More than 90,000 people remained displaced Monday, seven days after multiple wind-driven blazes erupted in Los Angeles.
At least 24 people have been killed and thousands left without homes, and authorities warned that winds forecast to intensify again on Tuesday could lead to "extreme fire behavior and life-threatening conditions."
In the photo, a resident stands in a neighborhood completely destroyed by the blaze.
A car burned to its frame on a street in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Sunday more than 105,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes, while another 87,000 are under additional evacuation warnings.
Luna said he understands that people are eager to return to their homes and neighborhoods to survey the damage, but he asked for their patience.
Deputies are finding human remains every day as they search through burned-out parts of Altadena, where the Eaton fire first ignited.
"It is a very grim task," Luna said, adding that he expected the confirmed death toll to rise in the days ahead.
A wildfire-devastated area of Los Angeles, California, on Jan. 11, 2024. Video by Reuters
Streets in Palisades are in disarray, and trees on both sides of the road have been charred.
AccuWeather, a private American weather forecasting company, estimates that rebuilding efforts in the wildfire-ravaged areas could cost around US$135–150 billion over the next 10 years.
To accelerate rebuilding, California Governor Gavin Newsom on Jan. 12 signed an order suspending certain environmental regulations and permit requirements for homes and business premises destroyed by the wildfires.
Thick smoke from the fires in the Palisades area has spread to nearby regions. Local authorities are working to prevent the blazes from reaching the upscale Brentwood neighborhood and the densely populated San Fernando Valley.
Firefighters are racing to control a series of wildfires before strong winds return, which could rekindle the flames with greater intensity.
Flames rise fiercely in Mandeville Canyon.
Chris Harvey, spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said Sunday firefighters had contained 11% of the Palisades Fire and 27% of the Eaton Fire. Containment levels for the Hurst and Kenneth fires are 89% and 90%, respectively.
A helicopter drops water on the Palisades fire.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued flight restrictions in wildfire-affected areas from Jan. 9 to 23, aiming to prevent any aircraft or airborne devices from hindering aerial firefighting efforts. Anyone obstructing firefighting operations could face a fine of up to US$75,000 or even up to 12 months in jail.
A firefighter is seen in the wildfire smoke at Mandeville Canyo.
More than 5,000 firefighters are battling the Palisades fire and more than 3,000 are working on the Eaton fire, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Monday.
The state has also set up a mobilization area where resources are staged to be ready to respond to any new fires.
Marrone said he also has more firefighting aircraft on hand to help, but they could be grounded if the winds get too strong. When that happened last week, the fires spread quickly.
Marrone said he cannot be confident they will be able to contain every new fire, so it is important that residents are ready to evacuate if they are ordered to leave their homes.
