The county coroner’s office reports that at least 10 people have died as a result of the several wildfires, and thousands of people have had to leave their houses, many of which have already burned down.

The Independent reports that the LAPD believes the Kenneth Fire, the newest of the fires, may have been lit on purpose. Yesterday, January 9, a man was taken into custody.

Locals say a man on a bike with a big blowtorch had been attempting to light old Christmas trees and trash cans on fire, and FOX reported that a suspect was arrested as part of the investigation into the fires.

The individual was reportedly grabbed by a group of locals and detained until police could come to make an arrest.

Although firefighters have made some headway in limiting some of the blazes that are raging in and around Los Angeles, officials have reported that at least 10,000 buildings have been destroyed by the flames this week.

 

However, the strong winds which have quickly spread the flames are still a danger, with LA Mayor Karen Bass saying: “We are expecting this fire to rapidly spread due to high winds.”

Less than two miles from a school where residents were seeking refuge from the Palisades Fire, the Kenneth Fire appears to have originated in the San Fernando Valley, adjacent to Ventura County and the West Hills neighborhood in northwest Los Angeles.

The fire is situated north of the Palisades Fire, which has destroyed a number of neighborhoods, including some that are home to famous celebrities.

A lot of things have had to be left behind because so many individuals were compelled to leave their homes.

Strong winds caused the fire to spread quickly around Los Angeles, clogging several roads with automobiles carrying people attempting to comply with evacuation orders. Eventually, many drivers were forced to leave their cars and continue their escape on foot.

Off-duty firefighters were called in to assist in battling the fire, and emergency services had to use bulldozers to clear the roadways so they could pass.