Firefighters working to fortify and extend containment lines around Southland wildfires got a reprieve when anticipated Santa Ana winds developed later and weaker than originally anticipated, but forecasters Wednesday are warning that strong gusts are still possible.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the area’s two largest fires rose by one to 25.
Much of Los Angeles County will be under a red flag warning of critical fire danger until 6 p.m. Wednesday, with the warning continuing until 3 p.m. Thursday in the western San Gabriel Mountains and the Golden State (5) and Antelope Valley (14) freeway corridors.
The National Weather Service had originally issued a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red flag warning that was expected to take effect at 4 a.m. Tuesday and continue through noon Wednesday in the western Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains, the 5 and 14 freeway corridors and the western San Fernando Valley.
But with the winds slow to develop, the NWS pushed back the PDS warnings, rescheduling them to be in place in those areas only on Wednesday from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m.
A red flag warning was lifted altogether for the San Gabriel Valley.
NWS forecasters noted earlier Tuesday that the anticipated winds were developing later than originally anticipated, conceding that “previous models were a little heavy handed for today.”
By early Tuesday afternoon, the NWS canceled high wind warnings that had been in place in most areas, replacing them with less severe wind advisories that will be in place until noon Wednesday.
But forecasters warned that strong wind gusts could still present a danger in many areas before the Santa Ana event ends late Wednesday.
“There is a moderate risk for locally damaging winds over the windiest areas,” according to the NWS. “Considering the extremely dry state of the fuels, recent fire behavior, and the strength of the winds, this is a particularly dangerous situation. There is a high risk for large fires, rapid fire spread, and long range spotting.”
Forecasters had noted previously that the Santa Ana wind event was “NOT expected to be as strong and destructive as last week’s windstorm.”
The new winds developed as firefighters were finally beginning to gain the upper hand on the two massive and deadly wildfires. As of Tuesday, the nearly 24,000-acre Palisades Fire was 17% contained, and containment of the 14,117-acre Eaton Fire was at 35%.
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 Tuesday, 25 deaths have been reported in the two fires — eight in the Palisades Fire and 17 in the Eaton Fire, according to the county Medical Examiner’s Office. That was an increase from 24 on Monday, with one additional death reported in the Eaton Fire burn area.
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.
The LAPD reported it had investigated 35 missing person reports. So far, 20 of those people were found safe, two were likely dead but awaiting confirmation from the medical examiner and 13 remain 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.
Red Flag parking restrictions went into effect in the city of L.A. beginning at 8 a.m. Monday due to the ongoing wind conditions, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The restrictions will be tightly enforced to ensure faster response times to fast-moving brush fires, and to help keep streets clear for people forced to evacuate their homes. Vehicles illegally parked in areas within the “Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones” will be towed.
Drivers were reminded to look for “Red Flag Days” no parking signs to ensure compliance.
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.
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 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.
LAPD Chief Jim 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. He says officers have also made three arrests in the past two days of people who allegedly started small fires in North Hollywood, Van Nuys and West Los Angeles.
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 later 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.
Starting Tuesday, FEMA services and assistance were available at a pair of Disaster Assistance Centers located at UCLA Research Park — formerly the Westside Pavilion in West Los Angeles at 10850 W. Pico Blvd. — and at Pasadena City College Community Education Center, 3035 E. Foothill Blvd.
Starting Wednesday, they will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The deadly wildfires have destroyed at least 35 historic places, according to the latest count by the Los Angeles Conservancy.
By the time all the damage in assessed, the fires are expected to constitute one of the costliest disasters in U.S. 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.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Tuesday she had a chance to fly over the fire areas. “The massive destruction is unimaginable until you actually see it,” she said.
Bass said she talked with veteran firefighters assigned to the massive fires and they told her to “imagine a dry hurricane.”
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.