The Los Angeles homeless community are fearing a backlash after a wildfire which ripped apart six mansions valued at $20m was initially started in a homeless camp.
The Los Angeles fire department confirmed the reports, with the fire initially started as a cooking fire under a freeway some 20 miles away from the city centre.
On the 6th December in Los Angeles County, just before 05:00, the fire broke out at a homeless encampment under Interstate 405 and Sepulveda Boulevard, as confirmed by the fire department.
It then become uncontrollable and spread through arid landscapes fanned by strong winds, which has been the primary cause for a grand total of five other fires in the state in the week commencing 27th November.
Being named the Skirball fire, the blaze itself has torn through more than 400 acres, completely destroyed six homes while 12 others have been damaged in the very wealthy Bel-Air district of Los Angeles.
In addition to this, a building at a winery owned by Rupert Murdoch was scorched, with the billionaire media mogul’s Moraga Vineyards – where he lives, with Jerry Hall – needing to be evacuated after fires started to move in on the grounds.
On the 12th December, fire officials stated that 85% of the fire had been contained, however there were still dozens of firefighters in the affected areas leftover tackling the blazes.
