Officials announced on Saturday morning that the fire risk in Los Angeles County will remain high through Wednesday. Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) Chief Anthony Marrone stated that strong winds are expected to persist, further fueling the massive wildfires devastating the region.
“LA County Fire is prepared,” Marrone assured. However, the situation remains dire. According to LA County Sheriff Robert Luna, the fires have already claimed 11 lives. “We will continue battling these fires until they are fully contained,” he said.
The Palisades area has been particularly hard hit, with three fatalities reported in the Eaton Fire zone. Luna also revealed that 13 individuals have been reported missing. Search teams, including cadaver dogs, are being deployed to the destroyed areas as conditions permit.
As of Saturday night, 153,000 residents are under evacuation orders, and 166,000 are under evacuation warnings. Sheriff Luna stated that approximately 57,000 structures in LA County remain at risk from the fires. Mandatory evacuation orders are currently in place for the Walls and Eaton fire zones, effective from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. until further notice.
The Eaton Fire, located near Altadena and Pasadena, has scorched 14,117 acres and is only 15% contained. More than 7,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed, according to Marrone. Meanwhile, the largest fire, the Walls Fire, has grown to 21,596 acres and is just 11% contained.
CalFire’s Todd Hopkins reported that both ground and aerial crews worked overnight to combat the Walls Fire, which rapidly consumed 1,000 acres in the Mandeville Canyon area. He confirmed that 5,316 structures, including homes, caravans, and community buildings, have been destroyed by this massive blaze.
The situation remains critical, with emergency crews continuing their efforts to contain the fires and protect lives and property.
