Los Angeles fires: 24 dead, 12,000 structures destroyed | All you need to know

Fires in the Los Angeles area have claimed at least 24 lives, forced thousands to flee, and destroyed over 12,000 structures, burning through an area larger than San Francisco. The fires, which began last Tuesday, were driven by strong Santa Ana winds expected to continue through midweek. Cal Fire reported that the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth, and Hurst fires have scorched approximately 160 square kilometres.

The cause of the fires remains undetermined, but early estimates suggest they could become the most costly in U.S. history. Preliminary figures from AccuWeather estimate the damage and economic losses could range from USD 135 billion to USD 150 billion.