Almost three months after the January wildfire in Los Angeles, investigators discovered the human body in a burned lot Wednesday in Altadena, California, raising the total casualties of death to 30 from the fire.
The Los Angeles County Medical Inspector's office said a team of six had been sent to Altadena to investigate possible reports of sites. The team later confirmed that the body was human. The discovery came 12 weeks after the Eton fire broke out on the evening of January 7th, burning more than 14,000 acres and destroying more than 9,000 structures.
The bodies found Wednesday raised the death toll from the Eton fire to 18. To the west of Palisade in the Pacific Ocean, 12 people died in the Palisade fire, burning more than 23,000 acres and destroying more than 6,000 structures.
With 30 deaths, the two fires constitute the second-deep wildfire in California's history. The camp fire that killed 85 people in Northern California in 2018 has the largest death toll in the state's history of wildfires, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Additionally, Eton and Palisade fires rank among the deadliest in California. Palisades' fire is the ninth fatalest, and Eaton Fire is the fifth fatalest, according to state records.
The death toll from the Eton and Palisade fires could continue to grow. The number of people reported missing at the time of the fire was still unknown. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department did not provide any updated figures Thursday immediately.
The day after the fire, authorities searched the property along with the dogs of the dead and rescuers. Sheriff's officials said those searches had shifted to recovery efforts rather than search and rescue operations.
The medical inspector's office said it could take “a considerable time” to identify the bodies found Wednesday. Investigators can use several methods, including dental records, medical records, and DNA from families associated with people who are reported to be lacking.
The age of those whose bodies were found was unknown, but the majority of victims of the Eton fire were over 65 years old. The average age of the victims is 77, ranging from 32 to 95, according to data from the prosecutor's office.
Los Angeles County is facing scrutiny about how it dealt with evacuations, particularly seniors and disabled people, during the fire.
This week, the County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion to be tasked with considering the development of a registry that could evacuate residents with disabilities or residents who may need emergency assistance.
Janice Hahn, the county supervisor who wrote the complaint, said the county needs to be in a better position to evacuate those who cannot escape on their own.
“In emergencies, first responders need to know who our most vulnerable residents are, where they are, and how we reach when the minutes are important and life takes place,” Hearn said in a statement.
Kathryn Barger, the district's county supervisor, including Altadena, said he was devastated to find out that the average age of Eaton's victims is 77.
“We have an obligation to ensure no one is left behind,” Berger said in a statement.
The cause of the Eaton and Palisade fires is under investigation. Thousands of residents were evacuated shortly after the fire. Many have since found temporary homes, but others are still working on the next long-term move, such as deciding whether to rebuild their homes or sell the burnt lot and move elsewhere.
