By Linda Bordoni
“I am close to the residents of Los Angeles County, California, where devastating wildfires have flared in recent days: I pray for all of you,” said Pope Francis after the recitation of the Angelus Prayer on Sunday.
His words of solidarity and concern come in the wake of a telegram addressed to Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles on Saturday in which he expressed his deep sadness over the “loss of life” and “widespread destruction” caused by the fires that continue to burn near the city of Los Angeles.
The fires
Meanwhile, on Sunday the death toll from the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area rose to 16 as crews battled to cut off the spreading blazes before potentially strong winds return that could push the flames toward some of the city’s most famous landmarks.
Five of the deaths reported so far are attributed to the “Palisades Fire” and 11 resulted from the “Eaton Fire”, according to a statement by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office on Saturday evening.
Officials said they expected that figure to rise as teams with cadaver dogs conduct systematic grid searches in levelled neighbourhoods. Authorities have established a centre where people can report the missing. And as new evacuation warnings left more homeowners on edge, there are fears that winds could move the fires toward the J. Paul Getty Museum and the University of California.
