Palisades Fire changes direction, forcing more evacuations; Some residents return to scenes of devastation

Eleven people have so far been killed – five in the Palisades Fire and six in the Eaton Fire, according to the LA County medical examiner’s office.

However, officials said they expected that number to rise as cleanup teams with search dogs go through levelled neighbourhoods.

Even as the fires spread, the grim work of sifting through the devastation continues on Saturday (LA time), with teams conducting systematic grid searches with cadaver dogs, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. A family assistance centre was being set up in Pasadena, said Luna, who urged residents to abide by curfews.

“We have people driving up and around trying to get in just to look. Stay away,” he said.

“We understand that this is extremely stressful and absolutely challenging, but we appreciate the public’s co-operation as we work together to get through this crisis.”

The fires have consumed about 145 square kilometres. More than 100,000 people remain under evacuation orders after new evacuations were ordered on Friday evening in an area that includes Encino north of the blaze, and parts of the affluent suburbs of Brentwood and Bel Air east of the Palisades Fire.

With AP