LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Firefighters made significant progress Sunday in extinguishing the deadly Palisades Fire. Just two days ago, it was on the verge of causing fresh destruction in the densely populated San Fernando Valley.
During KTLA’s Sunday late-night newscast, Sky 5’s Gil Rayvas said he found no visible flare-ups or hot spots as he surveyed the area around the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Brentwood and other fires in the Santa Monica Mountains. He pointed out that.
“Everyone is very quiet here, but there’s a lot of work, a lot of effort going on out there,” Leyvas said. “It’s looking pretty good at this point.”
As of Sunday night, the Palisades Fire was mapped at 23,713 acres, with containment officially at 13%, according to CalFire.
Interactive 3D map shows Palisades fire boundaries, evacuation zones
“Unburnt islands still exist and could pose a threat to containment lines,” CalFire commanders said on the agency’s incident homepage. “However, firefighters are working around the clock with a continued focus on extinguishing fires, human safety, and assessing and protecting private and public property.”
Local firefighters are assisted by crews from across the state, the United States and even other countries, including Canada and Mexico. More than 5,000 fire personnel participated in the battle from the ground and air.
Glendale Fire Department Chief Chris Jernegan (left) and Ella Venne (foreground) are searching with their wife Allison in Altadena, Calif., on Saturday, January 11, when they find the remains of their family home destroyed in the Eaton Fire. holding a cup. , 2025. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Burnt vehicles lie on top of destroyed structures in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. California, Sunday, January 12, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP) David Slater, right, escapes the Eaton Fire and clears his driveway from his home, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) From left , Glendale Fire Department Captain Chris Jernegan and his wife Allison help Ella. Vennes searches the remains of his family’s home destroyed in the Eaton Fire on Saturday, January 11, 2025 in Altadena, California. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) An American flag can be seen flying in the sky, tattered. A home was completely destroyed on Sunday, January 12, 2025, after the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Burnt-out neighborhoods are seen along Pacific Coach Highway and along the beach after the Palisades fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. Several National Guard vehicles are lined up. Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) In this photo provided by Maxar Technologies, the Palisades Fire burns at upper left, south of the Encino Reservoir in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Maxar Technologies, via AP)
A stronger wind blows
Although the blaze has been contained for now, the Santa Ana winds that sparked both the Palisades Fire and the equally devastating Eaton Fire in Altadena and Pasadena last Tuesday could grow stronger and flare up again. Firefighters are concerned.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for severe fire conditions due to sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph) through Wednesday, with gusts reaching 70 mph (113 kph) in the mountains. Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Rich Thompson said the most dangerous day would be Tuesday.
“Santa Ana has very strong wind gusts, the atmosphere is very dry, the brush is still very dry, so we still have very critical fire weather conditions,” Thompson said Saturday night. I spoke at a community meeting.
confirmed deaths
The death toll from both fires has reached a combined total of at least 17,000 buildings, rising to 24 over the weekend.
Officials had expected that number to rise as teams with cadaver dogs conducted systematic grid searches in flat areas. Authorities have established a center where people can report missing persons.
The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office announced in a statement Sunday night that eight people died in the Palisades fire and 16 died in the Eaton fire.
Santa Anita Park donation center helps thousands of Eaton Fire victims
plunder
Local law enforcement and the California National Guard are actively patrolling evacuation zones to enforce the curfew and protect homes from looters.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news conference Sunday that authorities arrested 29 people along Pacific Coast Highway, including a man dressed like a firefighter.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman was scheduled to announce charges Monday against “a group of people who looted homes in the city of Pacific Palisades,” his office announced.
Damage estimation
Officials are still investigating the cause of both fires and trying to calculate the historic cost of what could be the costliest in the nation’s history.
AccuWeather’s preliminary estimates put the damage and economic losses at $135 billion to $150 billion.
In an interview aired on NBC on Sunday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the fires could be the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.
“I think it will be just from a cost standpoint associated with it, in terms of scale and scope,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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