10 people are now confirmed dead as the LA wildfires rage on, according to the LA county medical examiner.
More than 10,000 structures have been destroyed with at least 180,000 residents ordered to evacuate as these fast moving wildfires burning around LA encircle the city.
On Newstalk Breakfast, Sky News correspondent David Blevins said that after the fourth night, the fires are “still raging”.
“A new one seems to pop up all the time - they're named after areas nearby or after the first firefighter on the scene,” he said.
“The latest fire, the Kenneth fire, broke out a few hours ago - it took hold very quickly.
“Officials immediately advised people to evacuate without hesitation, but they have been flat out fighting it, and they are confident they're getting it under control.”
An emergency vehicle drives through a neighborhood devastated by the Eaton Fire. 09/01/2025 (AP Photo/John Locher)One thing that is worth noting about this latest fire, according to Mr Blevins, is that it's also an issue for the LAPD because an unnamed suspect has been arrested close to the scene of that fire on suspicion of arson.
“That person was detained after local residents called police to express concern, and we've heard a lot about arson over the last few days,” he said.
While it has been confirmed that 10 people are now dead as a result of the wildfires, they have yet to be officially identified, Mr Blevins said.
“None of the deceased has yet been formally identified - they're just too busy attempting to deal with the fire and to keep people alive, to be quite frank about it, at this stage, but they do fear that there are human remains among the debris of so many homes,” he said.
“[Officials] have announced today that they're bringing in search and rescue dogs in an attempt to ascertain how many more may have died as a tragic consequence of what we've been witnessing, and it's just incomprehensible for so many people.”
Water is dropped by helicopter on the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles. 09/01/2025 (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)There is a red weather alert in place for California until tomorrow evening, Pacific time, Mr Blevins said.
“These flames have been fanned by what's called the Santa Ana winds - those are very dry, hot, dusty winds that blow from the desert basin inland out towards the Pacific Ocean, so they counter the moist air that's blowing in,” he said.
“They've also had a drought here - there's only been 25-centimetres of rain since May, so the climate and the weather have been significant factors, because whenever the ground is as dry as it is, then the fire spreads very, very quickly.”
Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze caused by wildfires in California Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)Shock has turned to anger for a lot of people, Mr Blevins said.
“It depends where exactly you are in the county, in some places where they lost their homes three or four days ago, the shock has turned to anger,” he said.
“We've heard a lot of criticism of the Californian Governor Gavin Newsom in terms of water shortages, we've heard a lot of criticism of the mayor of LA Karen Bass who cut the fire department budget by $20 million.
“Here in Altadena, where I am, a suburb on the northern side of LA where five people died and at least 5,000 homes have been destroyed, they're not at the point of anger yet.
“I just heard today despair, absolute heartbreak.
“People are coming back to what was their family home, in many cases, for decades, and there's nothing there but ashes, and they just stand in disbelief.”
A sign reads "we have evacuated" in the damage zone of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. 09/01/2025 (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Mr Blevins said he has heard some harrowing stories from people in the Altadena area.
“One man said to me today, ‘I've been standing here for an hour and a half because this is my home and I can't bear to leave’,” he said.
“Another woman told me the extraordinary story of her 85 year old father.
“She said he was so convinced the fire wouldn't reach this point, he didn't leave.
“He went to bed, and she said he died in his bed, and he's still there.
“I will be haunted by that woman's words for a very long time.”
Mr Blevins said that despite all of the political questions, at its heart, this is a story of “catastrophic human loss”.
Main image: Fire crews battle the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles. 09/10/2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
