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Firefighters Brace For More Santa Ana Winds As Los Angeles Palisades and Eaton Fires Continue To Burn | Weather.com
- At least 24 have been killed in wildfires throughout Los Angeles County.
- Red flag warnings are issued for early this week, meaning dangerous fire conditions are expected.
- The fires combined have burned more than 62 square miles.
The death toll is up to 24 as wildfires continue to burn in Los Angeles County. The Palisades Fire is being blamed for eight of those deaths, while the Eaton Fire is responsible for 16 fatalities. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office, missing persons reports have been filed for 16 individuals. The number of missing and the number perished could both rise, according to officials.
Firefighters who spent the weekend keeping four large fires in check are now bracing for more Santa Ana winds which could stoke the flames and cause new fires to flare up.
The National Weather Service has posted red flag warnings through Wednesday, meaning severe fire conditions are expected. Gusts from 45 mph up to 70 mph are expected, with the worst of the weather coming on Tuesday morning through noon Wednesday.
(MORE: Intense ‘Firenado’ Spawned By Palisades Fire)
Homes along the Pacific Coast Highway are seen burned by the Palisades Fire, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Malibu, California.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Seventy additional water trucks were sent to the county to help with any surging flames in the coming days, and fire retardant dropped from the air will block fires along hillsides, officials said.
“We are prepared for the upcoming wind event,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said, according to the AP.
About 150,000 people in Los Angeles County are under evacuation orders. Officials said that evacuation orders in the Palisades area will likely stay in place until the red flag warnings expire Wednesday evening.
In total, the four blazes have consumed more than 62 square miles, an area larger than San Francisco, The Associated Press reported. The Palisades Fire, which has burned more than 37 square miles, according to CalFire, has consumed more than 1,000 structures. The fire was 13% contained early Monday morning. The Eaton Fire, at 27% containment early Monday, had consumed more than 22 square miles and more than 1,400 structures.
The Hurst Fire is now 89% contained after burning a little over one square mile.
More than 14,000 personnel, including firefighters from California, nine other states and Mexico, have been responding to the fires.