For the latest on all the fires affecting Southern California visit Fire.ca.gov. For LA County visit LACounty.gov/emergency or LAFD.org/alerts. For safety tips and other information on how to prepare for emergencies and evacuations visit fire.lacounty.gov.
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Another day of strong Santa Ana winds will challenge firefighters working Wednesday to fortify and extend containment lines around Southland wildfires that have killed more than two dozen people, with authorities warning that hotspots are still smoldering in the burn zones and could be fanned by the gusts.
“The anticipated 70 mile per hour winds have yet to materialize, however, this could change and we are still at risk,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said during a Wednesday morning briefing.
Much of Los Angeles County will be under a red flag warning of critical fire danger until 6 p.m. Wednesday, with the warning continuing until 3 p.m. Thursday in the western San Gabriel Mountains and the Golden State (5) and Antelope Valley (14) freeway corridors.
The National Weather Service had originally issued a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red flag warning that was expected to take effect at 4 a.m. Tuesday and continue through noon Wednesday in the western Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains, the 5 and 14 freeway corridors and the western San Fernando Valley.
But with the winds slow to develop, the NWS pushed back the PDS warnings, which took effect instead at 3 a.m. Wednesday and will expire at 3 p.m.
A red flag warning was lifted altogether for the San Gabriel Valley.
On Tuesday afternoon, the NWS canceled high wind warnings that had been in place in most areas, replacing them with less severe wind advisories that will be in place until noon Wednesday.
Forecasters warned that strong wind gusts could still present a danger in many areas before the Santa Ana event ends late Wednesday.
“The good news is that the winds through the Santa Monica Mountains will be focused on the western third of the range far away from the Palisades Fire,” NWS forecasters said in a statement Wednesday. “The upper reaches of the Eaton Fire may see an increase in winds but this is not a for-sure situation.
“The really good news is that today (Wednesday) will be the last really windy day. Look for a marked decrease in the winds this afternoon with the advisory level gusts ending by 3 p.m.”
The unexpected lull in the winds on Tuesday helped firefighters gain ground as they stretched containment lines around the major blazes. As of Wednesday, the nearly 24,000-acre Palisades Fire was 19% contained, and containment of the 14,117-acre Eaton Fire was at 45%.
Both blazes were experiencing only sparse active fire activity, with crews focused on dousing hot spots, jumping on spot fires and extending the containment lines. But gusting winds could fan smoldering embers and re-ignite and fan flames.
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley noted that despite the lack of visible flames, “there are still numerous hotspots burning within the fire footprint.”
The fleet of firefighting aircraft battling the fires got a boost Tuesday as a Super Scooper that was damaged by a drone over the Palisades Fire last week returned to service as of 11 a.m., Marrone said.
As of Tuesday, 25 deaths have been reported in the two fires — eight in the Palisades Fire and 17 in the Eaton Fire, according to the county Medical Examiner’s Office. That was an increase from 24 on Monday, with one additional death reported in the Eaton Fire burn area.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said his deputies were conducting a grid search of the Eaton Fire burn area, a process he said was nearly 80% completed as of Wednesday morning.
The sheriff’s department has 26 active missing-person cases relating to the fires, Luna said, with 20 in the Eaton Fire area and six in the Malibu area.
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said Wednesday the department has eight active missing-person reports.
The recovery effort has halted escorts that law enforcement had been conducting for residents to gather belongings or view damage at their homes in the burn areas.
Marrone said residents can visit recovery.lacounty.gov for damage information on individual properties in the burn areas. The website has maps of the fire areas, with icons placed on properties that have been inspected. It is updated in real time as more properties are surveyed.
Roughly 5,000 structures are believed to have been destroyed or damaged in the Palisades Fire, and at least 7,000 in the Eaton Fire. Those numbers could also rise as more inspections are completed.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sunday that he had signed an executive order to suspend permitting and review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Act to allow fire victims to restore their homes and businesses faster.
Additionally, the order directs state agencies to identify additional permitting requirements, including provisions of the Building Code, that can safely be suspended or streamlined to accelerate rebuilding and make it more affordable. It also extends protections against price gouging on building materials, storage services, construction and other essential goods and services to Jan. 7, 2026 in Los Angeles County.
Authorities were warning residents near the fire areas that air quality continues to be highly unhealthy. People were urged to suspend the use of leaf blowers, to stay inside with doors and windows closed as much as possible, and to wear masks if they do go outside.
Red Flag parking restrictions went into effect in the city of L.A. beginning at 8 a.m. Monday due to the ongoing wind conditions, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The restrictions will be tightly enforced to ensure faster response times to fast-moving brush fires, and to help keep streets clear for people forced to evacuate their homes. Vehicles illegally parked in areas within the “Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones” will be towed.
Drivers were reminded to look for “Red Flag Days” no parking signs to ensure compliance.
With high winds and power lines presenting a potential further fire danger, power was shut off for thousands of customers as a precaution. Southern California Edison reported Wednesday that 19,700 of its customers in Los Angeles County were without power.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power announced Monday that it had restored power to all its customers who lost electricity during last week’s windstorm, with the exception of 17,600 customers in Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Sylmar and Encino, where lines remained deactivated as a public safety measure.
The county has implemented a curfew that continues to be in effect nightly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the mandatory evacuation areas in the Eaton and Palisades fire zones. Only firefighters, utility workers and law enforcement personnel are allowed in those areas.
Luna reported 44 arrests so far, 36 in the Eaton Fire area and eight in the Palisades Fire area. Those arrests include two men for impersonating a firefighter in an effort to burglarize homes.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell reported 14 arrests as of Tuesday morning, including curfew violations, impersonating a police officer, impersonating a firefighter, DUI, vandalism, ammunition possession, burglary and other offenses.
The Santa Monica Police Department has announced about 40 arrests of people in evacuation zones in the northern reaches of that city.
Starting Tuesday, FEMA services and assistance were available at a pair of Disaster Assistance Centers located at UCLA Research Park — formerly the Westside Pavilion in West Los Angeles at 10850 W. Pico Blvd. — and at Pasadena City College Community Education Center, 3035 E. Foothill Blvd.
Starting Wednesday, they will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The deadly wildfires have destroyed at least 35 historic places, according to the latest count by the Los Angeles Conservancy.
By the time all the damage in assessed, the fires are expected to constitute one of the costliest disasters in U.S. history. Newsom told NBC News on Sunday that he believes the fires will be the worst natural disaster in the history of the country “in terms of just the costs associated with it, in terms of the scale and scope.”
On Monday, AccuWeather experts increased their estimate of total damage and economic loss from the fires to between $250 billion and $275 billion. That’s up from its estimate last week of $135 billion to $150 billion.
“Multimillion-dollar homes with priceless contents have already been lost in one of the world’s most expensive neighborhoods have contributed to this increase as well as the high costs to mitigate smoke damage and water damage due to fire suppression efforts,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said in a statement. “There will also certainly be a decrease in real estate values in some of the affected areas as a result of the fires. And perhaps even migration changes as large numbers of people leave California rather than choose to rebuild.”
Emergencies have been declared in the county and the state, and President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for the state. Both Newsom and County Supervisor Kathryn Barger have invited President-elect Donald Trump to visit the area and assess the damage.
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