Los Angeles crews race to contain wildfires in the face of high winds

Forecasters in California are warning that the fierce winds that fueled an inferno around Los Angeles are expected to pick up again this week as fire crews on the ground race to make progress on three wildfires.

Officials warned that after a weekend of relatively calm winds, Santa Ana’s notoriously dry winds will pick up again Sunday night into Wednesday, reaching speeds of up to 60 mph (96 km/h).

Before the wind increased, some progress had been made in stopping the spread of the Palisades and the deadly Eaton fires burning at opposite ends of the city. Local firefighters are being assisted by crews from eight other states, as well as Canada and Mexico, which continue to arrive.

At a press conference on Sunday, officials said 16 people were confirmed dead and another 16 were missing.

They also warned that the death toll was expected to rise as city search and rescue teams swept through the ruins with the help of cadaver dogs.

Three fires continue to burn around Los Angeles.

The largest fire is the Palisades, which has already burned 23,000 acres and is 11% contained.

The Eaton fire is the second largest and has burned 14,000 acres. Contains 27%.

The Hearst fire has grown to 799 acres and is almost fully contained.

Although crews were able to begin to contain the largest fires, officials warned that incoming winds could bring “potentially catastrophic wind conditions,” with all of Los Angeles County at risk of fire.

“Unfortunately, we’re moving right back into red flag conditions with some potentially catastrophic wind conditions between now and Wednesday, with peak winds expected to be on Tuesday,” Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustine told the BBC.

“Although we are making some progress, the end is not yet near,” he said.

Christine Crowley, the fire chief for the city of Los Angeles, urged residents near evacuation zones to be prepared to flee if the order is issued and to stay off roadways as much as possible to avoid disturbing crews.

Topanga Canyon resident Alice Huzum, 67, told the BBC that a new fire that started in the area overnight was quickly brought under control, but that she and her neighbors were all “dreading Tuesday”, when wind speeds are likely to peak you are

But Ms Huesum, who stayed despite evacuation orders, noted the forecast “is a bit better than the 100-mile gusts that hit us” earlier in the week.

New fires continued to burn Sunday, threatening communities in the San Fernando Valley and near NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

On Sunday, firefighters were able to quickly stop the spread of new fires in the Angeles National Forest that surround a facility that is at the heart of the US space program and contains top-secret technology.

At least 29 people have been arrested for looting in the mandatory evacuation zones. Two people were caught posing as firefighters to steal from evacuees.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news conference Sunday that he has requested more National Guard troops to support the 400 already in the area. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that 1,000 additional members of the National Guard will be deployed.

“When I was out there in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman who looked like a fireman. And I asked him if he was okay because he was sitting. I didn’t realize we were handcuffing him,” Sheriff Luna told reporters.

“We’re turning him over to the LAPD because he was dressed as a firefighter, and he wasn’t.” He was just caught burglarizing a home. So these are issues that our frontline paramedics and police officers deal with.”

There are now 14,000 firefighters in the Southern California area, supported by 84 aircraft and 1,354 fire trucks, Sheriff Luna said.

The number of evacuees has decreased, with about 105,000 residents still under mandatory evacuation orders and 87,000 under evacuation warnings.

Dean Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), told CNN on Sunday that a significant threat remains.

“I know so many people probably want to get back to the area and check on their homes, but with the winds picking up, you never know which way they’re going to go,” she said.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said evacuees were allowed limited access over the weekend, but his officers again barred all residents from returning.

Officials have issued repeated orders to drone operators not to fly near fire areas and are now appealing for information after a drone crashed into a vital aircraft.

The FBI shared photos of the small drone that on Thursday collided with an aircraft known as a “Super Scooper,” one of the world’s most efficient firefighting aircraft, briefly grounding it.

The drone punched a 3-by-6-inch (8-by-15 cm) hole in the plane.

Officials also warned of scammers looking to take advantage of victims and issued a stern warning that anyone caught inflating the price would be prosecuted.

Meanwhile, the spat between California Governor Newsom and President-elect Donald Trump continues.

Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20 and has been invited by the governor to visit the fire damage, on Saturday blamed “incompetent” politicians for “one of the worst disasters in the history of our country.”

Newsom, who is a Democrat, in turn attacked Trump for spreading misinformation about the fires.

In an interview Sunday with NBC, Newsom called Trump’s false claims “inexcusable.”

With additional reporting by Regan Morris