The death toll from devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area doubled to 10 overnight as thousands of acres continued to burn.
Five fires have been identified to the west and north of the city centre leading to mass evacuations.
Private forecaster Accuweather increased its preliminary estimate of the total damage and economic loss to between $135 billion and $150 billion.
To put the LA wildfire disaster into further context, the AccuWeather estimate for the total damage and economic loss from the wildfires in Maui in 2023 was $13-$16 billion. The wildfires in the western US in 2020 was $130-$150 billion and in 2021 was $70-$90 billion.
More recently, the hurricanes that impacted the US, including Milton, which caused $160-180 billion and Helene, which caused $225-$250 billion, and the 2024 hurricane season as a whole reached nearly a half-trillion dollars.
AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter said: “These fast-moving, wind-driven infernos have created one of the costliest wildfire disasters in modern US history.
“Hurricane-force winds sent flames ripping through neighbourhoods filled with multi-million-dollar homes. The devastation left behind is heartbreaking and the economic toll is staggering.
“To put this into perspective, the total damage and economic loss from this wildfire disaster could reach nearly 4% of the annual GDP of the state of California.”
More than 100,000 people have been evacuated amid the damage and destruction of thousands of homes and businesses.
Los Angeles International airport (LAX) is open and operating normally but passengers are being advised to check their flight status directly with their airline. The port of Los Angeles also remains open.
Discover Los Angeles said: “Both the Los Angeles International airport and the Port of Los Angeles continue to operate without interruption, remaining fully open and functional.”
However, the tourist organisation added: “The air quality in Los Angeles has been significantly impacted due to the ongoing wildfires.
“Residents and visitors, especially those with pre-existing health conditions, young children, and the elderly, are advised to take precautions.”
Various city attractions have been forced to close, including the Hollywood sign and LA Zoo and studio tours at Universal and Warner Bros.
The entire Angeles National Forest is temporarily closed “for public safety and the protection of natural resources” until midnight on January 15.
Porter added: “Tragically, lives have been changed forever in just a matter of minutes. Many families may not be able to afford to rebuild or repair and return. Businesses may not be able to recover and jobs will be permanently lost.
“Thousands of people are in desperate need of help, initially the basic and life-sustaining needs of food, water and shelter, as this tragedy unfolds.
“Many families will face significant unexpected costs to relocate to another area in Southern California. The recovery process will be extremely expensive and emotionally challenging in the months and years to come.”
Hurricane-force wind gusts grounded firefighting aircraft during the height of the windstorm and continue to hamper aerial firefighting efforts at times.
Fires burning out of control, gusty winds and smoky conditions have also limited efforts to fully survey and assess the damage from the ground and the air, according to Accuweather.
“Gusty winds and wildfire smoke will continue to impact firefighting and containment efforts through Thursday night,” it warned.
AccuWeather meteorologists say winds on Friday are not expected to be as strong as they were earlier this week during the windstorm. Wind gusts of 40-50 miles per hour are possible in some areas of Southern California on Friday. Offshore winds are expected to pick up again on Sunday in advance of another area of low pressure that will move south through California.