Southern California braces for extreme fire threat as Santa Ana winds return

The Palisades Fire burns vehicles and structures in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Jan. 7, 2025. Firefighters were bracing Monday for the return of dangerous Santa Ana winds that could potentially spark new blazes. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)

LOS ANGELES – As the death toll from the Los Angeles County wildfires continues climbing — currently at 24 — firefighters were bracing Monday for the return of dangerous Santa Ana winds that could test containment lines around the Palisades and Eaton fires and potentially spark new blazes.

Much of the Southland will be under a red flag warning of critical fire danger through 6 p.m. Wednesday.

But the warnings will be upgraded to “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red flag warnings between 4 a.m. Tuesday and noon Wednesday in the western Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains, the Golden State (5) and Antelope Valley (14) freeway corridors and the western San Fernando Valley.

“There will likely be damaging winds gusting between 55 and 70 mph across portions of the red flag warning early from early Tuesday morning through Wednesday morning, leading to the PDS red flag warning upgrade,” according to the National Weather Service. “Areas in the red flag warning — especialy during the PDS time frame — will have a high risk for large fires with very rapid fire spread, extreme fire behavior and long-range spotting.”

Forecasters noted, however, that while the conditions are expected to be particularly dangerous, “this wind event is NOT expected to be as strong and destructive as last week’s windstorm.”

The gusty winds will combine with single-digit humidity levels to drive up the risk of fires starting.
The Santa Ana winds come as firefighters were finally beginning to gain the upper hand on two massive and deadly wildfires. As of midday Monday, the nearly 24,000-acre Palisades Fire was 14 percent contained, but containment of the 14,000-acre Eaton Fire was at 33 percent.

Both blazes were experiencing only sparse active fire activity, with crews focused on dousing hot spots, jumping on spot fires and extending the containment lines. But gusting winds could fan smoldering embers and re-ignite and fan flames.

As of Sunday night, a total of 24 people have died in the two fires — eight in the Palisades Fire and 16 in the Eaton Fire, according to the county Medical Examiner’s Office.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said his deputies were conducting a grid search of the Eaton Fire burn area.

“It is a very grim task,” he said. “Every day we’re doing this we’re running across the remains of individual community members.”

The recovery effort has halted escorts that law enforcement had been conducting for residents to gather belongings or view damage at their homes in the burn areas.

County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said residents can visit recovery.lacounty.gov for damage information on individual properties in the burn areas. The website has maps of the fire areas, with icons placed on properties that have been inspected. The map is updated in real time as more properties are surveyed.

Roughly 5,000 structures are believed to have been destroyed or damaged in the Palisades Fire, and at least 7,000 in the Eaton Fire.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sunday that he had signed an executive order to suspend permitting and review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Act to allow fire victims to restore their homes and businesses faster.

Additionally, the order directs state agencies to identify additional permitting requirements, including provisions of the Building Code, that can safely be suspended or streamlined to accelerate rebuilding and make it more affordable.

It also extends protections against price gouging on building materials, storage services, construction and other essential goods and services to Jan. 7, 2026 in Los Angeles County.”

Authorities were warning residents near the fire areas that air quality continues to be highly unhealthy. People were urged to suspend the use of leaf blowers, to stay inside with doors and windows closed as much as possible and to wear masks if they do go outside.

With the Santa Ana winds and power lines presenting a potential further fire danger, power was shut off for thousands of customers as a precaution. Southern California Edison reported Monday that 20,457 of its customers in Los Angeles County were without power through the Public Safety Power Shutoff program, along with nearly 1,100 in Orange County.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power announced Monday that it had restored power to all its customers, with the exception of 17,600 customers in Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Sylmar and Encino, where lines remained deactivated as a public safety measure.

Luna said Monday morning about 92,000 people were under evacuation orders due to the fires, and 89,000 were under evacuation warnings.

He urged evacuated residents to be patient about returning to their homes, noting the ongoing search of the burn areas for fire victims.

“We have people literally looking for the remains of your neighbors,” he said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sunday he was deploying an additional 1,000 California National Guard members to Los Angeles County to support safety and security efforts in the wildfire areas, bringing the total deployment to approximately 2,500.

The county has implemented a curfew that continues to be in effect nightly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the mandatory evacuation areas in the Eaton and Palisades fire zones. Only firefighters, utility workers and law enforcement personnel are allowed in those areas.

Luna reported 34 arrests so far, 30 in the Eaton Fire area and four in the Palisades Fire area, including one man in Malibu who was arrested for allegedly dressing as a firefighter in an attempt to burglarize a home.

The Santa Monica Police Department announced that on Saturday night, they arrested three people near an evacuation zone suspected of possessing a controlled substance, drug paraphernalia, driving without a valid license, providing false identification to a peace officer and possession of burglary tools.

The department announced that as of Sunday, 39 people had been arrested in evacuation zones. That included 10 arrests for burglary, six for possessing burglary tools and others for drug possession, driving violations, warrants, and parole/probation violations. None of those arrested were from the local area.

The deadly wildfires ravaging Los Angeles have destroyed at least 35 historic places, according to the latest count by the Los Angeles Conservancy. The list was being updated here as new information emerges.

By the time all the damage in assessed, the fires are expected to constitute one of the costliest disasters in US history. Newsom told NBC News on Sunday that he believes the fires will be the worst natural disaster in the history of the country “in terms of just the costs associated with it, in terms of the scale and scope.”

Emergencies have been declared in the county and the state, and President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for the state. Both Newsom and County Supervisor Kathryn Barger have invited President-elect Donald Trump to visit the area and assess the damage. (With CNS report)