Fire crews on Sunday were racing to gain the upper hand against infernos that have ignited across the Los Angeles area amid ominous new wind warnings as flames threatened additional Southern California communities.
Aircrafts unloaded water and fire retardant on hills where the Palisades Fire − the most destructive in the history of Los Angeles − ballooned another 1,000 acres to a total of 23,707, destroying more homes. The expansion of the fire, which was 11% contained, to the north and east spurred officials to issue more mandatory evacuations to the west of the 405 freeway as the blaze put parts of Encino and Brentwood in peril.
“Please be assured that we will continue to battle these wildfires from the air and on the ground until they’re fully contained. We stand alongside all of you,” Los Angeles County fire chief Anthony Marrone said, addressing county residents during a press briefing Sunday.
Los Angeles officials acknowledged that progress had been made but warned resurging winds could complicate efforts and enhance the risk level. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said 14 people have died so far, but he acknowledged that the numbers might be different from those of the coroner. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner reported 16 deaths as of Saturday night.
Santa Ana winds that have fueled the blazes for the past week were picking up Sunday morning in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, then were expected to weaken in the afternoon before strengthening Sunday night through Wednesday, with the worst of it occurring on Tuesday. Gusts of 30-50 mph were possible, forecasters said.
“We’re united and focused on exactly what we need to do with the next strong winds coming,” Los Angeles Fire Department chief Kristin Crowley said Sunday.
Cal Fire official Todd Hopkins said late Saturday that the Palisades Fire had spread into the Mandeville Canyon neighborhood and threatened to jump into the upscale Brentwood community and the populous [San Fernando Valley.
Evacuation zones have moved closer to UCLA, located in Los Angeles’ Westwood neighborhood, and warnings and orders were in place near the campus.
The Palisades Fire is one of six blazes that have erupted since Tuesday, obliterating neighborhoods and leaving a catastrophic trail of destruction. Three of the six fires remained active on Sunday.