LA Wildfire Death Toll Doubles Overnight, Medical Examiners ‘Not Able to Respond to All Death Locations’

Conservative News DailyJanuary 10, 2025

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The wildfires raging around Los ⁢angeles have resulted in a‍ tragic increase in the death toll, now reported to be ‌at least 10 people. Initially, the count was five, but official statements from the Los ⁢Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner indicate that identifying those deceased may take ⁢weeks due to‍ ongoing safety⁣ concerns and the severity of ⁤the fire conditions. The⁤ Eaton Fire has been linked to ⁤five⁤ fatalities, ⁤while two deaths are attributed to the Palisades Fire. Local ⁣officials,‌ including Malibu’s mayor, have expressed their condolences to victims’ families as the ⁤community grapples with this loss.sheriff Robert⁣ Luna noted that the ⁣situation remains fluid, complicating efforts to assess and confirm casualty numbers.⁢ Along with the human toll, the fires have devastated property, affecting over 29,000 acres and destroying ‍more than 10,000 structures.While ⁢larger fires such ⁣as the Eaton and Palisades Fires face challenges with containment, some smaller incidents are showing progress.

The raging fires around Los Angeles have killed at least 10 people, according to information released Thursday.

Earlier Thursday, the official death toll stood at five.

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said identifying the dead may not take place soon, according to KTLA-TV.

“The identification may take several weeks as the Department of Medical Examiner is not able to respond to all death locations due to the fire conditions and safety concerns,” the statement said.

“Please also keep in mind, traditional means of identification such as fingerprinting and visual identification may not be available and will add more time for naming these decedents,” the statement said.

Officials have said that the Eaton Fire led to the deaths of five people while two deaths were linked to the Palisades Fire.

“We are deeply saddened to learn that we have lost a member of the Malibu community during the Palisades fire,” Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart said in a statement, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“Although the individual has not yet been identified, this tragic news weighs heavily on our hearts. On behalf of the City of Malibu, I want to express my deepest condolences to the loved ones of this person. Our community grieves with you in this moment of unimaginable loss,” the statement said

L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna noted that the death toll is likely to change.

“We’re still working in a very fluid and active environment, meaning that there are still spot fires going on in areas and there’s gas leaks,” he said.

“So when people are asking us for numbers of fatalities, we want to give them to you, but we have to wait until it’s safe for our personnel to be able to go in there and do this right,” he said.

The destruction left some homes in ruins, but spared others, CBS noted.

“You think of all the memories and hangouts with friends as a kid,” Palisades Fire victim Augie Sylik said. “It’s absolutely devastating. I’m heartbroken.”

But nearby resident Dirk Michel said his home was left untouched by fire.

“I literally got on my knees and I sobbed. It was, it was devastating,” he said. “And then I got around the corner and I said, ‘How is this possible?’”

As of Friday morning, state estimates showed that collectively, more than 29,000 acres have been burned, destroying more than 10,000 structures. The state reported that the Eaton Fire near Pasadena has burned 13,690 acres and was 0 percent contained. The Palisades Fire burned 19,978 acres and was 6 percent contained, the state said.

Smaller fires are more contained, the state said, noting that the Kenneth Fire in Calabasas that burned 1,000 acres is 35 percent contained; the Lidia Fire in the Antelope Valley that burned 394 acres is 75 percent contained and the Hurst Fire in Sylmar that burned 771 acres is 37 percent contained.