Massive wildfires that engulfed whole neighbourhoods and displaced thousands in Los Angeles have killed at least 10 people, authorities said, as California’s National Guard soldiers readied to hit the streets to help quell disorder.
News of the growing toll, announced late on 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.
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.”
