LA Wildfires Death Toll Reaches 24 as Strong Winds Forecasted

Weather forecasters in California have issued warnings as the powerful winds that have been fueling the devastating wildfires around Los Angeles are expected to pick up again this week. Fire crews are working around the clock to contain three major fires in the area, but officials are concerned that the notorious Santa Ana winds, known for their dry and intense nature, will intensify from Sunday night through Wednesday. These winds could reach speeds of up to 60 mph (96 km/h), making it even harder to control the blazes.

Following a weekend of relatively calmer winds, some progress has been made in containing the Palisades and Eaton fires, which are burning on opposite ends of Los Angeles. Firefighters, along with teams from eight other states and support from Canada and Mexico, have been helping local crews in their efforts to combat the flames. However, the LA County medical examiner has raised the death toll to 24, with at least 16 more people still missing. The majority of the casualties were found in the Eaton fire zone, while the rest were discovered in the Palisades area.

The fires burning in and around Los Angeles include the Palisades fire, which is the largest, having burned through more than 23,000 acres and being 13% contained. The second-largest fire, the Eaton fire, has scorched more than 14,000 acres and is currently 27% contained. The third fire, the Hurst fire, has affected around 799 acres and is nearly fully contained.

These wildfires are predicted to be among the costliest in U.S. history. Private forecasting company Accuweather has revised its estimates, projecting the financial losses from the fires could range between $250 billion and $275 billion. While there has been some success in containing the largest fires, officials are worried that the return of the high winds could lead to “potentially disastrous wind conditions” and extreme fire behavior. The entire LA County has been placed on alert, with authorities bracing for worsening conditions.

“Unfortunately, we’re going right back into red flag conditions, with potentially disastrous wind conditions expected between now and Wednesday, with peak winds anticipated on Tuesday,” said Pasadena fire chief Chad Augustin. “Although we’ve made some progress, we are far from being out of danger.”

The National Weather Service has issued a rare “particularly dangerous situation” alert for Tuesday, predicting “extreme fire behavior” from 4:00 AM local time until midday on Wednesday. LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has advised residents near evacuation zones to be ready to evacuate if necessary and to avoid driving in order to allow emergency crews to work efficiently.

Despite the worsening conditions, all schools, except those in mandatory evacuation zones, will reopen on Monday, according to the LA Unified School District. In Topanga Canyon, resident Alice Husum expressed concern about the forecasted wind speeds, but noted that they were not as extreme as earlier in the week. Husum has remained in her home despite evacuation orders, but she and her neighbors are anxiously awaiting Tuesday, when wind speeds are expected to peak.

New fires also continue to break out in Southern California, threatening communities in the San Fernando Valley and near NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). However, fire crews were able to quickly contain a new blaze in the Angeles National Forest, which surrounds the important JPL facility, which houses sensitive technology.

Currently, about 105,000 residents remain under mandatory evacuation orders, with another 87,000 under evacuation warnings. There have been at least 29 arrests for looting in evacuation zones, including two individuals who were caught posing as firefighters to steal from evacuees. Sheriff Robert Luna reported that more than 14,000 firefighters are working in the region, with additional support from 84 aircraft and 1,354 fire engines. In response to the crisis, Governor Gavin Newsom has deployed 1,000 additional National Guard troops to assist with firefighting and security efforts.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has continued to warn of the ongoing danger, urging residents to remain cautious as the winds pick up. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Police Department has imposed strict access restrictions to evacuated areas, and officials have warned of potential scams and price gouging, with severe legal consequences for those who exploit victims.

As the wildfires continue to devastate the region, tensions between California Governor Newsom and President-elect Donald Trump have escalated. Trump, who has been invited to visit the fire-affected areas, criticized California’s political leaders, blaming them for the severity of the crisis. In turn, Governor Newsom accused Trump of spreading misleading information about the fires, deepening the ongoing political conflict.