California wildfires live updates: Death toll in LA fires rises to 10 as arson suspect arrested for Kenneth fire

The wildfires racing across the Los Angeles area may take a toll on the mental health of survivors, an expert has warned.

It’s not just physical injury which can leave a mark. The loss of home, a loved one, community and possessions can also lead to long-lasting trauma.

“It is common to experience emotional distress during these traumatic events, where people often lose a sense of control,” Dr Jace Reed, of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, told ABC News.

“The current wildfires have led to evacuations, the destruction of homes and property, the loss of beloved pets, physical injuries and even death, all of which can be profoundly distressing,” he said.

Jace added: “Individuals may feel a range of emotions, including denial, anger, sadness, shock and hopelessness. This emotional response can evolve into later stages, such as acceptance, further sadness, depression and bitterness.”

Brent Pascua, battalion chief for Cal Fire, said he hopes the containment of the devastating Palisades fire will double by the end of Friday.

The blaze, which has been one of the most destructive the Los Angeles area has seen, spread to almost 20,000 acres and was at six percent containment, according to the latest data from the department.

Pascua told CNN that firefighting personnel had turned a corner in the battle against the blaze, which for more than 48 hours remained uncontained.

“It’s going to take a lot more work to see that (containment) grow. But we’re headed in the right direction,” he said.

More than 260,000 homes and business are still without power, as wildfires charge through southern California.

Los Angeles and Riverside are the worst-impacted counties, with approximately 94,000 energy customers in each region left in blackout conditions, according to the latest figures from Poweroutage.us.

An arson suspect has been arrested around the area of the newly-sparked Kenneth fire after being accused of attempting to ignite a new blaze with a “flamethrower”.

While the cause for the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst friends are still under investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department initially said it believed the Kenneth fire was started intentionally.

At about 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, law enforcement officers responded to reports of a man attempting to light a fire behind a van on the 21700 block of Ybarra Road in Woodland Hills.

According to a witness, the man is believed to be in his mid-20s and speak Spanish as his first language.

James Liddell has the full story.

As of Friday morning, the Palisades fire has consumed more than 20,000 acres of Las Vegas’s landscape, leaving a path of desturction in its wake. A person can be strolling through the charred remains of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Thursday.

California is burning – again. This time, in the middle of January, scorching homes in one of the wealthiest regions in the world.

Flames are threatening Hollywood landmarks, devouring multimillion-dollar mansions and forcing more than 130,000 residents to flee. Thick smoke has turned the city’s iconic skyline into a dystopian haze. By now, at least 10 people had been killed, at least 2,000 buildings scorched, and more than 330,000 left without power.

Everyone you speak to is saying the same thing: wildfires are a part of California’s identity, but this is the worst they’ve seen.

But the fires ripping through Los Angeles are not just another “natural disaster”. This is the future that climate scientists have been warning about for decades, brought to the doorsteps of the some of the world’s most influential people. So why has it taken us so long to care?

Climate Correspondent Stuti Mishra has the full story.