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SNIFFER dogs are combing through the ashes of over 12,000 homes for victims of the devastating Los Angeles blazes that have already claimed the lives of at least 25 people.
The tragic search for remains continues as the wildfires rage on after torching more than 40,000 acres in and around Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said finding all of the bodies will take time as officials search using cadaver dogs, which are trained to find the smell of human remains.
“We are still, for the Altadena area, we are in the third day of grid searching,” Luna said at a press conference on Monday.
“It is a very grim task, and we, unfortunately, every day we’re doing this, we’re running across the remains of individual community members.”
Eight of the fire victims died in the Palisades Fire while 17 died in the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Luna said on Monday.
“That is not easy work. Very sad to report,” Luna said.
“And I believe that work is not only going to continue, but I believe we’ll continue to find remains.”
As evacuees are desperate to return to their homes after being forced to flee the danger zones of the four wildfires, Luna asked Los Angeles residents to be patient.
“People are saying, ‘I just want to go look at my house, and I want to see what’s left.’
“We know that, but we have people literally looking for the remains of your neighbors.
“Please be patient with us.”
Multiple people remain missing in the zones of the Palisades and Eaton Fires.
Officials warned that it could be weeks until the Palisades Fire, which started on January 7, is completely extinguished as it’s currently at 17% contained, according to NewsNation.
As firefighters are still fighting to get the deadly blazes under control, President-elect Donald Trump warned that he anticipates more people to be found dead in the ash from the fires.
“They’re going to find many bodies, you know,” Trump said in an interview on Newsmax.
Resources for the Los Angeles wildfires
As wildfires continue to grow in and around Los Angeles cities, residents can reach out for help with resources and aid offered by organizations throughout the area.
To keep track of the live fire movements, residents can download the Watch Duty app or use its website.
You can register for emergency notifications through Alert LA County.
A comprehensive list of resources is available here.
Available shelters for evacuating residents include:
- Calvary Community Church
- Ritchie Valens Recreation Center
- Pan Pacific Recreational Center
- Westwood Recreation Center
- Pasadena Civic Auditorium
- Pomona Fairplex
- Stoner Recreation Center
Available animal shelters include:
- Agoura Animal Care Center
- Baldwin Park Animal Care Center
- Carson Animal Care Center
- Downey Animal Care Center
- Lancaster Animal Care Center
- Palmdale Animal Care Center
- Pomona Fairplex
- Industry Hills Expo
- Antelope Valley Fair
Free meals are being distributed to evacuees at restaurants and kitchens including:
Sources:
“Only the dogs will find them, right? You know, German Shepherds will. They can pick out the ashes immediately. It’s amazing.
“But we’re gonna find many bodies and many more, many more dead.”
‘THERE’S NOTHING STANDING’
Trump said he was shocked by the levels of destruction brought on by the blazes, which he previously blamed on Governor Gavin Newsom.
“I believe it’s greater damage than if they got hit by a nuclear weapon,” the president-elect told NewsMax.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. Vast miles and miles of houses just burned to a crisp. There’s nothing standing.”
Trump, who will be inaugurated on January 20, said he has big plans for Los Angeles’ recovery after the fires.
“We’re gonna do things with Los Angeles. You know, I’m already putting my developer cap on,” he said.
“And it’s far worse than you even see on television, if that’s believable.”
A haunting 3D map showed how quickly the blaze – the largest of the fires and one of the most destructive in California’s history – destroyed the area.
Incarcerated firefighters are working around the clock to extinguish the flames while residents brace even more destruction threatened by incoming hurricane-strength winds.
