Frustration among evacuees in Los Angeles

The fires in Los Angeles are increasingly contained and the winds are easing.

However, thousands of firefighters continue to fight fires in several locations.

At the same time, mounted police and search teams with cadaver dogs are combing through burnt-out areas looking for bodies, AP reports.

At least 27 people have died in the giant fires, which started on January 7. 12,000 buildings have been destroyed and more than 80,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes.

Some evacuees from some affected areas have begun to return to their homes, according to the Los Angeles Times.

But tens of thousands are still in limbo and frustration is growing among them. They cannot return home, even to houses that survived the fire, because of dangers such as toxic pollution and the risk of landslides.

Residents of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in West Los Angeles were told Thursday that it could be a week before they can return home.

“It’s extremely hard for me to look you in the eye, quite frankly, I feel like I’ve failed you in some way,” said Los Angeles Deputy Fire Chief Joe Everett at a meeting with evacuees.

Around Los Angeles, however, people have put up signs thanking the firefighters for their efforts.

A political row has arisen over who bears responsibility for delayed efforts. According to the AP, the first decision to evacuate didn’t come until about 40 minutes after homes in Pacific Palisades had already started burning. The roads were then filled with cars with people fleeing the fire.