Firefighters worked tirelessly on Sunday to contain two wildfires that have burned for six days, taking advantage of a brief lull in hazardous conditions before high winds were forecast to worsen the flames. At least 24 people have died, and thousands of homes have been destroyed, with Governor Gavin Newsom calling it one of the most devastating natural disasters in U.S. history.
The fires, which have ravaged both wealthy and residential neighborhoods, have forced over 100,000 people to evacuate. Officials said at least 12,300 structures have been damaged or destroyed. “L.A. County had another night of unimaginable terror and heartbreak,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath.
The Palisades Fire, which is encroaching on the upscale Brentwood area, has burned through 23,713 acres, or about 37 square miles, and was 13% contained as of Sunday. Aerial firefighters dropped water and retardant on the blaze, while ground crews used hand tools and hoses to hold the line.
The Eaton Fire, burning in the foothills east of Los Angeles, has scorched 14,117 acres (22 square miles), with containment increased to 27%, up from 15% the previous day. The Hurst Fire, north of the city, was 89% contained, and three other fires were fully contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), although some areas within the containment lines may still be burning.
Firefighters had a brief respite this weekend as Santa Ana winds, which had reached hurricane-force earlier in the week, eased. The dry winds, which blew embers up to 2 miles ahead of the flames, had intensified the fires. However, the National Weather Service warned that Santa Ana winds of 50 to 70 miles per hour were expected to return Sunday night and last through Wednesday. Officials cautioned that the entire Los Angeles County, home to nearly 10 million people, could face more evacuation orders.
By Sunday, more than 100,000 people in the county had been evacuated, down from a previous high of 150,000. Another 87,000 people faced evacuation warnings. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said that the fire threat remained very high, with winds, low humidity, and dry conditions continuing to fuel the flames. Evacuated areas may not reopen until Thursday, when red flag conditions are lifted.
Despite the ongoing crisis, Los Angeles Unified School District announced that schools would reopen on Monday, except for those in mandatory evacuation zones, after closing for two days due to the fires.
Amid the devastation, residents like Zuzana Korda, who was evacuated from the Fernwood neighborhood in Topanga, feared for the safety of their homes. “We’ve left everything behind. We have no insurance,” she said. “We stand to lose everything.”
Sheriff Robert Luna warned that many areas still resembled war zones. “A lot of these areas still look like they were hit by a bomb. There are live electrical wires, gas lines, and other hazards,” he said.
As the battle to contain the fires continued, the residents of Los Angeles remained on edge, anxiously awaiting the return of the powerful winds that could reignite the flames at any moment.