Death toll rises to 24 in California wildfires as crews brace for incoming severe weather
Officials warn entire 10 million population of L.A. County could receive evacuation order
Firefighters in Los Angeles raced to contain two wildfires that burned for the sixth straight day on Sunday, taking advantage of a brief respite in conditions before high winds were expected to fan the flames anew.
As of late Sunday, at least 24 people have died in the wildfires, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner's office. The death toll is expected to continue rising as search teams and cadaver dogs enter disaster zones.
Another 16 people are believed missing.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the wildfires could be the most devastating natural disaster in U.S. history, destroying thousands of homes and forcing about 100,000 people to evacuate.
Flames have reduced whole neighbourhoods to smouldering ruins, levelling the homes of the rich and famous and ordinary folk alike, and leaving an apocalyptic landscape. Officials said 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed.
"L.A. County had another night of unimaginable terror and heartbreak," Los Angeles County supervisor Lindsey Horvath said.
Aerial firefighters dropped retardant and water, including some scooped from the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, land crews with hand tools and hoses held the line of the Palisades Fire as it encroached on the upscale Brentwood section and other populated areas of Los Angeles.
That fire has consumed 9,596 hectares — about 96 square kilometres — and stood at 11 per cent contained, a figure representing the percentage of the fire's perimeter that firefighters have under control.
The Eaton Fire, in the foothills east of Los Angeles, scorched another 5,713 hectares, or about 57 square kilometres. That fire is 27 per cent contained, up from 15 per cent a day earlier.
North of the city, the Hurst Fire was 89 per cent contained, while three other fires that had ravaged other parts of the county were now 100 per cent contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported, adding areas within the containment lines may still be burning.
Firefighters got a temporary break from the weather this weekend as the Santa Ana winds, which reached hurricane force earlier in the week, finally eased. The dry winds originating from the inland deserts had fanned flames and blew embers up to three kilometres ahead of the front lines.
But in an area that has not received any rain of note since April, the National Weather Service forecast Santa Ana winds of 80 to 112 km/h would resume on Sunday night and last through Wednesday.
Officials warned the entire Los Angeles County population of nearly 10 million that anyone may be ordered to evacuate. By Sunday, more than 100,000 people in Los Angeles County had been ordered to evacuate — down from a previous high of more than 150,000 — while another 87,000 faced evacuation warnings.
"These winds combined with low relative humidities and low fuel moistures will keep the fire threat in all of Los Angeles County very high," county fire Chief Anthony Marrone told a press conference, adding that evacuated areas may not be reopened until red flag conditions are lifted on Thursday.
Newsom said the costs associated with the fires will put it among the nation's worst natural disasters. Private forecaster AccuWeather has estimated the damage and economic loss at $135 billion US to $150 billion US.
To help expedite the monumental rebuilding effort ahead, Newsom signed an executive order on Sunday temporarily suspending environmental regulations for destroyed homes and businesses.
Active duty military personnel are ready to support the firefighting effort, Deanne Criswell, administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said in a series of Sunday television interviews. The agency has urged residents to begin filing for disaster relief, Criswell added.
'Team Canada is responding'
Firefighters from seven states, Canada and Mexico have already converged on the Los Angeles area to help fire departments from around the state.
"Our American friends have asked for help to fight the wildfires in California and Team Canada is responding," Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan said on social media, adding 60 more firefighters from Alberta and B.C. were heading to California soon.
Alberta announced last week that it is sending up to 40 wildland firefighters with more personnel, waterbombers and contracted night-vision helicopters ready to deploy.
B.C.'s forests minister, meanwhile, has said a crew from the province's wildfire service left for California on Saturday afternoon to help battle the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.
Quebec said Friday it will send two more firefighting aircraft to California, a day after one of the province's water bombers collided with a drone while battling the wildfires. The Canadian-made CL-415 was one of the province's two planes that was already helping in the wildfire.
Gov. Newsom said Friday on social media: "Grateful for our Canadian neighbors as they lend a helping hand in our time of need."
'Like something out of a movie'
On the edge of the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Tristin Perez said he never left his home, defying police orders to evacuate as the fire raced down the hillside.
Instead, Perez insisted on trying to save his property and the homes of his neighbours.
"Your front yard is on fire, palm trees lit up — it looked like something out of a movie," Perez told Reuters in an interview in his driveway. "I did everything I could to stop the line and save my house, help save their houses."
His one-storey yellow duplex survived. So did two more homes next door. Across the street, entire houses burned to the ground.
Dozens of Brentwood residents, who had had to evacuate because of the Palisades Fire, began lining up at around 5 a.m. on Sunday, hoping to return to their homes, while volunteers distributed coffee and doughnuts. They were denied entry by officials who said the area was still too dangerous.
"A lot of these areas still look like they were hit by a bomb. There are live electrical wires, gas lines and other hazards," said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.
Avanti Prasanna, 29, a software engineer who lives in the Palisades Highlands, said she has been unable to visit her family home but heard from neighbours the house is still standing.
"It's still heartbreaking, even if your house is there, to know that one of the most beautiful neighbourhoods in Los Angeles is just gone," Prasanna said.
Ileana Zapatero, 65, a Pacific Palisades resident of 30 years, said her home was still standing for now. "We're just hoping and praying."
With files from CBC News and The Canadian Press
