Tens of thousands of people ordered to flee their homes as wildfires tore through Los Angeles were told Thursday they would not be allowed back for at least a week, with fears over electrocution, landslides and exposure to toxic materials.
Frustration is mounting among evacuees, who are angry over rules that prevent them from returning — even to homes that survived the deadly blazes.
“There was a group chat where everyone was complaining, getting mad, saying, ‘why do they keep on locking us out of our homes?'” Ronnen Miz told local broadcaster KTLA.
But with 40,000 acres (16,000 hectares) burned in two ferocious fires, the situation is just too dangerous, officials said.
Electricity, gas and sewage lines are wrecked, there is toxic waste everywhere, and there is a growing threat of hazardous mudslides or landslips, officials said at a news conference.
“It’s going to be a while,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.
“I’m going to say at minimum, at least another week, and that’s an estimate, but I believe it’s going to be longer than that.”
According to the latest coroner’s tally, at least 27 people have died in wind-driven fires that ripped through the upmarket enclave of Pacific Palisades and the more mixed community of Altadena.
Luna said search teams were continuing to comb the rubble looking for victims, with the number of dead expected to rise.
Authorities were also holding people back from some areas “because we believe there may be deceased victims” he said.
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