The death toll from the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area rose to at least ten, the authorities said, even as new fires continued to spring up. US President Joe Biden pledged extra federal funds and resources to deal with “the most… devastating fire in California’s history.”

News of the growing toll, announced late Thursday by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, came as swaths of the United States’ second-largest city lay in ruins.

A vast firefighting operation continued into the night, bolstered by water-dropping helicopters thanks to a temporary lull in winds, even as new fires continued to spring up.

Insurance companies not to be trusted

It is deeply disturbing that insurance companies cancelled thousands of policies as the fire started, finding loopholes and sending confirmations which required input to get around cancelling policies ‘for lack of information”. Some started just before news broke.

US President Joe Biden pledged extra federal funds and resources to deal with “the most… devastating fire in California’s history.”

The death toll from the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area rose to at least ten, the authorities said, even as new fires continued to spring up.

State’s National Guard was on hand

With reports of looting, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said a nighttime curfew was planned, and the state’s National Guard was on hand to patrol affected areas.

Governor Gavin Newsom said the service members were part of a thousands-strong deployment of state personnel.

“We’re throwing everything at our disposal—including our National Guard service members—to protect communities in the days to come,” he said.

“And to those who would seek to take advantage of evacuated communities, let me be clear: looting will not be tolerated.”