LOS ANGELES (AP) – The death toll from the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area has risen to 16 as crews battle to cut off the spreading blazes before potentially strong winds return that could push the flames toward some of the city’s most famous landmarks.
The Los Angeles County coroner’s office says five of the deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 11 resulted from the Eaton Fire.
There were fears that winds could move the fires toward the J. Paul Getty Museum and the University of California, Los Angeles, while new evacuation warnings have more homeowners on edge.
The California Office of Emergency Services says 150,000 people in Los Angeles County are under evacuation orders, with more than 700 people taking refuge in nine shelters.
