At least 10 people have died in a wildfire raging in the Los Angeles area, officials said. The fire has burned nearly 30,000 acres and destroyed thousands of homes. President Joe Biden has pledged to provide assistance to those affected.
President Biden said Thursday night that he understands the nightmare the families are living through and that he will help them rebuild their lives. The president said the federal government will provide 100 percent of the cost of California’s fire relief efforts for up to 180 days.
The Los Angeles Fire Department issued a mandatory evacuation order Thursday afternoon after a new wildfire broke out in the West Hills neighborhood west of Los Angeles. A suspect has been arrested in connection with the blazes in Calabasas and West Hills, which officials are calling the Kenneth Fire, local news reports said.
The Pacific Palisades fire, the deadliest yet, has destroyed more than 5,300 buildings, fire officials said at a news conference Thursday.
The Eaton fire has also destroyed more than 5,000 buildings, and officials said the toll could rise. More than 180,000 people are being evacuated as wildfires rage across Southern California.
