By CHRISTOPHER WEBER and HOLLY RAMER, Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A growing force of firefighters moved into the Los Angeles area Monday as more powerful winds were expected to trigger new wildfires that could set back the recent progress made in containing blazes that have destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people.
Crews and equipment arrived from across the U.S., and from Canada and Mexico — including water trucks and planes that drop firefighting chemicals — as the National Weather Service warned that the coming days could become “particularly dangerous.”
It predicted severe fire conditions will last through Wednesday, with wind gusts in the mountains reaching 65 mph (105 kph). The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, warned fire behavior analyst Dennis Burns at a community meeting Sunday night.
An American flag hangs behind a commercial building destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Pasadena Park Healthcare & Wellness Center COO Amy Johnson, left, hugs Rhea Bartolome, vice president of operations, outside their center after the Eaton Fire, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Pasadena, Calif. They returned to check on the facility after evacuating senior care residents from the fire. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Pacific Palisades residents affected by the fires stand while parishioners, along with members of the Corpus Christi Catholic Church, pray for them at St. Monica Catholic Church during a service in Santa Monica, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP)
Timber Bossard, from left, and Rafael Rabines help Wings of Rescue load dozens of dogs and cats bound for Seattle, at the Hollywood Burbank Airport in Burbank, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (Drew A. Kelley,/The Orange County Register via AP)
A Cal Fire engine crew with the Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit hoses down a hotspot at a home destroyed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Workers with Southern California Edison remove a utility pole damaged by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
A home stands among residences destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Homes along Pacific Coast Highway are seen burn out from the Palisades Fire, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clean-up workers look inside the interior of Aldi Food Market after it was destroyed by the Eaton Fire, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
A swing hangs in front of an intact home and a home destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Smoke rises from the charred remains of a structure at the Pasadena Waldorf School campus, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Damage is seen to the Terraces at Park Marino assisted living facility from the Eaton Fire on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Los Angeles Fire Department's Mike Alvarez works on extinguishing hot spots in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire as a Malibu resident, top right, watches the sunset from atop his beachfront home along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
A Cal Fire hand crew walks past a swimming pool toward their next assignment during the Palisades Fire in the Mandeville Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
A bowl of cat food and water, placed by Kevin Marshall, sits near his mother's property, which was destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. Marshall placed the bowls for Simba, a cat his mother took care of. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Kevin Marshall sifts through his mother's fire-ravaged property in the the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Kaegan Baron takes a moment as she sifts through the rubble of her mother's home after it was destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher)
The Palisades Fire burns above a home in Mandeville Canyon, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
A firefighter rests as crews battle the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
In this photo provide by Maxar Technologies, the Palisades Fire burns south of the Encino Reservoir, upper left, in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Maxar Technologies via AP)
Ella Venne, front, holds a cup she found in the remains of her family's home destroyed by the Eaton Fire as she searches with Glendale Fire Department captain Chris Jernegan, left, and his wife Alison in Altadena, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Firefighters watch as water is dropped on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A home stands above debris from the Palisades Fire in Malibu, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
A car at right destroyed by the Eaton Fire sits next to an intact car, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
A search team looks for victims' remains at a home destroyed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Debris from a home destroyed by the Palisades Fire is seen next to a home still standing in Malibu, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Marjan Rajabi waters a scorched plant at her Pacific Palisades home, which was destroyed by the Palisades Fire, on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. “It's the hope of rebuilding,” Rajabi said. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Vee Ban searches for a missing cat among Pacific Palisades homes destroyed by the Palisades Fire on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Police pass a commercial building destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Search and Rescue crews work the devastation zone in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025 in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
A congregant is hugged by a priest during a religious service in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire at Trinity Lutheran Church Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025 in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Faithful pray at a religious service in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire at Trinity Lutheran Church Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025 in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
A person walks along a beach past homes destroyed by the Palisades Fire along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Homes along Pacific Coast Highway are seen burn out from the Palisades Fire, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Kevin Marshall sifts through his mother's fire-ravaged property in the the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Dishes destroyed by the Eaton Fire lie on the ground on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
A car drives past homes and vehicles destroyed by the Palisades Fire at the Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
The sun rises behind a home destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades community of Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Firefighters from an Oregon strike team survey damage at a Sunset Blvd. home leveled by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades community of Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
A search team works at a home destroyed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
A car drives past homes and vehicles destroyed by the Palisades Fire at the Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Smoke from the Palisades Fire rises over a ridge as seen from the Encino section of Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
Firefighters study damage at St. Mark's Episcopal Church after it was destroyed by the Eaton Fire, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
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An American flag hangs behind a commercial building destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
The relative calm Sunday allowed some people to return to previously evacuated areas. But even as containment increased in the worst of the fires, more bad news emerged from the ashes: The death toll surged late Sunday with an update from the Los Angeles County medical examiner. At least 16 people were missing, a number authorities said was also likely to rise.
