Los Angeles firefighters were scrambling to contain several blazes as winds picked up Saturday afternoon, threatening to further spread fires, as the death toll rose to 16 people.
The county’s medical examiner said late Saturday that 11 people have been killed in the Eaton fire, near Pasadena, and five died in the Palisades fire, on the west side of Los Angeles.
The Palisades fire on Saturday burned at least one home and threatened others in a section of the Brentwood neighborhood called Mandeville Canyon, a collection of multimillion-dollar homes with stunning city views. Airplanes dropped pink flame retardant from the sky as fire crews battled the blaze at the canyon.
Crews across Los Angeles on Saturday had contained 11% of the 22,660-acre Palisades fire and 15% of the 14,000-acre Eaton fire, near Altadena and Pasadena, according to Cal Fire. The two blazes, which together have killed at least 16 people and destroyed thousands of structures, rank among the five most destructive in California’s history.
As the Palisades fire flared up Friday night, California’s Department of Transportation closed multiple exits to Interstate 405. The major freeway is on the eastern border of the mandatory evacuation zone and has served as an unofficial fire barrier.
Forecast
High desert winds, known as the Santa Anas, picked up Saturday afternoon across parts of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, with gusts of up to 50 mph in the mountains. Winds are forecast to strengthen overnight and into Sunday morning.
Other fires
Crews have made significant progress on getting two other blazes under control. The Kenneth fire, near Calabasas, was 80% contained as of Saturday morning and had burned more than 1,000 acres. The Hurst fire, in the San Fernando Valley, was at 76% contained and burned 800 acres.
International help
Mexico and Canada sent firefighters to help battle the blazes, and Canada sent air tankers as well, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday. Nearly 400 American firefighters helped Canada fight massive wildfires in 2023.
The victims
Those who have died include a man in his 60s who lived in his childhood home and drove a bloodmobile; a retired aerospace engineer and an active church deacon; and a retired pharmacy technician whom neighbors called “an angel.” At least 13 people are missing, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, although it was unclear if they were connected to the fires.
Scale of destruction
The combined area burned by this past week’s fires is larger than each of the city limits of San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Boston or Miami. Together, the Eaton and Palisades fires have damaged more than 12,000 structures, which can be anything from a car to a home.
The New York Times News Service