Air tankers dropped flame retardant and helicopters doused smoky ridgelines with water on Saturday (January 11) after the wildfire that originated in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades expanded into an additional 1,000 acres overnight.
Officials said the Palisades Fire had spread into the Mandeville Canyon neighborhood. It also threatened to jump into Brentwood, an upscale neighborhood where celebrities live and play.
Firefighters stood on guard to protect homes in Mandeville Canyon as part of a full-scale firefighting effort, with potential worsening weather conditions over the next 72 hours that could further stoke the blaze.
Aerials showed firefighting aircraft dropping water bombs on the Palisades Fire burning in Los Angeles, California on Saturday (January 11).
Over the past 24 hours, the Palisades Fire spread over an additional 1,000 acres (400 hectares) and destroyed more homes, officials reported.
It is part of six simultaneous blazes that have ripped across Los Angeles County neighborhoods since Tuesday (January 7), killing at least 16 people as of Saturday, the Washington Post and other media reported, citing the Los Angeles County medical examiner's office. Reuters could not immediately reach the coroner.
The blazes have damaged or destroyed 12,000 structures, fire officials said. At least 13 people are estimated to be missing.
The death toll is expected to mount when firefighters are able to conduct house-to-house searches.
(Production: Nathan Frandino, Jane Ross, Alexandra Sarabia)