PACIFIC PALISADES (CNS) – Some residents are slowly returning to their homes in the Pacific Palisades Monday, as containment of the deadly Palisades Fire has grown to 59% ahead of another dangerous Santa Ana wind event expected to bring isolated gusts as high as 100 mph Monday.
Firefighters have continued to benefit from a break in the weather, thanks to low clouds and good humidity levels. But this week’s expected winds will create a renewed high risk for critical fire weather conditions and the rapid spread of any new fires.
Forecasters took the rare step of issuing a “particularly dangerous situation warning” for a large portion of Los Angeles and Ventura counties due to damaging Santa Ana winds and very low humidity.
That warning will be in effect from noon Monday until 10 a.m. Tuesday for the Santa Clarita Valley, San Fernando Valley including Calabasas and Agoura Hills, Malibu coast, western Santa Monica Mountains recreation area, the Interstate 5 corridor, San Gabriel Valley and north of the 210 Freeway including Altadena and Glendora.
Additionally, Los Angeles County will be under a red flag warning for extreme fire danger from 8 a.m. Monday morning through 2 p.m. Tuesday. Forecasters say a “moderate to strong” Santa Ana wind event is expected, with isolated gusts of 80 to 100 mph expected in most wind-prone mountain locations, such as the San Gabriel, western Santa Monica and Santa Susana Mountains, according to the National Weather Service.
Officials are urging residents to review their evacuation plans and make sure emergency kits are stocked with needed items should they have to evacuate.
The city of Los Angeles declared that red-flag parking restrictions would go into effect at 8 a.m. Monday and remain in effect until further notice.
The Palisades Fire has scorched 23,713 acres and killed at least 10 people since erupting Jan. 7. Authorities said they anticipate the number of fatalities to rise as crews continue sifting through the ash and rubble.
More evacuation orders were being lifted this weekend. Escorts were required for one repopulation area Sunday, and residents were asked to gather at 1150 Pacific Coast Highway (Parking Lot 3 North) in Santa Monica from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Evacuation warnings were lifted Sunday for more than a dozen other fire zones. At 2 p.m., evacuation warnings were lifted in the following areas:
— north of Mildas Drive/Loma Metisse Road and south of Baynes Road/Stunt Road;
— north of Malibu Canyon Road and south of Piuma Road/Malibu Canyon Road;
— north of Sweetwater Mesa Road and south of Costa del Sol Way; and,
— north of Sweetwater Mesa Road and West Carbon Canyon Road.
A curfew continues to be in effect nightly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the mandatory evacuation areas in the Palisades and Eaton fire zones. Only firefighters, utility workers and law enforcement personnel are allowed in those areas.
Two individuals from Oregon were arrested Saturday for impersonating firefighters and entering an evacuation zone, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Authorities said the pair claimed to be from the Roaring River Fire Department in Oregon, which deputies found was not a legitimate agency. Dustin Nehl, 31, and Jennifer Nehl, 44, were found wearing Cal Fire T-shirts under turnout gear, helmet and radios in a fire truck purchased at an auction, sheriff’s officials said. The relationship of the two was not disclosed.
Authorities with the LASD and other law enforcement agencies have reported dozens of arrests for alleged looting, burglaries and curfew violations since the fires in Palisades and Altadena broke out on Jan. 7.
Evacuation centers were open at the following sites:
— Ritchie Valens Recreation Center, 10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd. in Pacoima;
— Stoner Recreation Center, 1835 Stoner Ave., Los Angeles;
— Westwood Recreation Center, 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd.;
— Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Recreation Center, 14201 Huston St.
Small animals were being taken at the following locations:
— El Camino High School, 5440 Valley Circle Blvd., Woodland Hills;
— American Red Cross Sheltering Site with mobile animal shelter (small animals only);
— Agoura Animal Care Center, 29525 Agoura Road;
— Baldwin Park Animal Care Center, 4275 Elton St.;
— Carson Animal Care Center, 216 W. Victoria St., Gardena;
— Castaic Animal Care Center, 31044 Charlie Canyon;
— Downey Animal Care Center, 11258 Garfield Ave.;
— Lancaster Animal Care Center, 5210 W. Ave. I;
— Palmdale Animal Care Center, 38550 Sierra Highway.
Large animals were being taken at these locations:
— Hansen Dam Horse Park, 11127 Orcas Ave.;
— Castaic Animal Care Center, 31044 Charlie Canyon Road;
— Pomona Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave.,;
— Industry Hills Expo, 16200 Temple Ave., city of Industry;
— Pico Rivera Sports Arena, 11003 Sports Arena Drive.
Santa Monica officials said Saturday that all evacuation orders have been lifted within that city, and Pacific Coast Highway is now accessible for local residents, businesses and patrons. Access to PCH north of the Santa Monica city limits is being managed by the Los Angeles Police Department.
Interstate 10 remains closed west of Lincoln Boulevard per the California Highway Patrol until further notice.
Officials also cited “an increased need for specialized supplies related to all-hazards response for responders and re-populating civilians, including masks, respirators, gloves, eye protection and decontamination,” according to Cal Fire.
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority said it would re- open most of its parks outside of the Santa Monica Mountains. MRCA-managed parks and trails in the Santa Monica Mountains and in the fire evacuation zone, including Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve, are still closed until the fire emergency is over.
The closures include Temescal Gateway Park, King Gillette Ranch, all Topanga Canyon Parks, parking lots and beach accessways in and directly adjacent to the city of Malibu including Escondido Canyon Park, Fryman Canyon Park, Wilacre Park, Franklin Canyon Park and Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve.
As of Sunday, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power crews had restored electric service to customers in the Brentwood, Encino and Bel-Air areas that were previously without power to protect public safety. The LADWP had approximately 8,000 customers remaining without power in the Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica Canyon areas, where workers cannot safely access homes or in areas where it is unsafe to re-energize power lines. Customers with questions about the status of their service can call 800-342-5397.
Southern California Gas Co. had shut off service to about 13,600 customers in the Palisades Fire area for safety reasons, but the utility reported Sunday that it has restored service for 3,344 of those customers, and was continuing restoration efforts in the northwest areas of Malibu beyond Pepperdine University.
The Gas Co. has established an information booth for residents that will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pavilions store at 29211 Heathercliff Road in Malibu, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center at UCLA Research Park West, 10850 W Pico Blvd., to provide information for customers.
Los Angeles County officials said its damage assessments can be viewed at recocery.lacounty.gov/palisades-fire. They will be updated daily in real time.
Malibu campuses in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District are scheduled to reopen Tuesday, following Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will “probably” travel to California this week to view the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County.
“I will be, probably, at the end of the week,” he told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Trump is set to be inaugurated on Monday.
At least 4,996 structures have been destroyed in the blaze, and another 707 have been damaged. Those numbers may also rise in the coming days.
Some 5,677 personnel were committed to the firefighting effort.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The Palisades Fire erupted around 10:30 a.m. Jan. 7 in the area of Piedra Morada and Monte Hermoso drives as the area was under a red flag warning for critical fire danger due to a historic wind event that saw gusts of 80 mph. It continued to grow exponentially Jan. 7 and Jan. 8, driven by heavy fuel loads and powerful Santa Ana winds.
Recent Comments