LA Fires Are Still Raging but Calmer Winds Are Forecast in the Coming Days

Jan 15

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An urban search and rescue team from Mexico combs through the ruins of a beachfront house searching for victims in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in Malibu, Los Angeles County, on Tuesday. (Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images)

Updated 1:45 p.m. Wednesday

Another day of fierce winds gusting to 65 mph in mountainous areas of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties in Southern California was expected on Wednesday, but weather more conducive to firefighting operations is expected soon.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued another red flag warning for the area until 3 p.m. PST, cautioning of more of the windy and dry conditions that have fed raging fires for more than a week. The strong Santa Ana winds have helped push the deadly blazes through the Los Angeles suburbs, killing at least 25 people and leveling expensive real estate in Pacific Palisades and Altadena.

All told, the fires have engulfed more than 40,000 acres (more than 62 square miles), according to Cal Fire.

“The good news is that for the last two days we’ve had no increase in acreage at the Eaton Fire and it remains estimated at 14,117 acres with 35% containment,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said of one of the largest fires.

(Map by Matthew Green/KQED)
This map is updated regularly throughout the day. Wildfire locations and perimeters are sourced from Cal Fire and updated multiple times per day. Click on each fire icon for more incident-specific detail. Evacuation zones and wind conditions can viewed by clicking the layers button (top left). If map is not loading correctly on your device, try viewing it here.

The Palisades fire, which spans more than 23,000 acres, is just 19% contained, according to Cal Fire.

On Tuesday, meteorologists initially called for particularly strong winds that turned out to be lighter that expected, according to NPR member station LAist.

But a reprieve in the high winds was expected from Thursday into Saturday. NWS meteorologist Ryan Kittell noted that the service is worried about “one last [wind] enhancement” through Wednesday and that peak winds would be highest in Ventura County.

Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass had difficulty describing the devastation that has befallen her city.

“The massive, massive destruction. Is unimaginable until you actually see it,” Bass said. Even so, she said, it was time “to begin to think about how we rebuild.”

Since the fires broke out last week, responders from across the U.S., Canada and Mexico have come to the aid of Southern California. “Yesterday, I also had the opportunity to meet with our international partners from Mexico to express our heartfelt gratitude for their assistance. The outpouring of support from both near and far, I tell you, is absolutely remarkable,” LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said.

Of the 25 dead, 17 were killed in the Eaton Fire and eight in the Palisades Fire, LAist says. Officials said of the 13 still listed as missing, two bodies had been recovered but not yet positively identified.

More than 55,000 customers were without power on Wednesday in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to PowerOutage.us.