Los Angeles wildfires devour thousands of homes, death toll rises to 10

LOS ANGELES, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Wildfires menacing Los Angeles have killed at least 10 people and devoured nearly 10,000 structures, with five fires burning into a third night on Thursday, as dry desert winds fanning the flames again gathered strength.

The Palisades Fire between Santa Monica and Malibu on the city's western flank and the Eaton Fire in the east near Pasadena already rank as the most destructive in Los Angeles history, consuming more than 34,000 acres (13,750 hectares) - or some 53 square miles - turning entire neighborhoods to ash.

The death toll from the blazes rose to 10, Los Angeles County's Medical Examiner said in an update late on Thursday, without providing identities or other details.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told an earlier press conference he expected the number to grow.

"It looks like an atomic bomb dropped in these areas. I don't expect good news, and we're not looking forward to those numbers," Luna said.

Private forecaster AccuWeather estimated the damage and economic loss at $135 billion to $150 billion, portending an arduous recovery and soaring homeowners' insurance costs.

Southern California Edison said on Thursday it had received notices from insurance companies to preserve evidence related to the Eaton Fire, but said no fire agencies have pointed to the utility's connection to the fire.

"We're already looking ahead to aggressively rebuild the city of Los Angeles," said Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, who faced criticism from President-elect Donald Trump and other Republicans over her handling of the disaster.