Death toll rises in LA as nightmare inferno rages on

At least 24 people are confirmed dead and dozens missing as the LA inferno continues to ravage the city.

There are still three fires burning, with the two biggest in Pacific Palisades and Eaton still less than 30% contained.

Firefighters have been coming from as far afield as Canada and Mexico to try to bring the flames under control. But the fierce winds forecast for the next few days will present them with a huge challenge.

More than 150,000 have been evacuated to date with 12,300 structures reduced to shells or entirely levelled.

The cost of the havoc wreaked is currently estimated by Accu Weather at between $130 billion and $150 billion, making it the costliest wildfires in history.

More than 40,000 acres have been scorched with celebrity homes burned to the ground including those of Sir Anthony Hopkins, Paris Hilton and Billy Crystal, The Guardian reports.

The worst of the fires is raging in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood which has been described as the most destructive in LA history.

As multi-million dollar piles are gutted by the flames, residents have been fleeing the scene, grabbing the bare essentials in their rush to reach safety.

According to CNN, some drivers, fearing being engulfed by flames, abandoned their cars and made a run for it, with eyewitnesses likening the scenario to a Hollywood disaster movie.

Firefighters on the ground have been focused on preventing the flames from spreading to other neighborhoods and saving lives rather than buildings.

Guardian reporter Gabrielle Canon said, “It’s utter devastation here. The iconic stretch of the Pacific Coast highway between Santa Monica and Malibu is unrecognisable.”

While the flames are being stoked by the warm Santa Ana winds specific to this time of year, the situation has been exacerbated by unusually dry conditions, being blamed on the climate crisis, according to The Guardian.

As David Acuna, battalion chief and public information officer with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL) told the BBC, January is the month when the firefighting department usually recharges its batteries.

Now, with each gust of wind, the embers take flight, and are capable of travelling miles, making the job of containment extremely difficult.

The strong gusts have also prevented effective use of  firefighting aircraft from flying overhead, a crucial tool to get the flames under control while the shortage of water in the hydrants has turned into a political football.

California governor Gavin Newsom, has ordered an investigation into the lack of water in the hydrants and the LA County water supply in general.

The fires ignited on the afternoon of January 7 after a mighty windstorm fanned the flames of a fire in Pacific Palisades.

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