Wildfires have been spread by the annual Santa Ana winds, which have been exceptionally extensive, violent and long-lasting this year.
Jalmari Salaterä,
STT-AFP
Reconstruction caused by forest fires in California will cost tens of billions of dollars, estimates the US president Joe Biden.
– Getting Los Angeles back to its former state will cost tens of billions of dollars, Biden said at the press conference.
CNN’s according to Biden also thanked the city’s residents for staying united and helping each other.
At least 24 people have died in the Los Angeles wildfires that started last week. In addition, dozens of people are missing. Governor of California Gavin Newsom says the number of dead is likely to be much higher than confirmed so far.
The weather will ease towards the weekend
Winds are expected to pick up on Monday evening local time, and authorities have issued an exceptionally severe wildfire warning in effect from Tuesday morning until Wednesday afternoon. A warning of this category has already been issued twice within a week.
A meteorologist with the US National Weather Service by Rich Thompson according to the weather is predicted to change towards the weekend. Thompson predicts that there could be light sea breezes, cooler temperatures and higher humidity, which would help fight the fires.
The wildfires have been spread by the annual Santa Ana winds that occur between autumn and spring, which have been exceptionally extensive, violent and long-lasting this year.
Dozens charged during the wildfires
The Los Angeles County District Attorney has charged at least 10 people with crimes during the wildfires. They talk about it, among other things CNN and New York Times.
Prosecutor Nathan Hochman says that nine people have been charged with robbery and one with arson. Hochman clarified that arson is not connected to large wildfires.
– These are the people who are trying to use this tragedy to their advantage, Hochman said, according to the New York Times.
Local time on Monday, the number of people ordered to evacuate due to wildfires had dropped to around 92,000, while on Sunday the number was still over 100,000. At most, around 180,000 people have been under the evacuation order.
More than 12,000 buildings have been destroyed in the fires, and more than 16,000 hectares of land has been burned.