Los Angeles faces one of its most destructive natural disasters in decades, as the death toll from the ongoing wildfires rose to 24 late Sunday, with 16 people still reported missing. Authorities and residents are now bracing for a renewed wave of fierce Santa Ana winds that threaten to exacerbate the already devastating fires. The Palisades and Eaton fires, the most destructive of the four major wildfires currently engulfing Los Angeles County, have consumed over 62 square miles and destroyed more than 12,000 structures.
Firefighters made modest progress over the weekend, but containment remains elusive for both the Palisades Fire, which is only 11% contained, and the Eaton Fire, which has reached 27% containment. Cal Fire officials warn that the dry vegetation and impending winds-expected to reach gusts of up to 70 mph in the mountains-will create ideal conditions for the flames to reignite and spread further.
"We are prepared for the upcoming wind event," Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said Sunday, adding that additional water trucks and fire retardant had been deployed to fortify containment lines. However, officials cautioned that the threat remains "very high," with Santa Ana winds expected to intensify through Wednesday.
The fires have wreaked havoc across affluent neighborhoods and working-class communities alike. Residents like Jim Orlandini, who lost his hardware store in Altadena, expressed a mixture of relief and devastation. His home of 40 years survived the flames, but the uncertainty of returning to a fire-stricken neighborhood has left him shaken. "Tuesday night we didn't sleep at all because we figured the house was gone," Orlandini said.
Many evacuees remain in shelters or with relatives, waiting anxiously for updates. Officials have begun building an online database to help displaced residents check the status of their homes. LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley urged residents to avoid returning to the fire zones, citing active flames, unstable structures, and hazardous materials like asbestos and arsenic in the ash.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order aimed at fast-tracking rebuilding efforts and ensuring that property taxes on fire-damaged properties are not increased. The order also waives certain environmental regulations to expedite reconstruction. "We've got to let people know that we have their back," Newsom said.
President Joe Biden's administration has already approved federal disaster aid for California, and over 24,000 residents have registered for assistance. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office in eight days, has criticized state and local officials for alleged mismanagement of resources. "The fires are still raging in LA. The incompetent pols have no idea how to put them out," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Of the 24 confirmed fatalities, 16 occurred in the Eaton Fire zone and eight in the Palisades Fire area, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner. Search-and-rescue teams, including cadaver dogs, are working through charred neighborhoods to locate the missing.
Authorities have also ramped up efforts to combat looting, with several arrests reported over the weekend. "California will NOT allow for looting," Newsom stated emphatically on social media. National Guard troops have been deployed to assist in protecting evacuated properties.
Early damage estimates suggest the fires could cost as much as $150 billion, potentially making them the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history. The fires have already surpassed the 2018 Camp Fire in insured losses, highlighting the unprecedented scale of destruction.
Amid the crisis, firefighters from nine states, Mexico, and Canada, as well as nearly 950 inmate firefighters, have joined the battle against the flames. "This is still dangerous, and [people] need to make sure they're listening to their local officials so they can keep themselves safe," Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Sunday.
