Firefighters raced to contain the frontiers of two Los Angeles wildfires that burned for the sixth straight day yesterday, taking advantage of a brief respite in hazardous conditions before high winds were expected to fan the flames again.

At least 24 people have died in what California Governor Gavin Newsom said could be the most devastating natural disaster in U.S. history “in terms of just the costs associated with it”, one that has destroyed thousands of homes and forced 100,000 people to evacuate.

The raging Inferno has reduced whole neighborhoods to ruins, leveling the homes of the rich, famous, and ordinary folk alike.

Officials said at least 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed so far, and there is still spreading flames with strong winds that threatens more communities, as the death toll is expected to rise.