Fires in Los Angeles have destroyed nearly a thousand buildings, causing astronomical damage (video).

The wildfires engulfing Los Angeles may become one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history. Preliminary estimates suggest that total losses could exceed $135 billion.

The two major fires, Palisades and Eaton, have destroyed over 9,000 structures, writes LA Times. At least 130,000 individuals have been forced to evacuate.

The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office has announced that it is investigating ten deaths related to the fire. The coroner warned that in some cases, identifying the deceased could take weeks due to difficulties accessing bodies in the hazardous fire conditions.

In a region that houses some of the most expensive real estate in the U.S., the extent of the destruction continues to grow as the fires have not yet been fully contained.

"These fast-moving, wind-driven infernos have created one of the costliest wildfire disasters in modern U.S. history," said AccuWeather's chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter.

Sheriff Robert Luna announced on Thursday afternoon that a curfew is in effect from 6 PM to 6 AM in the areas affected by the Eaton and Palisades fires to prevent looting.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger emphasized that the curfew was not intended to punish residents but to ensure the safety of the area. According to her, the city council of Altadena requested the implementation of the curfew.

According to AccuWeather, total losses could range from $135 to $150 billion, including the value of destroyed properties, economic impact, and long-term health and tourism consequences.

For comparison, the Camp Fire that occurred in 2018 in Paradise, California, remains the most expensive in history, with insured losses around $12.5 billion. The fire destroyed over 50,000 homes and claimed the lives of 85 individuals.

Experts already rank the Los Angeles wildfires among the top five costliest wildfires based on insured losses. However, the total losses, including uninsured properties, will be significantly higher.

Additionally, due to the fire in Los Angeles, which also affected the Hollywood Hills and resulted in casualties and destruction, the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was forced to amend the voting schedule for the Oscar nominees.

As reported by Variety, voting for the approximately 10,000 members of the academy began on January 8. Judges were supposed to finalize the list of contenders for the world's top film award by voting from January 8 to 12, with results scheduled to be announced on January 17.

However, due to the wildfires in Los Angeles, the deadline has been extended to January 14. The announcement of nominees is now set for January 19.

Due to the natural disaster, the deadline has been extended by two days, so the nominees will be announced on January 19.

What Ukrainians Are Saying

Ukrainians in Los Angeles have shared videos of the fires. They are moving around the city in protective masks.

Earlier, "Telegraph" reported that a house in Malibu with a panoramic ocean view, rented by Joe Biden's son Hunter, was destroyed by the out-of-control wildfires in California.