The death toll from the devastating fires in the Los Angeles area has risen to 29. One person died in hospital over the weekend as a result of the “Palisades’’ fire on the western edge of Los Angeles, the coroner’s office announced on Monday evening.
All residents of the Pacific Palisades district were allowed to enter their properties for the first time on Monday, after the Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, announced the move on the X platform.
The Los Angeles Times reported that long-awaited rain and snow had fallen in the mountains. Meteorologist Ryan Kittell said that while not enough precipitation had fallen to end the fire season, it had “definitely provided a break from fire weather’’.
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The authorities had previously warned of flooding in the area because the dry ground could not absorb the water after a long dry spell. Media reported that several roads were closed at times on Monday due to flooding and mudslides, but fortunately, the heaviest rainfall had occurred over the ocean.
The authorities say the Palisades fire is 95% contained, and the Eaton fire, near the city of Pasadena, is 99% contained. The two fires have destroyed more than 16,000 buildings and devastated an area of more than 150 square kilometres since the beginning of January.
The causes of the fires are still unknown.
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