Southern California Edison CEO Steven Powell told reporters there are now about 50,000 customers without power, “down from over half a million just a couple days ago.”
Powell said there was no evidence that any of Edison’s equipment caused the Hurst fire but that the investigation was continuing.
As state and local officials grappled with the worst cluster of fires in Los Angeles history, President Joe Biden spoke by phone with some of them to get an update on their efforts and he also was briefed by his senior aides on federal resources that were being dispatched.
Biden’s major disaster declaration unlocked federal assistance for those affected by the wildfires, clearing the way for FEMA to provide support.
Federal Emergency Management Agency officials, for example, were at the Pasadena Convention Center helping residents navigate FEMA aid applications.
FEMA spokesperson Michael Hart said that support can range from funding to help with home repairs to money to replace lost food or medication. The assistance can be provided within a matter of days, he said.
“We are looking to put initial funding in people’s bank accounts to help them with those serious needs,” Hart said.
Los Angeles Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger told reporters that she invited President-elect Donald Trump to visit the county to get a first-hand look at the destruction.
Luna added that his agency has dispatched 40 search and rescue team workers to work jointly with other agencies, including the use of cadaver dogs to search for remains of victims and to help reunite families that have been separated.
“LA County had another night of unimaginable terror and heartbreak,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath.
Six simultaneous blazes that have ripped across Los Angeles County neighborhoods since Tuesday have killed at least 13 people and damaged or destroyed 12,000 structures. At least 13 people are estimated to be missing so far.
The toll is expected to mount when firefighters are able to conduct house-to-house searches.
