California Wildfires Kill 11 & Devastate 134 Square KM, Half the Size of KL

The forest fire in Los Angeles, California, has been burning for four days. At the time of writing (January 11), it had consumed more than 34,000 acres, which is approximately 137.59 square km of land.

According to data from the Malaysian Department of Statistics, as of June 2024, Kuala Lumpur had an area of 243 square km. According to China Press, the wildfire in California is equivalent to burning half of KL.

Officials pointed out that only less than 10% of the fire is contained at the moment. However, as the winds gradually subside, firefighters are expected to speed up the control of the fires.

Up to this point, 11 people have lost their lives in the wildfire with over 10,000 buildings destroyed, and the numbers are likely to rise, reported CNN.

The California Fire Department said that as the strong foehn winds gradually subsided, the fires are now starting to be under control. As of the evening of the 10th, the main forest fires were as follows:

• The Palisades Fire has burned 21,317 acres and is 8% contained.
• The Eaton Fire has burned 13,956 acres and is 3% contained.
• The Hurst Fire has burned 771 acres and is 70% contained.
• The Lidia Fire has burned 395 acres and is 75% contained.
• The Kenneth Fire has burned 1,000 acres and is 35% contained.

The official website of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection provides the latest updates on the condition.

The National Weather Service said that the wind in the Los Angeles area would weaken over the weekend. Sustained winds would drop to about 32 km per hour, significantly weaker than the recent gusts of up to 128 km per hour.

Therefore, firefighters began using water-dropping aircraft, also known as the water scooper.

These aircraft were grounded due to high winds on the first day of the fire, but firefighters dare not take it lightly and expect the death toll to continue to rise.

Stay tuned as we keep you updated.

Also read: Father Loses His Only 2 Children After They Crashed into a Vellfire That Ran a Red Light in Ipoh