'Too dangerous': LA fire evacuees told not to return for at least a week
Los Angeles evacuees fleeing wildfires were told Thursday they would not be able to return to their homes for at least a week due to hazardous conditions caused by toxic waste, downed gas and electricity lines and fears of mudslides.
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.
Destabilised hillsides
Some time later, she found the car -- and its irreplaceable contents -- had been stolen.
Read more on FRANCE 24 English
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