Los Angeles crews race to contain wildfires ahead of high winds

Forecasters in California are warning that strong winds that have fueled an inferno around Los Angeles will pick up again this week as fire crews on the ground scramble to contain three wildfires.

After relatively calm winds over the weekend, Santa Ana’s notoriously dry winds will pick up again Sunday night into Wednesday, officials warned, reaching speeds of up to 60 miles per hour (96 km/h).

Ahead of the wind, some progress has been made in stopping the spread of the Palisades and deadly Eaton fires, which are burning at opposite ends of the city. Local firefighters are being assisted by crews from eight other states, as well as Canada and Mexico, which continue to arrive.

At a press conference on Sunday, officials said 16 people had died and another 16 were missing.

They also warned that the death toll was expected to rise as the city’s search and rescue teams swept through the rubble with the help of cadaver dogs.

Three fires continue to burn around Los Angeles.

The largest fire is the Palisades, which is now 23,000 acres and 11% contained.

The Eaton fire is the second largest at 14,000 acres. It contains 27%.

The Hearst fire is 799 acres and is almost completely contained.

Although crews have been able to begin extinguishing the largest fires, authorities have warned that incoming winds could bring “potentially catastrophic wind conditions” that could put the entire Los Angeles County area at risk of fire.

“Unfortunately, we’re moving back to red flag conditions with some potentially catastrophic wind conditions today through Wednesday, with the peak winds expected on Tuesday,” Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustine told the BBC.

“While we are making some progress, the end is not even close,” he said.

Los Angeles City Fire Chief Christine Crowley urged residents near evacuation zones to be prepared to flee if the order is issued and to stay off roads as much as possible to avoid disturbing crews.

Topanga Canyon resident Alyssa Husum, 67, told the BBC that a new fire that started in the area overnight was quickly put out, but she and her neighbors are “fearful for Tuesday”, when wind speeds are likely to peak.

But Ms. Husum, who stayed behind despite evacuation orders, says the forecast is “a little better than the 100-mile gusts that hit us” earlier this week.

New fires continued to burn Sunday, threatening communities in the San Fernando Valley and near NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

Firefighters on Sunday were able to quickly contain new fires in the Angeles National Forest surrounding a facility at the heart of the U.S. space program that contains top-secret technology.

At least 29 people were arrested for looting in mandatory evacuation zones. Two people were caught posing as firefighters to steal from evacuees.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news conference Sunday that he has requested additional National Guard troops to reinforce the 400 people already in the area. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that 1,000 more people will be sent to the National Guard.

“When I was there in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman who looked like a fireman. I asked him if he was okay as he was sitting down. I didn’t know we had handcuffs on him,” said Sheriff Luna. reporters.

“We’re turning him over to the LAPD because he was dressed as a firefighter and he wasn’t. He was just caught burglarizing a house. Therefore, our first deputies and police officers deal with these issues.”

There are now 14,000 firefighters in southern California, assisted by 84 aircraft and 1,354 fire trucks, Sheriff Luna said.

The number of evacuees has dropped, with about 105,000 residents still under mandatory evacuation orders and 87,000 under evacuation warnings.

Deanna Criswell, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), told CNN on Sunday that a significant threat remains.

“I know so many people probably want to go back to the area and check their homes, but when the wind picks up, you never know which way they’re going to go,” she said.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said evacuees were allowed limited access over the weekend, but his officers are again barring all residents from returning.

Officials have repeatedly ordered drone operators not to fly near fire zones and are now seeking information after a drone crashed into a vital aircraft.

The FBI shared photos of a small drone that collided with a plane known as a “Super Scooper,” one of the world’s most efficient firefighting planes, on Thursday, briefly bringing it to a halt.

The drone punched a 3-by-6-inch (8-by-15 cm) hole in the plane.

Officials also warned of scammers looking to take advantage of victims and issued a stern warning that anyone caught overcharging will be prosecuted.

Meanwhile, the spat between California Governor Newsom and President-elect Donald Trump continues.

Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20 and was invited by the governor to inspect the fire damage, on Saturday blamed “incompetent” politicians for “one of the worst disasters in our country’s history.”

Newsom, who is a Democrat, in turn attacked Trump for spreading misinformation about the fires.

In an interview with NBC on Sunday, Newsom called Trump’s false claims “inexcusable.”

With additional reporting by Regan Morris