The U.S. authorities have announced the commencement of recovery efforts following the wildfires that resulted in at least 25 deaths in California, with homes and businesses destroyed (over 12,000 buildings in total) and thousands of people displaced from their residences.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass warned residents that the emergency is not yet over, adding:
"But as we endure, what I hope are the final hours of this emergency, it's time to discuss our recovery."
Meanwhile, residents of Southern California continue to receive new warnings about wildfires and power outages, as the winds fueling the flames have not subsided, making aerial firefighting impossible.
On Tuesday, much of the region faced a high risk of ignition.
The wildfires that began in California on January 7 may become the most costly in U.S. history.
President Joe Biden declared the fire-affected area a disaster zone to facilitate federal aid for those impacted.