Forecasters in California are warning strong winds that have fueled fires around Los Angeles are expected to intensify again this week, as fire crews battle three wildfires. Progress has been made in control.
After a weekend of relatively calm winds, the notoriously dry Santa Ana winds will return Sunday night into Wednesday, with gusts up to 60 mph (96 km/h), officials warned.
Before the wind picked up, some progress was made in containing the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires burning at opposite ends of the city. Local firefighters are being assisted by crews from eight other states, as well as Canada and Mexico, which continue to arrive.
The L.A. County medical examiner updated the death toll to 24 on Sunday, while officials had previously said at least 16 more were missing.
Sixteen of the fatalities occurred in the Eaton fire zone, while eight occurred in the Palisades area.
Three volcanoes continue to burn around Los Angeles.
The largest fire is the Palisades, which has now burned more than 23,000 acres and is 13% contained.
The Eaton fire is the second largest and has burned more than 14,000 acres. It comprises 27%.
The Hearst fire has spread to 799 acres and is almost completely contained.
The wildfires are on track to be the costliest in US history.
On Sunday, private forecaster Accuweather raised its initial estimate of financial losses from the fires to between $250bn-$275bn.
While crews have been able to contain the largest fire, officials have warned that the incoming wind event could lead to “potentially catastrophic wind conditions,” with fires burning throughout LA County. is under threat.
“Unfortunately, we’re moving back into red flag conditions with some potentially catastrophic wind conditions between now and Wednesday, with gusty winds expected on Tuesday,” Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustine told the BBC. is.”
“While we are making some progress, the end is far from over,” he said.
The National Weather Service has issued a rare ‘Extremely Hazardous Situation’ alert for Tuesday, warning of “extreme fire behavior” – from 4:00 a.m. local time through Wednesday afternoon. Will continue.
L.A. City Fire Chief Kristen Crowley told residents near evacuation zones to be prepared to flee if an order is issued, and to stay off roads as much as possible to block crews.
The L.A. Unified School District announced that despite the dire forecast, all schools except those in mandatory evacuation areas will reopen Monday.
Topanga Canyon resident Alice Hussom, 67, told the BBC the new blaze in the area was quickly brought under control overnight, but she and her neighbors are all “scared for Tuesday” when the winds pick up. is
But Ms. Hassam, who has stayed behind despite evacuation orders, notes that the forecast earlier in the week is “little better than the 100-mile gusts that were hitting us”.
New fires continued to burn Sunday, threatening communities near the San Fernando Valley and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
On Sunday, firefighters managed to quickly contain the spread of a new fire in the Angeles National Forest, which engulfed a facility that is at the heart of the US space program and houses top secret technology.
At least 29 people have been arrested for looting in mandatory evacuation areas. Two men were caught posing as firefighters to steal from an evacuee.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news conference Sunday that he has requested more National Guard troops to reinforce the 400 already in the area. California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that 1,000 additional members of the National Guard will be deployed.
“When I was out there in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman who looked like a firefighter. And I asked him if he was OK because he was sitting down,” Sheriff Luna said. I didn’t know we were handcuffing him.” Reporters
“We’re turning him over to the LAPD because he was dressed as a fireman, and he wasn’t. He just got caught burglarizing a house. So those are the issues that our front-line deputies and police have to deal with. Officers are dealing.”
Sheriff Luna said there are now 14,000 firefighters in the Southern California region, supported by 84 aircraft and 1,354 fire engines.
The number of evacuations has decreased, with about 105,000 residents still under mandatory evacuation orders and 87,000 under evacuation warnings.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Dan Croswell told CNN on Sunday that a significant threat remains.
“I know a lot of people probably want to go back to the area and check their homes, but with the winds coming back, you never know which way they’re going to go,” she said.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said residents evacuated over the weekend were allowed limited access, but his officers are once again preventing all residents from returning.
ReutersAuthorities have issued repeated orders to drone operators not to fly near fire zones, and now information has been released after a drone crashed into a critical aircraft. are getting
The FBI has shared photos of the small drone that crashed Thursday into a plane known as a “Super Scooper,” one of the world’s most impressive firefighting aircraft, abbreviated has been grounded.
The drone punched a 3-by-6-inch (8 by 15 cm) hole in the plane.
The FBIAuthorities have also warned of fraudsters trying to take advantage of victims, and issued a stark warning that anyone caught price gouging will be prosecuted.
Meanwhile, the feud between California Governor Newsom and newly elected President Donald Trump continues.
Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20 and has been invited by the governor to tour the fire damage, on Saturday blamed “incompetent” politicians for the “worst disaster in the history of our country.”
Newsom, a Democrat, in turn attacked Trump for sharing “inexcusable” misinformation about the fires.
With additional reporting by Reagan Morris
