Los Angeles crews rush to stop wildfires ahead of high winds

Forecasters in California warn that the strong winds that fueled the infernos around Los Angeles are expected to reignite this week, as fire crews on the ground rush to make progress in controlling the three wildfires.

On Sunday, officials warned that after a weekend of relatively calm winds, the notoriously dry Santa Ana winds would pick up again Sunday night into Wednesday, reaching speeds of up to 60 mph (96 km/h). .

Progress has been made to stop the spread of the Palisades and Eaton fires, which are burning on opposite ends of the city. Local firefighters are being assisted by crews from eight other states, as well as Canada and Mexico, who continue to arrive.

At a news conference on Sunday, officials said 16 people had been confirmed dead and 16 others remained missing.

They also warned that the death toll is expected to rise as urban search and rescue teams sweep the ruins with cadaver-sniffing dogs.

At least 29 people have been arrested for looting mandatory evacuation areas. Two people were caught posing as firefighters to rob evacuees.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news conference Sunday that he requested more National Guard troops to reinforce the 400 already in the area.

“When I was in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman who looked like a firefighter. And I asked him if he was okay because he was sitting down. I didn’t realize we had him handcuffed,” Sheriff Luna said. reporters.

“We’re turning him over to the LAPD because he was dressed like a firefighter, and he wasn’t. They just caught him burglarizing a house. So those are issues that our officers and frontline cops are dealing with.”

Evacuation numbers have decreased, with about 105,000 residents still under mandatory evacuation orders and 87,000 under evacuation warnings.

Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), told CNN on Sunday that a significant threat remained.

“I know a lot of people probably want to get back into the area and check their homes, but with the winds picking up again, you never know where they’re going to go,” he said.

There are currently 14,000 firefighters in the region, assisted by 84 aircraft and 1,354 fire engines, Luna said.

New fires continued to break out Sunday, threatening communities in the San Fernando Valley and near NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

On Sunday, firefighters were able to quickly stop the spread of new fires in the Angeles National Forest, which surrounds the facility at the heart of the US space program and containing top-secret technology.

Authorities have issued repeated orders for drone operators not to fly near fire zones and are now seeking information after a drone crashed into a vital aircraft.

The FBI has shared photos of the small drone that collided with a plane known as the “Super Scooper,” one of the most effective firefighting planes in the world, on Thursday, briefly grounding it.

The drone ripped a 3-by-6-inch (8-by-15 cm) hole in the plane.

On Sunday, authorities also warned of scammers seeking to take advantage of victims and issued a stern warning that anyone caught manipulating prices will be prosecuted.

Meanwhile, the dispute between California Governor Gavin Newsom and President-elect Donald Trump continues.

Trump, who will take office on January 20 and has been invited by the governor to tour the fire damage, on Saturday blamed “incompetent” politicians for “one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our country.”

Newsom, who is a Democrat, in turn attacked Trump for sharing misinformation about the fires.

In an interview Sunday with NBC, Newsom called Trump’s false claims “inexcusable.”

Three fires continue to burn around Los Angeles.

The largest fire is the Palisades fire, which has already burned 23,000 acres and is 11% contained.

The Eaton Fire is the second largest and has burned 14,000 acres. It is 27% contained.

The Hurst Fire has grown to 799 acres and has been almost completely contained.