More than a week after devastating wildfires broke out in the Los Angeles area, firefighters have made progress on containment and stopped the growth of the Eaton and Palisades fires.
After several National Weather Service red flag warnings expired, firefighters were able to work under favorable conditions. Cooler temperatures Rising humidity levels are expected this weekend.
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On Jan. 7, a “life-threatening” storm driven by powerful Santa Ana winds fueled the Palisades Fire in the community of Pacific Palisades and a few hours later helped to worsen the Eaton Fire in the northeastern part of the county near Pasadena.
Search and rescue crews have found human remains in the rubble and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed 27 deaths linked to the fires.
The Eaton and Palisades fires quickly became two of the most destructive and deadliest wildfires in California history. Residents had to flee their homes as the flames approached. According to Cal Fire, 10,694 structures were confirmed to have been destroyed as of Saturday morning.
While firefighters continue to assess damaged areas, some residents in both fire zones were able to return to their homes.
“We can be assured that our firefighters will continue to work 24/7 to bring these wildfires fully under control as quickly as possible. We continue to plan for the repopulation of evacuated areas when safe to do so,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said.
Eaton Fire
The 14,117-acre Eaton Fire has reached 73% containment as of Saturday morning. Ground crews and air operations continue to extinguish hot spots around the burn footprint.
“Containment continues to grow, with a total of 60 miles of control lines around the perimeter of the fire, including eight miles of hand lines,” Cal Fire said.
Urban search and rescue teams have conducted 8,856 inspections, leading to repopulation in certain areas. Saturday morning, Cal Fire reported that nearly 10,000 structures had been damaged or destroyed by the fire.
Several areas affected by the fire remain under evacuation orders and warnings. Officials have said they will allow residents to return to their homes once the areas have been properly assessed and deemed safe.
The LA County Medical Examiner has confirmed 17 deaths linked to the Eaton fire. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is actively investigating 24 missing persons cases related to the fire.
Visit Cal Fire’s website for a complete update on firefighting efforts and updates on evacuation orders for the Eaton Fire.
Palisades Fire
The Palisades Fire, which has burned 23,713, has grown to 43% containment. Calm wind activity has allowed minimal fire behavior as firefighters continue to extinguish hotspots.
Cal Fire announced Friday afternoon several evacuation orders had been reduced and warnings lifted. Even as repopulation has begun in some areas, fire officials are warning residents that some of their homes may still be affected by power outages.
An aerial view of the affected area showed that approximately 5,000 structures were damaged or destroyed, according to Cal Fire. On Saturday morning, the agency reported that 12,250 buildings were threatened by the fire.
At least 10 people have died as a result of the Palisades Fire, according to the LA County Medical Examiner. The number of fatalities is expected to rise as search and rescue crews continue to survey several areas. The LA County Sheriff’s Department is investigating seven active missing persons reports for the Palisades Fire.
Visit the Cal Fire website for a complete update on firefighting efforts and updates on evacuation orders for the Palisades Fire.
Evacuation orders and curfew
Mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect Saturday morning for residents of the Eaton and Palisades free areas.
During the week, officials announced that several orders were downgraded to warnings and the warnings were lifted, allowing residents to return to their neighborhoods.
Even though some are residents were allowed to return to their homes, many areas are still experiencing power outages and no water.
A curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. remains in effect in mandatory evacuation areas in the Palisades and Eaton fire zones.
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