Newsman: The wildfire threat is ongoing as dangerous winds hit the Los Angeles area.At least 25 people have died as multiple wildfires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds, rage across the Los Angeles area. Urban search and rescue workers are using rakes to move debris as they search for human remains along the Pacific Coast Highway where homes were destroyed by the Palisades Fire.
Thousands of firefighters are battling wildfires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. About 82,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders and another 90,000 are under evacuation warnings.
The Palisades Fire, which began in the Pacific Palisades has destroyed about 5,000 structures. It’s covered more than 23,000 acres and is at 21% containment.The Eaton Fire north of Pasadena has destroyed or damaged around 7,000 structures. It’s burned over 14,000 acres and is at 45% containment.
Officials giving an update on the Palisades Fire on Wednesday said they have generated more than 150 leads as they probe the cause and progress of the blaze.
Jose Medina, acting special agent in charge of the ATF Los Angeles Field Division, said investigators are scouring video from state owned cameras that were in place in the area, from residents in the area and from social media posts.
On Wednesday morning and afternoon, winds was the strongest west and north of Los Angeles, mostly in the mountains and higher canyons, where gusts could reach 50 mph to 70 mph.
In addition to gusty winds, relative humidity will be very low, down to 8%.
Firefighters were battling two monstrous wildfires that have burned for over a week as weary residents across Los Angeles County stayed alert for another round of Santa Ana winds Wednesday.
Winds were weaker than predicted Tuesday, and firefighting crews made progress containing the deadly blazes as they awaited the return of dangerous winds that could fuel new fires. The National Weather Service issued a new “particularly dangerous situation” red flag warning for Los Angeles and Ventura counties that is expected to last through Wednesday afternoon.
“We are not out of the woods yet. Please stay on guard for a fast-moving fire,” the weather service’s Los Angeles office warned.
Wind gusts in the mountains were forecast to peak at 50-70 mph, according to the weather service. Coastal and valley areas were expected to see winds up to 50 mph.
At least 25 people have been killed in the wildfires, according to an update from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. The medical examiner initially reported an additional death from the Eaton Fire on Tuesday that was later determined to be non-human remains.
By Tuesday night, the county medical examiner attributed another death to the Palisades Fire. In total, the Eaton Fire has killed at least 16 people while the Palisades Fire has left at least nine others dead.
Search and rescue operations remained ongoing as local authorities continued going door-to-door to find missing victims. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Tuesday that 24 people were still missing in areas hit by the Palisades and Eaton fires.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna warned the situation “is still very dangerous.” As of Tuesday, about 88,000 residents in the county remained under mandatory evacuation orders while authorities urged another 84,800 residents under evacuation warnings to be prepared to leave their homes.
The latest round of strong Santa Ana winds is expected to abate later this week and over the weekend, but forecasters say the reprieve won’t last long as windstorms could return to the Los Angeles area next week. And between Jan. 22 and Jan. 25, “another round of Santa Ana winds may emerge, coupled with anonymously dry weather conditions,” the National Weather Service said in a forecast, adding that “the exact timing and magnitude remain uncertain.”
Critical red flag warnings across much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties were set to expire Wednesday evening. Fire weather warnings over a mountainous area north of Los Angeles were extended into Thursday.
More than 90,000 homes and businesses in Southern California were without power Wednesday, including more than 30,000 in Los Angeles County and 32,000 in neighboring San Bernardino County. Additionally, residents in areas at risk for wildfires could experience power shutoffs this week as Los Angeles remains under a critical red flag warning, the city’s water and power department said. The department asked residents across the region, especially those living in mountainous areas, to prepare for power outages by charging their phones and keeping a flashlight and extra batteries handy.
“Local fire authorities may ask LADWP to de-energize power lines as a preventative measure, to help prevent wildfires and protect communities,” the Los Angeles Water and Power Department said in a statement.
Restoration may not happen quickly for those who lose power: “LADWP crews may not be able to automatically re-energize power lines serving your home or business,” the department said. “LADWP is taking these steps to protect public safety.”
