LA Wildfires Devour Thousands of Homes; Death Toll Rises to 10

Five fires still burning as strong winds pick up again, worsening conditions

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Firefighters reported some progress fighting the wildfires that have charred hillsides, homes and streets in Los Angeles County, but the strong winds that fanned the flames picked up again on Jan. 10, worsening conditions.

The fires, engulfing iconic Los Angeles neighborhoods and tearing through the Hollywood Hills, have so far killed 10 people and destroyed nearly 10,000 structures.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said late on Jan. 9 that he expected the death toll to climb.

"It looks like an atomic bomb dropped in these areas. I don't expect good news, and we're not looking forward to those numbers," he said.

Some Pacific Palisades residents ventured back to areas where a wall of fire had already swept through. Brick chimneys loomed over charred waste and burnt-out vehicles.

"We are alive. That's all that matters," private security guard Bilal Tukhi said while standing watch outside his employer's damaged home, saying the scene reminded him of his native, war-torn Afghanistan.

As at early Jan. 10, five fires were still burning.

The Palisades fire between Santa Monica and Malibu on the city's western flank and the Eaton fire in the east near Pasadena already rank as the most destructive in Los Angeles' history.

They have consumed more than 13,750ha and turned entire neighborhoods to ash.