Winds fuelling Los Angeles wildfires calm down as accusations fly: ‘we’re underfunded’

Winds calmed on Friday around Los Angeles, providing a fleeting window of opportunity for firefighters battling five major blazes, as official recriminations began over responsibility for the disaster.

At least 11 people have died as flames ripped through neighbourhoods and razed thousands of homes this week in a disaster that US President Joe Biden likened to a “war scene”.

As the scale of the damage to America’s second-biggest city came into focus – one new estimate suggested the bill could hit US$150 billion – Angelenos grappled with the heart-rending ruin.

“I lost everything. My house burned down and I lost everything,” Hester Callul, who reached a shelter after fleeing her Altadena home, said.

With fears of looting and crime growing, California Governor Gavin Newsom deployed the National Guard to bolster law enforcement.

A nighttime curfew has been imposed in evacuated areas, and dozens of arrests made.