Fierce Santa Ana winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires sparked last week into infernos that leveled entire neighborhoods around the nation's second-largest city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than eight months.
In less than a week, four fires around the nation's second biggest city have ignited more than 62 square miles (160 square kilometers), roughly three times the size of Manhattan.
Most of that destruction has been from the Eaton Fire near Pasadena and the Palisades Fire, in a wealthy enclave along the Pacific Coast. Firefighters have made progress on both fronts in recent days, with the Eaton Fire roughly one-third contained.
The returning high winds could trigger explosive growth of the existing fires and new outbreaks in areas untouched so far, creating new challenges for firefighting crews already stretched thin.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said 70 additional water trucks arrived to help firefighters fend off flames spread by renewed gusts. “We are prepared for the upcoming wind event,” Marrone said.
Fire retardant dropped by aircraft will act as a barrier along hillsides, officials said.
A group of artists, musicians, and friends in Topanga Canyon banded together to stop fires breaking out in new areas by turning off gas lines and propane tanks.
“We helped hopefully save a couple houses and we put out a couple spot fires, Derek Mabra said as he drove along the coast looking at the destruction. “It’s complete and total devastation.”
Residents check on their homes
Some residents have been able to return to their homes to survey the damage.
Jim Orlandini, who lost his hardware store in Altadena, a hard-hit neighborhood next to Pasadena, said his home of 40 years survived.
“Tuesday night we didn’t sleep at all because we figured the house was gone,” he said Sunday as he recalled the moment the fires spread to his neighborhood.
“The whole time I was thinking, I don’t know what I’m going to find when I get back here and after 40 years, you know, you got a lot of stuff you forget about that would disappear if the house burned down. So we’re thankful that it didn’t.”
Sixteen of the 24 deaths were attributed to the Eaton Fire and eight to the Palisades Fire, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
Twelve people were listed as missing within the Eaton Fire zone and four were missing from the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.
In the meantime, LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley urged people to stay away from scorched neighborhoods.
“There are still active fires that are burning within the Palisades area, making it extremely, extremely dangerous for the public,” Crowley said Sunday. “There’s no power, there’s no water, there’s broken gas lines, and we have unstable structures.”
Officials warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.
About 50,000 people in Los Angeles County remained under evacuation orders, with more than 700 residents taking refuge in nine shelters, Luna said. Officials said most of the orders in the Palisades area were unlikely to be lifted before the red flag warnings expire Wednesday evening.
“Please rest assured that first thing Thursday we will begin talking about repopulation,” Marrone said.
Firefighters continue to battle flames
Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes nearly 1,400 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico.
Firefighters over the weekend managed to fight back flames in Mandeville Canyon, home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities near Pacific Palisades not far from the coast, where swooping helicopters dumped water as the blaze charged downhill.
Arrests for looting
Looting continued to be a concern, with authorities reporting more arrests as the devastation grew. Those arrested included two people who posed as firefighters going into houses, Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Michael Lorenz said.
With California National Guard troops on hand to guard properties, Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X: “California will NOT allow for looting.”
Historic cost
The fires that began Tuesday just north of downtown LA had burned more than 12,000 structures. No cause for the largest fires was determined.
AccuWeather’s early estimates suggest the fires could be the nation’s costliest ever, topping $250 billion including what’s to come in the next days.
Rebuilding will be a challenge
Newsom issued an executive order Sunday aimed at fast-tracking rebuilding by suspending some environmental regulations and ensuring that property tax assessments were not increased.
“We’ve got to let people know that we have their back,” he said. “We want you to come back, rebuild, and rebuild with higher quality building standards, more modern standards.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Sunday that she had spoken with President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration and expected that he would visit the city.
Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press journalists Julie Walker in New York, Sophia Tareen in Chicago, Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, and Mead Gruver in Cheyenne, Wyoming, contributed.
