Aircraft dropped water and fire retardant on steep hills to stem the eastward spread of the Palisades wildfire in Los Angeles on Saturday as on-the-ground firefighting efforts also intensified amid warnings of wind gusts of up to 113 kilometers per hour that could make matters worse.
Six simultaneous blazes that have ripped across Los Angeles County neighborhoods since Tuesday have killed at least 16 people as of late Saturday, the Washington Post and other media reported, citing the Los Angeles County medical examiner's office.
The blazes have damaged or destroyed 12,000 structures, fire officials said. At least 13 people are estimated to be missing.
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