LOS ANGELES—The resurgence of powerful winds across Southern California threatened to slow the containment of historically destructive wildfires that have so far left 24 people dead and thousands of homes destroyed.
State and local leaders warned strong Santa Ana winds forecast early this week might fuel the growth of wildfires, hinder aerial retardant and water drops, force more residents to evacuate and further strain public-safety resources.
Firefighters prepared for new blazes to spark Monday while search-and-rescue crews surveyed communities flattened by the flames to find residents’ remains. Nearly 13 million people were under red-flag warnings relating to critical or extreme fire danger across Southern California from San Diego to north of Santa Barbara.
“We are not in the clear as of yet,” Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said. “We must not let our guard down.”
Wind gusts are expected to pick up Monday, reaching speeds in excess of 70 miles an hour by Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.
A combination of powerful winds, low humidity and dry brush and vegetation can accelerate wildfires, threatening progress on the destructive blazes and fueling the quick spread of new ones. President Biden said his outgoing administration would respond quickly to any additional requests for federal assistance.
Biden said Monday he had activated 500 U.S. Marines to stand by to help with search-and-rescue efforts, airlift support and the distribution of food and water.
“I want to be clear. We’re not waiting until those fires are over to start helping the victims,” he said during a briefing in the Oval Office. He also said people who were affected by the fires would receive a one-time payment of $770 so they could purchase items such as water, baby formula and prescriptions.
President-elect Donald Trump is planning a visit to Los Angeles as soon as next week, after his inauguration, according to people familiar with his plans.
Los Angeles fire officials said they were better prepared to face the challenging conditions this week, with thousands of firefighters battling the two largest fires and engine strike teams positioning themselves to be able to respond to any new ones that spark.
“We’re still in a very dynamic situation here,” Jim Hudson, an incident commander with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, said in an operations briefing for firefighters battling the Palisades fire Monday. “The expectation today is that everyone remains diligent and flexible.”
The Palisades fire on the west side of the city, which has charred more than 23,700 acres, was 14% contained early Monday, according to Cal Fire. More than 5,000 firefighting personnel, including crews from Mexico and Canada, were battling the fire nearly a week after it sparked.
Dozens of fire and water trucks were staked out Monday in the Riviera neighborhood in anticipation of high winds that could fan the Palisades fire’s flames or help new blazes grow quickly. Landscaping and tree-trimming companies were busy clearing vegetation from around houses and power lines.
At least one home in the wealthy, hilly enclave was destroyed by the flames last week. A mansion near the top of the neighborhood was surrounded by charred earth, its eaves doused with pink fire retardant.
The Eaton fire to the east in Altadena and Pasadena was 33% contained Monday after the fire didn’t grow in acreage Sunday, Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said. The devastating fire has ripped through more than 14,000 acres and destroyed thousands of homes, buildings and other structures.
Meanwhile, a third blaze, the Hurst fire in the northern San Fernando Valley, was 95% contained.
More than 92,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders Monday—a slightly smaller figure than a day prior—an additional 89,000 under evacuation warnings, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Los Angeles leaders warned these orders and warnings could grow.
Marrone, the county fire chief, told Los Angeles residents to prepare to evacuate their homes even if they receive warnings, rather than mandatory orders. That way they may be less likely to get caught in possible congestion that made fleeing areas like the Palisades last week more challenging.
At least 24 people have been reported dead, according to the county medical examiner’s office. Luna, the county sheriff, said officials searching Altadena are finding the remains of community members each day. “It is a very grim task,” Luna said. He asked residents anxious to check on their homes for patience. “We have people literally looking for the remains of your neighbors,” he said.
Nine people have been charged with looting homes in the path of the Palisades and Eaton fires, Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Monday. An additional person has been charged with an arson that is not related to the onset of any of the major blazes, Hochman said.
While life remains at a standstill for residents evacuated from areas the fires threatened, other parts of Los Angeles are restarting familiar routines.
Students returned to Los Angeles Unified School District campuses across the city Monday. They were encouraged to wear masks on their way to school, and outdoor activities were limited.
City officials said that hundreds of thousands of free N95 masks were being made available at public libraries and recreation centers to help protect against toxic air quality.
The University of Southern California just south of downtown began its spring semester in-person Monday. Pepperdine University in Malibu plans to hold undergraduate and most graduate classes online through Sunday; the University of California, Los Angeles in the city’s Westwood neighborhood will hold remote classes through Friday.
Some film productions were starting back up while others remained on hold. CBS resumed production Monday on shows including “NCIS” and “The Neighborhood,” while the late-night show “After Midnight” was still paused. Sony Pictures Television’s “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” were also paused.
While the Grammys are proceeding as planned on Feb. 2 this year, major label companies Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group have canceled all Grammy-related parties. The companies said they would redirect resources used for those events to assist with wildfire-relief efforts.
R&B-pop star The Weeknd on Monday canceled his Jan. 25 show at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and pushed the release of his coming album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” back one week to Jan. 31.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences bumped the date of its Oscar nominee announcements for the second time, now to Jan. 23, because of the wildfires. The Academy also extended the Oscar nomination voting deadline for its roughly 9,990 members to this Friday. It canceled the Feb. 10 nominee luncheon and rescheduled the ceremony for the Scientific and Technical Awards. The main awards show broadcast will go on as planned March 2, it said.
Homeowners and business owners who lost property in the Eaton fire have filed at least two lawsuits blaming Southern California Edison for starting and failing to prevent the fire in Los Angeles state court. The utility company said the cause of the fire is under investigation, and it will review the lawsuits when they are received.
The disaster in Los Angeles might amount to the most expensive fire in modern global history, according to preliminary estimates. Insurance brokers are raising their estimates for total losses to insurers, with Everscore ISI analysts projecting $25 billion in total losses.
The weather service said that winds were likely to die down by late Thursday and into the weekend. “Hopefully that will help things and relative humidity will increase later in the week too,” said Hurley, the meteorologist.
Alyssa Lukpat, Kayleen Schaefer, Ken Thomas, Anne Steele, Neil Shah and Erin Mulvaney contributed to this article.
