Los Angeles Wildfires Claim 16 Lives as Officials Warn of Escalating Threats

Conditions are expected to worsen in the coming days as devastating wildfires continue to rage across different parts of Los Angeles County, leading to widespread disruptions including school closures and cancellation of entertainment, sports and community events, according to the authorities.

At least 16 people have been confirmed dead while more than 12,000 structures have been damaged and destroyed by the raging Los Angeles wildfires that started last week.

Conditions are expected to worsen in the coming days as devastating wildfires continue to rage across different parts of Los Angeles County, leading to widespread disruptions including school closures and cancellation of entertainment, sports and community events, according to the authorities.

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The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest public school district in the United States, closed schools on Thursday and Friday to fend students and staff from hazardous air quality. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho emphasized that traveling to school posed greater risks than staying at home, especially for children with respiratory conditions.
Some campuses near evacuation zones also experienced power outages and low attendance before the closures were announced.

"We had to evacuate, so our lives are a mess, and the whole city is at a standstill," said Pacific Palisades resident Kenneth, who only gave his first name to Xinhua, "but at least we're still alive."

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Currently, six wildfires are burning across Los Angeles County, charring nearly 36,000 acres. One of the largest, the Palisades fire, has burned over 21,300 acres and damaged or destroyed more than 5,300 structures so far.

Fires in Eaton Canyon and Highland Park on the east side of Los Angeles have damaged schools and homes, with reports of damage to two elementary schools and parts of Palisades Charter High School. The Eaton Fire has burned nearly 14,000 acres with up to 5,000 structures damaged or destroyed.

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For the entertainment industry, however, the situation is different. The fires have severely affected this industry with power outages and poor air quality. A number of film and TV shoots currently underway have been abandoned, along with several film premieres and events, amid the uncertain spread of the fires and their toxic air quality.

On Tuesday, Amazon MGM Studios as well as Universal Studios cancelled the preemieres they planned for 'Unstoppable' and 'Wolf Man'. Paramount as well as Max cancelled their Wednesday events for 'Better Man' and 'The Pitt'.

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Apple TV+ had to cancel the January 13 premiere of 'Severance Season 2' due to safety concerns among attendees and staff. Sony/Tri-Star, on the other hand, rescheduled the premiere of their comedy film 'One of Them Days', starring Keke Palmer and SZA. NBCUniversal, meanwhile, had to cancel an all-day press event for a number of its shows, such as 'The Traitors' and 'Poker Face'.

Netflix also pulled a scheduled music event for Emilia Perez, and Roadside Attractions canceled the January 9 premiere of 'The Last Showgirl', starring Pamela Anderson and Kiernan Shipka.

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In the music world, the iHeartRadio ALTer EGO festival, scheduled for Saturday and featuring bands like Fontaines D.C. and St. Vincent, was canceled. Organizers said they were worried about the affected community and thankful to first responders.

The annual Oscar Nominations Announcement, AFI Awards luncheon and the BAFTA Tea Party were also delayed, according to Xinhua news agency, reflecting a broader impact on award-season events.

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The sports scene has not been spared as well. The Los Angeles Lakers postponed their home game against the Charlotte Hornets yesterday, while the Rams' playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings was moved to Glendale, Arizona.

The NFL closely follows the condition of air and its effects on the training sessions of the Rams and Chargers. A number of college sport events, which included a basketball game of Pepperdine University, were canceled as campuses, such as the Pepperdine's Malibu campus, could not be easily accessed due to the fires.

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Officials said that the number of deaths would remain unknown until it was safe for investigators to enter neighborhoods with scorched ruins and remains. At least 11 people have died so far and nearly 12,300 structures destroyed, according to the most up-to-date figures available as of Friday. Over 100,000 people are under evacuation orders, with tens of thousands more under warnings.

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