As winds subsided and firefighters were able to better deal with some of the wildfires that broke out in Los Angeles County last week, some residents who had been hoping to return to their homes are feeling the pinch, even if the fires are in their neighborhood. Even if it’s over, I can’t go home. .
Residents of Altadena and West Los Angeles are unsure if their homes are still standing and are anxious to return to their neighborhoods and learn the fate of their properties. Los Angeles County officials said they sympathize with evacuees who can’t return to their homes, but assured residents in affected areas that it’s for their safety.
“We’re still in the middle of this with no end in sight,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.
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Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Christine Crowley said the areas burned by the wildfires have not yet been determined. He said crews were encountering flare-ups while responding and the situation would be dangerous if residents returned.
“Evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect,” Crowley said. “I know this is very frustrating, but I want to understand and I want to express and explain why residents are not allowed to return to the area. Fires continue to burn within the Palisades area, making it extremely dangerous for the public.
NBC4 reporter Annette Arreola, who saw first-hand the damage caused by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, said she witnessed hot spots herself.
“We still have a curfew from 6pm to 6am. We are asking for roads to be cleared because of flare-ups,” she said.
downed utility
In addition to flare-ups, power utility outages have created dangerous conditions in fire-affected areas.
“I just want to say this: When you drive through some of these areas, it literally looks like a war zone,” Luna said. “There are downed utility poles and wires, and fires are still smoldering in some places…We care. We want to get you back home, but we won’t allow that until it’s safe. You can’t.
Crowley echoed Luna’s warnings about downed poles and services.
“There is no power, no running water, the gas pipes are broken and the building is unstable,” she said.
During Arreola’s interview, trees were seen falling and at least one was seen tangled in wires.
“Again, why don’t we want people to drive through these streets, right here,” she said of the trees. “It’s a very dangerous situation. And because of those flare-ups. They need firefighters, engines, trucks, and they need direct access to the hillside.”
Despite the dangerous conditions, experts are already working to restore services in the affected areas.
“When you’re asking people to stay away from the city, it’s for your own benefit,” Arreola said. “They have no service. We have a Southern California Edison truck here trying to repair the line. The gas company is also here. There are a lot of broken gas lines, utility poles and utility lines. Because everything you can imagine is down. There’s no running water.”
A drive through the areas of Altadena that were destroyed by the Eaton Fire shows the devastation the fires have wrought on communities. Annette Arreola reports on NBC4 News Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 at 12:30 p.m.
grid search
Tragically, 16 people are confirmed dead and others missing in the Palisades Fire in West Los Angeles and the Eaton Fire in Altadena, with intense operations underway in affected communities. It continues.
“The Sheriff’s Department, along with our partners at the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Medical Examiner’s Office, began an operation that was essentially a grid search,” Luna said. “It’s a very systematic method.”
In a grid search, the fire-affected area is divided into grids and each square is searched for survivors or bodies. Authorities searched about 360 residences in Altadena, Luna said.
“We’ll keep going every day until we’ve gone through that entire area,” Luna said. “We plan to do the same in the Lost Hills area of Malibu.”
what to do when you get home
Those who have received official permission from the authorities to return to their hometowns should keep a few things in mind for their health.
For the sake of health, residents should wear protective clothing, inspect their surroundings and avoid any hazards they may encounter.
Click here for detailed guidance on what to do upon your return.
Image: California wildfires rage across Los Angeles County
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