Southern California in ‘critical fire danger’ as Santa Ana winds return

The Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

LOS ANGELES – Another round of dangerous Santa Ana winds was expected to peak in the region Tuesday and into Wednesday as firefighters look to maintain and expand containment lines around the Palisades and Eaton fires that have combined to killed two dozen people.

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

The warnings were 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.

National Weather Service forecasters said Tuesday the winds were developing later than originally anticipated, conceding that “previous models were a little heavy handed for today.”

“Winds are mostly under 30 mph and confined to a corridor that runs from Acton to Oxnard and about 20 miles either side,” forecasters said late Tuesday morning. “This corridor still does not include the Palisades fire area as the wind axis still has a stronger east component than a north.”

But forecasters said strong winds are still anticipated later in the day and into Wednesday.

“Although winds are slow to develop this morning (Tuesday), there is still a moderate risk of damaging wind gusts between 55 and 70 mph across portions of the Red Flag Warning area, peaking late (Tuesday) afternoon through Wednesday morning,” according to the NWS.

“Areas in the Red Flag Warning — especially during the PDS timeframe — will have a high risk of 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 and dry brush to drive up the risk of fires starting.

Firefighters were finally beginning to gain the upper hand on the two massive and deadly wildfires. As of Tuesday morning, the nearly 24,000-acre Palisades Fire was 17% contained, and containment of the 14,117-acre Eaton Fire was at 35 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.

The fleet of firefighting aircraft got a boost Tuesday as a Super Scooper that was damaged by a drone over the Palisades Fire last week returned to service as of 11 a.m., LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said.

As of Sunday night, 24 deaths have been reported 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 sheriff’s department has 24 active missing-person cases relating to the fires, Luna said, with 16 in the Eaton Fire area and six in the Malibu area.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell reported his department has investigated 34 missing person reports. So far, 21 were found safe, two are likely dead but awaiting confirmation from the medical examiner and there are 11 still unaccounted for.

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.

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. It 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. Those numbers could also rise as more inspections are completed.

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 high 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 Tuesday that 75,500 of its customers in Los Angeles County were without power.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power announced Monday that it had restored power to all its customers who lost electricity during last week’s windstorm, 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 Tuesday morning about 88,000 people were under evacuation orders due to the fires, and 85,000 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.
Luna also urged people to take any new evacuation warnings and orders seriously, since the danger of fires spreading or new fires is currently high.

“Everything’s not OK, yet,” he said. “This is a disaster area.”

Luna and other first responders said people who receive evacuation warnings should pack up and leave as soon as possible, and not wait for an evacuation order. He noted that many of the people deputies saved during last week’s firestorms waited until the last minute and some suffered severe burns.

Luna reported 39 arrests so far, 33 in the Eaton Fire area and six 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.

McDonnell reported 14 arrests as of Tuesday morning, including curfew violations, impersonating a police officer, impersonating a firefighter, DUI, vandalism, ammunition possession, burglary and other offenses. (CNS)