Los Angeles Faces Less Relief from Wildfires as Winds Persist

Article content

(Bloomberg) — Dry, hot winds will burn through Los Angeles during the week — and some forecasts show little relief for the rest of the month — as Southern California grapples with one of the worst starts to the wildfire year.

Article content

Article content

Despite good progress in dousing the region’s two smaller blazes, the largest blaze was nearly out of control Sunday as thousands of firefighters battled the infernos in what the city’s fire marshal described as a “relentless air assault.” Firefighters from across the US, as well as Canada and Mexico, have converged on California to help fight the flames.

Article content

The weather presents a formidable foe. Red flag fire warnings have been issued until Wednesday as winds sweep across the region, fanning flames, turning vegetation into fuel and causing water to fall from malfunctioning aircraft. More than 8.4 million people will face severe weather on Sunday, and that risk will continue for several days, the US Storm Prediction Center said, with no rain in the forecast.

A stationary pattern of high pressure and low pressure across the West has created a natural funnel for blast winds in Southern California.

“It’s a catastrophic pattern and there’s a good chance it could change,” said Bob Oravec, senior forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center. “If anything it looks like it’s reloading in the West and it looks like it’s going to get worse at the end of the month.”

Extended outposts include the affluent neighborhoods of Brentwood and Bel Air, as well as some of Los Angeles’ most important cultural centers. The Getty Center, an architectural center with a world-class art collection, has a fireproof design that can be put to the test.

Article content

Article content

This damage has killed 16 people since Saturday night. Eleven died in the city of Altadena from the Eaton Fire, and five died in the Palisades Fire.

13 people are missing, officials said. Another 19 were arrested in the Eaton Fire and three more in Palisades for curfew violations, burglary and robbery. More than 16,000 people have applied for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said District Manager Bob Fenton.

By late Saturday, the Palisades Fire near Malibu had burned 23,654 acres and was only 11% contained, while the Eaton fire near Pasadena had burned 14,117 acres and was 15% contained, officials said. More than 10,000 buildings were destroyed in the two fires, making them the third and fourth most destructive in the country’s history.

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Sunday issued an executive order aimed at helping Los Angeles rebuild quickly once the fires are over. The order establishes certain state environmental regulations and permits, including the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Act, to expedite the rebuilding of homes and businesses in affected areas. Newsom also extended protections against price gouging in Los Angeles County until January 2026.

Article content

The fires threaten to exacerbate a region already facing the highest US housing costs, as the governor warns that delays in rebuilding could increase homelessness and drive up housing prices.

“When the fire is extinguished, victims who lost their homes and businesses must be able to rebuild quickly and without roadblocks,” Newsom said in a statement.

On NBC’s Meet the Press, the governor said: “We have to think three weeks, three months, three years ahead while at the same time focusing on what is urgent, which is the safety of life and property.”

At least 101 fires have started this month, higher than last year’s 39 and the five-year average of 46, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, commonly referred to as Cal Fire.

In addition to the threats facing residents, the University of California, Los Angeles has told students and staff that all classes will be remote through at least Jan. 17 and the entire facility is operating under a state of emergency, according to its website.

At least 17,587 paramedics have joined the fight. Newsom also announced Saturday that he has doubled the number of National Guard personnel working on the fire to 1,680 responders. In total, the state has deployed more than 14,000 people to support firefighting efforts.

Article content

California officials have invited President-elect Donald Trump to visit areas affected by the fires, but he has yet to respond publicly. His staff did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The fires also put pressure on utilities cutting off electricity to residents. Southern California power company Edison International has been asked by attorneys representing insurance companies to preserve evidence related to the Eaton Fire.

Edison also said firefighters are investigating whether the company’s equipment was involved in the small Hurst Fire near San Fernando. “Right now, we don’t have any evidence that the Hurst Fire was caused by our equipment, but there’s a lot of investigation to be done,” Southern California Edison President and CEO Steven Powell told reporters Saturday.

As of Sunday, 63,485 customers were without power, PowerOutage.us said.

The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is investigating the fires, said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell on Saturday.

Article content

California has a history of wildfires that destroy electrical equipment during hurricanes. The state’s largest utility, PG&E Corp., filed for bankruptcy in 2019 after a series of deadly fires blamed on its lines.

The fires are the worst natural disaster to hit Los Angeles since the 1994 Northridge earthquake, which killed 57 people, and may rank among the costliest natural disasters in modern US history. Commercial forecaster AccuWeather Inc. estimates direct and secondary losses, which cause unproven destruction and indirect economic impact such as lost wages and supply disruptions, could reach between $135 billion to $150 billion.

—Courtesy of Sarah McGregor.

(Updates on Newsom’s top order starting in section 10)

Article content