Death toll climbs to 16 in Los Angeles wildfires, obliterates entire neighbourhoods

New Delhi, Jan 12: At least 16 people have died as wildfires continue to rage across Los Angeles County, with 13 others reported missing.

US officials on the ground warned that the death toll could rise as identification efforts are hampered by the intensity of the fires, which have left some victims unrecognisable by traditional means such as fingerprinting or visual identification.

Firefighters are entering the sixth day of their battle against four major wildfires amid fears that Santa Ana winds will worsen conditions in the coming days. While progress has been made in containing some blazes, the National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings for Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with “critical fire weather conditions” expected through Wednesday.

The Palisades fire's largest blaze has burned 23,654 acres and is only 11% contained.

It has spread inland, threatening affluent neighbourhoods such as Brentwood, Encino, and Bel Air and cultural landmarks like the Getty Center and UCLA.

More than 120,000 residents remain under evacuation orders. Malibu has suffered significant damage, losing one-third of its eastern edge to the flames, according to the city’s mayor.

Media reported that the Santa Ana winds, which bring hot, dry gusts from the mountains, are expected to intensify, ease briefly, and then pick up again late Monday into Tuesday. Firefighters are cautiously optimistic that the winds could blow the Palisades fire back onto already-burned land, reducing its fuel supply and aiding containment efforts.

The National Weather Service forecasts cooler temperatures, higher humidity, and a chance of light rain by the weekend, which could offer much-needed relief to firefighters.

California Governor Gavin Newsom and local officials have urged President-elect Donald Trump to visit the affected areas to witness the devastation and accelerate federal recovery efforts.

Earlier, Trump took to the social media platform Truth Social to criticise Newsom and local authorities. He described the wildfires as “one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our country” and questioned the state’s ability to manage the disaster.

Officials emphasise that the next 48 hours will be crucial, as the combination of dry conditions and wind could either hinder or help containment efforts. Presently, the region remains on high alert, bracing for what could be another challenging week.

Los Angeles Wildfires Among Costliest Disasters in US History

Preliminary estimates by AccuWeather peg the economic losses at $135–$150 billion, making it one of the most expensive wildfires in U.S. history. For comparison, last fall’s Hurricane Helene caused damages of $225–$250 billion. The devastating wildfires around Los Angeles this week have claimed at least 16 lives, destroyed over 12,000 structures, and obliterated entire neighborhoods, including multimillion-dollar properties.

“This will be the costliest wildfire in California’s modern history, impacting some of the nation’s highest-valued real estate,” said Jonathan Porter, AccuWeather’s chief meteorologist, as reported by the international media.

According to the media, Moody's analysts emphasised the human and financial toll, calling the scale of destruction unprecedented. A precise tally of losses may take months to finalise.