LA fires latest: Firefighters to face 70mph winds pushing ‘explosive fire growth’ as death toll climbs to 24
Firefighters are bracing for the the return of ferocious Santa Ana winds which are expected to fan the flames of wildfires raging across southern California, as the death toll climbs to at least 24 people.
The National Weather service warned of a “particularly dangerous situation” on Sunday evening and, although peak winds will be weaker than last week, they will be “strong enough to potentially cause explosive fire growth”. The agency anticipates gusts of up to 70mph in mountainous regions of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said 70 additional water trucks have been deployed to help firefighters fend off blazes spread by renewed gusts.
As of Monday morning, the fires have scorched more than 40,000 acres, including more than 23,000 acres across the Pacific Palisades and along the Pacific Coast Highway. Only 13 percent of the Palisades fire has been contained. The Eaton fire has burned more than 14,000 acres in Altadena and Pasadena and is 27 percent contained.
California Governor Gavin Newsom described the Los Angeles wildfires as the worst disaster in U.S. history during Sunday’s appearance on NBC’s meet the press.
