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Los Angeles faces monstrous wildfires fueled by high Santa Ana winds, 24 lives lost
Los Angeles faces perilous wildfires fueled by strong winds, leading to 24 fatalities and widespread destruction.
Los Angeles firefighters braced for high winds on Monday expected to fuel two monstrous wildfires that have already leveled entire neighborhoods, killed at least two dozen people, and burned an area the size of Washington, D.C.
Dry Santa Ana wind gusts of 45 to 70 miles per hour (72 to f112 kph) were forecast to resume on Monday and persist through Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warning, the agency's most serious advisory.
More than 8,500 firefighters attacked the fires from the air and on the ground, preventing the conflagrations at either end of Los Angeles from spreading overnight.
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But the National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned, "This setup is about as bad as it gets," and Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley told Angelenos, "We are not in the clear."
Hurricane-force winds fuel LA wildfires
Officials said the state was pre-positioning firefighting crews in vulnerable areas, not just in Los Angeles but also in other Southern California counties that were also under elevated fire danger.
The two main wildfires erupted on Tuesday, fueled by hurricane-force winds bringing dry air from the inland deserts.
At least 24 people have died in the fires since then, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner reported.
The wildfires have destroyed or damaged more than 12,000 structures, turning entire neighborhoods into smoldering ash and piles of rubble, leaving an apocalyptic landscape.
As of Monday morning, more than 92,000 people in Los Angeles County were under evacuation orders - down from a previous high of more than 150,000 - while another 89,000 faced evacuation warnings.
Firefighters somehow contain parts of Palisades and Eaton fires
The Palisades Fire, which wiped out upscale communities on the western flank of Los Angeles, burned 23,713 acres (96 square km) and was 14% contained, a figure representing the percentage of the fire's perimeter that firefighters have under control.
The Eaton Fire in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains east of the city consumed another 14,117 acres (57 sq km) and was 33% contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported.
A third fire of 799 acres (3.2 sq km) north of town was 95% contained and three other fires in the county have been fully brought under control in recent days.
The Eaton fire damaged the Altadena home of Lorraine Bryan, 63, and destroyed two other dwellings on her property. She told Reuters she worries about getting additional doses of insulin that she needs to manage her diabetes.
"I'm worried about insurance and about rebuilding and getting back on my feet," Bryan said Monday, standing in the doorway of her charred home. “I need my medication. I'm trying to see who can help us.”
