The lull of the inferno was short-lived. The wind picked up again in Los Angeles, California, on Thursday evening. A new outbreak, dubbed the Kenneth Fire, was declared in the San Fernando Valley, west of the city. It joined the other three still active blazes and the Sunset Fire, which threatened Hollywood on Wednesday but was quickly contained thanks to aerial resources. Within a few hours, the new outbreak had consumed 400 hectares (about 990 acres). Helicopters darted back and forth from the Pepperdine University reservoir in Malibu to pick up water.

The death toll has risen to 10, but authorities expect it to be higher once rescue workers have secured the debris. "We're not out of the woods at all," said Fire Chief Kristin Crowley. Earlier in the day, the Eaton Fire, which raced up the hill behind Pasadena, caused panic as it closed in on the antennas atop Mount Wilson, threatening broadcasts.

Glued to the images filmed by television channels or by individuals who were, here and there, allowed to return to their neighborhoods, the residents of Los Angeles are gradually taking stock of the enormity of the destruction. More than 130,000 people have now been evacuated. The number of demolished buildings could reach 9,000, according to the authorities. Between them, the two main outbreaks, Palisades and Eaton, occupy almost 13,000 hectares (about 32,100 acres), an area larger than Paris.

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