Biden says California fires death toll to increase, many are missing

US President Joe Biden expressed concern on Friday that the death toll from the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles is expected to rise, with many individuals still unaccounted for.

“It is likely to increase. Whether it’s significantly or not, we don’t know yet. There are still a lot of people who are unaccounted for. We don’t know where they are,” Biden said during remarks to reporters.

When asked about the potential financial cost of the fires, the president refrained from making any estimates. “I’m not going to do that because you don’t know. We want to make sure we get a cost estimate that is real, that is thought through,” he explained.

Since Tuesday, multiple wildfires have swept across Los Angeles, claiming the lives of at least 10 people and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes. Emergency services continue to work tirelessly to contain the blazes and account for those missing.

Authorities have not yet released a full report on the extent of the damage or the cause of the fires. However, Biden emphasized the importance of thorough assessments and pledged federal support for the affected communities.

Raging California fires

A rapidly growing wildfire raged across an upscale section of Los Angeles on Tuesday, destroying homes and creating traffic jams as 30,000 people evacuated beneath huge plumes of smoke that covered much of the metropolitan area.

At least 2,921 acres (1,182 hectares) of the Pacific Palisades area between the coastal settlements of Santa Monica and Malibu had burned, officials said, after they had already warned of extreme fire danger from powerful winds that arrived following extended dry weather.

The fire continued to spread as officials cautioned that the worst wind conditions were expected overnight, raising fears that additional neighborhoods might need to evacuate. The city of Santa Monica subsequently issued evacuation orders for the northern part of the area.

Witnesses described seeing several homes engulfed in flames, with some fires nearly reaching vehicles as residents fled the Topanga Canyon hills. The blaze then moved downhill toward the Pacific Ocean.

“We feel very blessed at this point that there are no injuries reported,” Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said during a press conference, noting that over 25,000 people living in 10,000 homes were at risk.

Firefighters used aircraft to scoop water from the ocean and drop it on the nearby flames. Television footage showed flames consuming homes while bulldozers cleared abandoned vehicles from roads to allow emergency crews to pass.