were “preliminary and it’s absolutely going to change”.

“We’re still in a very chaotic scenario,” he said.

He added that the Eaton Fire alone had damaged or destroyed 4,000 to 5,000 structures, while officials said the Palisades fire destroyed another 5,300 structures.

Human remains detection teams would conduct house-to-house searches once it is safe, County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said.

Homes are seen burned while a few still stand in the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles. (Photo: Mark J. Terrill/AP )

Residents look for belongings after the Eaton Fire burns in Altadena (Photo: Nic Coury/AP)

Thousands of homes and businesses have been incinerated and nearly 180,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes, with another 200,000 under evacuation warnings, officials said.

Private forecaster AccuWeather estimated the damage and economic loss at $135bn to $150bn.

Two massive wildfires were still burning uncontained on Thursday, but a brief respite from the fierce winds that have fanned the flames for two days allowed crews to slow their explosive spread.

However officials warned that the wind was forecast to intensify again in the evening, with gusts of up to 60 mph (96.5 kph). Red flag conditions were expected until Friday afternoon.

The Eaton Fire reached the grounds of the Mount Wilson Observatory, the place where a century ago Edwin Hubble discovered the existence of galaxies beyond the Milky Way and that the universe is expanding.

“There are firefighters on the grounds … and (we) will update here as we can,” the observatory said in a statement.

A satellite timelapse shows the fires from space (Photo: CSU/CIRA & NOAA/ via REUTERS)

The two biggest conflagrations – the Palisades and Eaton fires – formed a pincer around the city so enormous that it was visible from space.

“It is safe to say that the Palisades Fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles,” Crowley said.

Firefighting crews managed to control the Sunset Fire that forced mandatory evacuations in Hollywood and Hollywood Hills.

Water dropped from aircraft helped fire crews quickly seize control of the fires in the famed entertainment area, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said.

Jamie Lee Curtis, Billy Crystal, and Adam Brody were among the stars affected as the blaze spread through scrubland to the heart of Hollywood.

Curtis said her family would donate $1m to relief efforts.

Homes belonging to Welsh film star Anthony Hopkins, actors Leighton Meester and Adam Brody, and award-winning screen veteran James Woods, were also reportedly among thousands of buildings destroyed.

Firefighters from half a dozen other US states are being rushed to California, while an additional 250 engine companies with 1,000 personnel were being moved from Northern California to Southern California.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose country has experienced its own severe wildfires, sent water bombers to Southern California to help, and said 250 Canadian firefighters were ready to deploy.

“To our American neighbours: Canada’s here to help,” Trudeau said.