LOS ANGELES (AP) 69制片厂制作传媒 Fires ripping through the Los Angeles area have killed , displaced and destroyed more than 12,000 structures while larger than the city of San Francisco.
The blazes started last Tuesday, fueled by fierce that forecasters expect to kick back up through at least midweek. Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires had consumed about 62 square miles (160 square kilometers).
Eight deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire along the coast and 16 deaths resulted from the Eaton Fire further inland, the LA County medical examiner's office said. At least 16 people were missing, and authorities said that number was expected to rise.
While a has yet to be determined, early estimates indicate they could be the nation's . Preliminary estimates by AccuWeather put the damage and economic losses at between $135 billion and $150 billion.
Here's a closer look at what to know about the fires.
Thousands remain evacuated or without power
The flames have threatened and burned through several highly populated neighborhoods over the past week, including Pacific Palisades, Altadena and others.
About 150,000 people were under evacuation orders with more than 700 taking refuge in nine shelters. Officials said Sunday most of those orders were unlikely to be lifted before the red flag warnings of expected high winds expire Wednesday evening.
Cal Fire reported containment of the Palisades Fire at 11% and the Eaton Fire at 27% on Sunday.
The Kenneth Fire, which broke out near West Hills in the San Fernando Valley, was 100% contained as of Sunday morning, while the Hurst Fire was 89% contained.
Nearly 70,000 customers were without power across California as of Sunday morning, more than half of them in Los Angeles County, according to , which tracks outages nationwide.
Sewer, water and power infrastructure across the region has been significantly damaged, officials said.
The National Weather Service warned that strong Santa Ana winds could soon return and issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday. The winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires into infernos that leveled entire around the city where there has been no significant rainfall in over .
Thousands have fled and many have lost their homes, including Billy Crystal and Mandy Moore and Los Angeles .
The fires have scorched more than just landmarks and celebrity homes
While the fires have reduced a number of celebrity mansions and to ashes, they also burned through a haven in Altadena for avoiding discriminatory housing practices elsewhere. They have been communities of racial and economic diversity, where many people own their own homes.
The fires have destroyed several , including a mosque, a synagogue, a Catholic parish and a half-dozen Protestant churches.
Investigators are studying the cause of the fires
No cause for the fires.
Lightning is the most common source of fires in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association, but investigators quickly ruled that out. There were no reports of lightning in the Palisades area or the terrain around the Eaton Fire, which started in east Los Angeles County.
The next two most common causes are fires intentionally set and those sparked by utility lines.
Several events have been canceled and postponed
The Sunday ceremonies in Santa Monica for Jan. 26.
The organization that puts on the Oscars for Academy Award nominations and delayed next week69制片厂制作传媒檚 planned nominations announcement.
The NFL moved the Los Angeles Rams69制片厂制作传媒 wild-card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings to Arizona because of the fires. The game will be played Monday night. And the the Lakers69制片厂制作传媒 game against the Hornets.
NBA games to Los Angeles on Monday night, with the Clippers hosting the Miami Heat and the Lakers set to host the San Antonio Spurs. It69制片厂制作传媒檒l be the Clippers69制片厂制作传媒 first game in five days after having their home game against Charlotte on Saturday postponed. The Lakers had two home games pushed back.
Accusations of leadership failures are percolating
LA Mayor Karen Bass during the city69制片厂制作传媒檚 greatest crisis in decades, but allegations of leadership failures, political blame and investigations have begun.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million-gallon (440 million-liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants had run dry.
Los Angeles Fire Chief said city leadership failed her department by not providing enough money for firefighting. She also criticized the lack of water.
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