LOS ANGELES – Firefighters have been working to contain flames that have engulfed large swaths of the city, killed two dozen people and destroyed thousands of structures over the past week, but warned Monday that the ferocious Santa Ana winds that fueled the flames are intensifying. and could fuel a destructive fallout.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said at a news conference. “We can’t let our guard down.”
The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings from the Ventura County coast across the sprawling Los Angeles metropolitan area, predicting wind gusts of up to 70 mph beginning early Tuesday and persisting into Wednesday.
“Red flag warnings are for extreme fire weather scenarios. In other words, this setup is as bad as it gets,” the NWS said in X.
Asked if they were better prepared than when the fires started a week ago, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Moroni said, “We are absolutely better prepared.”
Last week, Santa Ana wind gusts reached hurricane strength at times before calming somewhat over the weekend, giving local firefighters backed by reinforcements from out of state and even Mexico the opportunity to put out the flames that feed on the tinder-dry conditions.
As of Monday morning, the Palisades Fire had burned nearly 24,000 acres and was at 14% containment, and the Eaton Fire had burned more than 14,000 acres and was at 33% containment, California Gov. Gavin Newson said. in X.
While evacuation orders are still in effect for 92,000 Los Angeles residents and another 89,000 are in evacuation warning zones, those numbers are significantly lower than last week, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.
But Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass urged residents to remain vigilant and be prepared to leave their homes and neighborhoods at any time as Santa Ana winds pick up again.
“As the winds intensify, please pay attention to calls to evacuate,” he said.
Firefighters have made progress on the Palisades fire: although it remains at 14% containment, they have been able to stop its spread.
“We have also made significant progress in Topanga Oaks, Sylvia Park, Temescal Ridge and Mulholland – all of these areas have been under threat and we continue to resist,” said Los Angeles County 3rd District Supervisor Lindsay P. Horvath.
Much of the city is still covered in smoky air, and Horvath advised residents to wear N95 masks when venturing outside and to close windows and doors and use air filters in their homes.
“Children and older adults, especially those with serious health complications, are especially at risk,” Horvath said.
The worst fires in Los Angeles history broke out last week, sparking a mass and sometimes chaotic exodus as residents fled neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and Altadena that were largely reduced to ashes in a matter of hours.
