Los Angeles wildfires claim 16 lives, burning 40,000 acres and destroying 12,000 structures, with over 150,000 residents under evacuation orders. Containment efforts continue.

The death toll from the Los Angeles wildfires has risen to 16 as the blazes continue to devastate the region for a fifth straight day, officials reported.

The LA County medical examiner’s office confirmed that five fatalities were linked to the Palisades fire, while 11 were caused by the Eaton fire.

Currently, at least four wildfires are still active in Los Angeles County. As of Saturday, the fires have scorched 40,000 acres, destroyed over 12,000 structures, and forced more than 150,000 residents to evacuate.

The largest blaze, which has consumed 23,654 acres, is centered in the affluent Pacific Palisades neighborhood near the coast. Further inland, the Eaton fire has burned 14,117 acres in the foothills around Altadena, northeast of downtown Los Angeles, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Containment efforts are progressing, with the Palisades fire now 11% contained and the Eaton fire’s containment improving to 15%, up from just 3% on Friday. Meanwhile, two smaller fires, the Hurst and Kenneth fires, remain active in the Los Angeles area, while the Archer and Lidia fires have been completely contained.

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