explainer

As authorities continue to battle dangerous fires, we explore what lies ahead on Tuesday.

As Los Angeles enters the eighth day of fighting Relentless wildfiresA combination of dry conditions, low humidity and strong Santa Ana winds fanned the inferno. In some areas, winds reached hurricane force, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h).

The fires destroyed more than 16,425 hectares (40,588 acres), roughly equivalent to the area of ​​Washington, D.C. The Palisades Fires and Eaton Fires caused most of the damage.

Here’s what we know:

What’s the latest?

Number of dead and missing:

• At least 24 people died due to the forest fires. The Eaton Fire killed 16 people Which makes it one of the deadliest accidents in California history, at least Eight people died in the Palisades Fire.
• Another 23 people were reported missing in the areas of the two fires, and officials warned that the death toll could rise.
• More than 15,000 responders help fight fires and rescue people throughout Southern California. There are more than eight million people at serious fire risk across the region.

Active fires:

Three major wildfires are still burning in the Los Angeles area:

• Palisades fireThe fire, the first to break out a week ago and the largest, has burned 9,596 hectares (23,713 acres) and is 14 percent contained.
• Eaton fireThe second largest fire, which started on January 7, destroyed 5,712 hectares (14117 acres) It is 33 percent contained.
• Hearst fire He got burned 323 hectares (799 acres) and is 97 percent contained.
• Elsewhere, in Ventura County, a spontaneous wildfire that started on January 13 has burned 2.02 hectares (5 acres) and has not been contained.

The previous Kenneth, Archer, Sunset, Lydia Woodley and Olivas fires in Los Angeles have been contained.

#break: Fast-moving firefighter battle #Autofire (Ventura County). Watch live: https://t.co/FtsHTmmhM0 pic.twitter.com/dXYzvMctga

– KTLA (@KTLA) January 14, 2025

Damage and evacuations:

• More than 12,000 buildings were destroyed.
• About 105,000 people are under mandatory evacuation orders in Los Angeles County, with another 89,000 under evacuation warnings, officials said.
• A curfew is in effect in the Palisades and Eaton fire zones from 6pm (02:00 GMT) to 6am (14:00 GMT).

Response efforts:

• Thousands of firefighters from California and nine other states are battling the blazes.
• Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed $2.5 billion in additional funding for firestorm response and recovery efforts.

What to expect on Tuesday?

Meteorologists warn that historic Santa Ana winds, which caused the fire to grow “rapidly and explosively” last week, will continue to impact weather conditions through Wednesday evening.

Red Flag Warning – Alert for severe weather conditions associated with fires – Found throughout Los Angeles County.

The National Weather Service said wind gusts could reach 55 mph (90 km/h) by 8 a.m. (16:00 GMT). Around midday, winds are expected to strengthen significantly, reaching 74 mph (120 km/h). Later in the day, at around 4 p.m. (00:00), forecasts are that strong winds will continue, and could maintain speeds of around 62 mph (100 km/h) through Tuesday.

National forecast chart for Tuesday:

Extremely critical weather conditions for fires in coastal Southern California including the Palisades and Eaton fire areas will persist through Wednesday due to locally moderate to strong Santa Ana winds. especially… pic.twitter.com/RgEJxNTEkj

– National Weather Service (@NWS) January 14, 2025

However, wind speeds are also expected to decrease after Wednesday evening, bringing about milder conditions. The area remains very dry, and heavy rains are not expected until at least next month.

“When you have these high winds, you don’t just have to worry about existing fires, you have to worry about new fires starting. Once the wind blows, it’s not like one line of fire is moving steadily down the hill,” said Rob Reynolds of Al Jazeera reported from Los Angeles: “They are embers flying for kilometers above us.”

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power warned that it may cut off power to customers in areas at high fire risk as a precaution to prevent more fires from igniting. According to the ministry, the power outage may last for more than 48 hours.

What are red flag warnings?

• According to the National Weather Service (NWS), these “warnings are for the most extreme fire weather scenarios. In other words, this is a very poor setup.”
• They also said that when warnings are issued, officials limit planned burns and remain vigilant for potential wildfires.
• Red flag warnings alert fire managers on federal lands to conditions that are extremely unfavorable for prescribed burns, which could lead to particularly dangerous wildfire growth, the NWS added.

Where are the fires?

Three fires are currently burning in the Los Angeles area:

• Palisade Fire: This fire is burning between Santa Monica and Malibu. Its influence also reached the upscale neighborhood of Pacific Palisades.
• Eaton Fire: Burning north of Pasadena, in the northern part of Los Angeles.
• HURST: This wildfire is to the north, near San Fernando.

What’s next?

Once the wildfires are under control, authorities are expected to begin searching for survivors, work to identify victims and begin clean-up efforts, all while seeking to restore order in affected areas.

Meanwhile, evacuees whose homes remain intact face another threat: looters exploiting empty neighborhoods. Nine individuals have been charged with looting during the Palisades and Eaton fires, authorities reported.

The economic ramifications will also be significant. According to Reuters, analysts are assessing the financial toll of the wildfires, with initial estimates from AccuWeather suggesting total economic losses could reach $150 billion.