The death toll from the Los Angeles wildfires rose to 24 on Sunday, with officials warning of dangerous winds that could fan the blaze.
Fires raged for a sixth day in the United States’ second-largest city, reducing entire communities to charred rubble and leaving thousands homeless.
Massive firefighting efforts have halted the spread of the Palisades Fire, which was moving toward upstate Brentwood and the densely populated San Fernando Valley.
But conditions are set to deteriorate dramatically in the coming days, with “extreme fire behavior and life-threatening conditions”.
National Weather Service meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld said winds of 70 miles (110 kilometers) per hour meant a “particularly hazardous situation (PDS)” would be declared early Tuesday.
Firefighters warned that the gusts could fan flames and carry embers from existing burn zones to new areas.
Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marvin said his department received resources, including dozens of new water trucks and firefighters from far away, and faced a new threat.
Asked if hydrants could run dry again, as they did during the fire’s initial outbreak last week, Mayor Karen Bass replied: “I believe the city is ready.”
There was disappointment for evacuees who were told they would not be able to return home until at least Thursday when the winds eased.
Some people have been queuing for hours hoping to return to homes they ran to get medicine or a change of clothes.
Search for dead bodies
But Sheriff Robert Luna said escorts were suspended in those areas Sunday because of the dangerous conditions amid the winds and debris, as well as the need to recover the victims’ bodies.
Teams with stray dogs were scouring the grid in the dire expectation that the number of confirmed casualties would rise.
Several more arrests were made of looters, including a burglar who stole from homes dressed as a firefighter.
Nighttime curfews have been extended in the evacuated areas, and additional National Guard resources have been requested.
Prevented from entering the evacuation zone, Altadena resident Bobby Salman, 42, said: “I have to be there to protect my family, my wife, my children, my mother, and I can go and see them. Can’t.”
Fire Tornado
The Palisades fire has now burned 23,700 acres (9,500 ha) and was only 11% contained.
Video footage showed “fire tornadoes” — the red-hot spirals that occur when a fire is so intense that it forms its own weather system.
The horrific fire also left streaks of molten metal from charred cars.
But control of the 14,000-acre Eaton fire in Altadena has improved, with data showing that it is 27 percent contained.
The County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner released a list of the fatalities without releasing any identifying details. Eight of the dead were found in the Palisades fire zone and 16 in the Eaton fire zone, the document said.
The total number of residents under evacuation orders dropped from a peak of about 180,000 to around 100,000.
With reports of illegal price gouging by opportunistic landlords, the sudden influx of people has become a growing problem for the city.
“I’m back in the market with tens of thousands of people,” said a man who gave his name as Brian, whose rent-controlled apartment burned down. “It doesn’t look good.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom vowed to rebuild the city, saying there would be a “Marshall Plan” — a reference to the American support that put Europe back on its feet after World War II. .
“We already have a team reimagining LA 2.0,” he said.
‘Worst Disaster’
President-elect Donald Trump has accused California officials of incompetence.
“This is one of the worst disasters in our country’s history. They just can’t put out fires. What’s wrong with them?” Trump said the truth on his social platform.
A brave firefighting operation that has been working 24/7 since the first blaze broke out was boosted on Sunday with the arrival of crews from Mexico.
They join teams from across California and across the western United States who have come to help.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi also offered to send 150 personnel from his war-torn country to California on Sunday.
“The situation there is extremely difficult, and Ukrainians can help save American lives,” he wrote on social media.
A major investigation is underway by federal and local authorities to determine the cause of the fire.
Although wildfires can be started intentionally, they are often natural, and are an important part of the ecosystem’s life cycle.
But urban sprawl puts people in harm’s way more often, and a changing climate—charged more by humanity’s unchecked use of fossil fuels—is exacerbating conditions that are catastrophic. Give birth to flames.