ARSON? FIRE DEATH TOLL RISING, LOOTERS ROAM, POLITICOS POINT FINGERS

At least 24 people are dead, and dozens remain unaccounted for as fires fueled by severe drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds continue to burn across Southern California. Thousands of firefighters are still battling blazes across 45 square miles in Los Angeles County.

The Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades is the largest, spanning 24,000 acres. Thousands of homes and buildings have been destroyed, and the fire is only 11% contained. The Eaton Fire in Altadena has burned more than 14,000 acres and is 27% contained, while the Hurst Fire near Sylmar is 89% contained after burning nearly 800 acres. The Kenneth Fire has burned 1,025 acres and is fully contained.

More than 105,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders, and another 87,000 are under evacuation warnings. The cause of the fires remains under investigation.