As dangerous fire weather conditions continued on Wednesday, fire officials said there was "little to no growth" in the size of the ongoing Palisades and Eaton fires.
Altogether the wildfires in the Los Angeles area have burned roughly 63 1/2 square miles and damaged or destroyed more than 12,000 structures.
The Eaton Fire that devastated Altadena, Pasadena and the surrounding area was 45% contained as of Wednesday morning.
CalFire said firefighters have also made some progress battling the larger Palisades fire. That fire is now about 19% contained.
A new brush fire threatened homes overnight but firefighters aggressively responded and extinguished it within 34 minutes, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said on Wednesday morning.
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Infrared flights indicated there are still “numerous hotspots” within the burn zone of the Palisades Fire, Crowley said. “The danger has not yet passed,” she said.
Calmer weather on Tuesday helped firefighters snuff out fires, but a rare warning of a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” was issued for Wednesday in an area near the two fires that killed at least 25 people. A red flag warning was issued by the National Weather Service from Central Coast to the border with Mexico from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time.
Forecasts suggest that conditions for firefighting will improve later in the week.
About 88,000 residents remain under evacuation orders in the active fire area and another 84,000 are under evacuation warnings.
Fire tornadoes are possible
As if they aren’t already facing enough, firefighters in California also could encounter fire tornadoes — a rare but dangerous phenomenon in which wildfires create their own weather.
The National Weather Service warned Tuesday that the combination of high winds and severely dry conditions has created a “particularly dangerous situation” in which any new fire could explode in size.
The advisory, which runs into Wednesday, didn’t mention tornadoes, but meteorologist Todd Hall said they’re possible given the extreme conditions.
Fire tornadoes can make fires stronger by sucking up air. Leila Carvalho, professor of meteorology and climatology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said. “It creates a tornado track, and wherever this goes, the destruction is like any other tornado.”
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More arrests made
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Wednesday the total number of arrests in their jurisdiction is now 44. He said another person was taken into custody for reportedly impersonating a firefighter in the Palisades area on Tuesday.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said there have been two more arson-related arrests outside of the current fire zone.
One person admitted starting a fire “because he liked the smell of burning leaves" and another person said “she enjoyed causing chaos and destruction," according to McDonnell.
Dozens of others have been arrested for looting, burglary and violating curfews or other violations.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman promised that the consequences would be “swift and significant” for anyone violating the law.
Hochman said his office is also investigating price gouging concerns. He called price gouging “particularly despicable” because offenders are taking advantage of desperate people who need somewhere to stay.
Hochman said charity and insurance scams have also been reported. He encouraged people to check out any charities before donating to them and avoid sending cash or bitcoin.
