The crisis in Los Angeles is worsening as the battle against wildfires enters its third day, with a new blaze north of the 101 Freeway rapidly spreading and prompting further evacuations.

The Kenneth Fire erupted and expanded on Thursday afternoon in Hidden Hills, located about 50 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. An evacuation warning, initially intended for local residents, was mistakenly issued to 10 million people before being rescinded, leading to widespread confusion and increased anxiety.

Wildfires in Los Angeles have resulted in at least seven deaths, displaced approximately 180,000 residents, and reduced entire neighborhoods to ashes. AccuWeather estimates the financial repercussions to be between $135 billion and $150 billion, making this one of the costliest natural disasters in the history of the United States.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is set to impose a 12-hour curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. for regions under evacuation orders, as outlined by LA County Sheriff Robert Luna in a press briefing on Thursday. The goal is to enforce this curfew tonight, contingent upon completing legal requirements.

Confirmed fatalities include two from the extensive Palisades Fire, according to Kristin Crowley, chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The Eaton Fire has resulted in five deaths. Currently, both fires remain uncontrolled.

Encouragingly, there are signs of progress. The Eaton Fire, which poses a threat to Pasadena, has notably slowed in its expansion compared to the previous day. A smaller fire in the Hollywood Hills was quickly contained, allowing nearby residents to return home. Wind conditions that have exacerbated this week’s fires are expected to weaken on Friday, giving firefighters a chance to begin regaining control over the wildfires.

“Even with the significant threats that remain, I hold onto hope that we are beginning to see a turn in the situation,” stated Kathryn Barger, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

The fires have ravaged thousands of structures and charred over 30,000 acres, with firefighters continuously addressing new flare-ups. Southern California Edison, a subsidiary of Edison International, indicated that no fire authority has reported that its electrical facilities played a role in causing the Eaton Fire, although the utility has been asked to retain evidence for insurance investigations.

As the fires continue, their toll becomes increasingly apparent. JPMorgan Chase & Co has warned that the impact on insurers could surpass $20 billion, doubling the bank’s earlier estimate from just a day ago. The Eaton Fire alone has damaged or destroyed over 5,000 buildings, officials reported on Thursday.

The wildfires are disrupting everyday life for a city of approximately 12 million residents. Schools are closed, many roads are impassable, and nearly 120,000 homes and businesses in LA County are still without power. Authorities have apprehended 20 individuals for looting and burglaries in evacuated areas.

Local news outlets have alerted viewers that their broadcasts may be interrupted as a fire approaches a mountaintop housing their antennas. Residents are worried about breathing air that is currently among the most contaminated globally. Officials have recommended that individuals near burn zones boil their water before consumption due to ash and debris contaminating reservoirs.

The Lakers have postponed their basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, and the NFL is considering alternative plans for the scheduled game on Monday between the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings. The LA Kings also postponed their game on Wednesday.

Fires raging during the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles on January 8. Photographer: Jill Connelly/Bloomberg

The Palisades Fire, located at the city’s northwestern edge, is the largest, having consumed over 17,200 acres. The Eaton Fire has devastated parts of Altadena, now covering 13,690 acres, while the Kenneth Fire has grown to nearly 1,000 acres.

Regrettably, there is no rain forecasted for Southern California for at least the next week, meaning the dry conditions that have transformed the region’s vegetation into a fire hazard will persist. Forecasters suggest that another wind event may occur on Monday or Tuesday of next week, according to Allison Santorelli from the US Weather Prediction Center.

“Although we do not anticipate winds as strong as those currently affecting the area,” Santorelli noted, “any increase in wind will be worrisome.”

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