16 Dead, 16 Missing as Firefighters Battle to Contain Los Angeles Blazes Ahead of Returning Winds

LOS ANGELES (NB360) — Firefighters rushed on Sunday to make further headway against wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and claimed 16 lives in the Los Angeles area, as forecasters once again cautioned about hazardous weather due to the return of strong winds this week. At least 16 individuals were missing, with authorities expecting that number to increase.

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday, predicting sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph) and gusts in the mountains reaching 70 mph (113 kph). Tuesday is expected to be the most dangerous day, according to weather service meteorologist Rich Thompson.

“You’re going to have really strong gusty Santa Ana winds, a very dry atmosphere and still very dry brush, so we still have some very critical fire weather conditions out there,” Thompson stated at a community meeting Saturday night.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone announced that 70 additional water trucks had arrived to assist crews in combating flames spread by renewed gusts. “We are prepared for the upcoming wind event,” he said.

Intense Santa Anas have been largely blamed for transforming the wildfires ignited last week into infernos that devastated entire neighborhoods around the city, where there has been no significant rainfall in over eight months.

Twelve people were missing within the Eaton Fire zone and four were missing from the Palisades Fire, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. Luna mentioned that “dozens” more reports might have been received Sunday morning, and investigators were determining whether some of the missing could be among the deceased. No children are reported missing, he said.

Over the weekend, the death toll increased to 16. According to a statement from the Los Angeles County coroner’s office on Saturday evening, five deaths were linked to the Palisades Fire and 11 were due to the Eaton Fire.

Previously, the confirmed death toll stood at 11, but officials anticipated that number would rise as teams with cadaver dogs performed systematic searches in devastated neighborhoods. A center has been set up for reporting missing persons.

An online database was being developed by officials to help evacuated residents determine if their homes were damaged or destroyed. Meanwhile, LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley advised people to avoid the burned areas.

“Active fires are still burning in the Palisades area, posing extreme danger to the public,” Crowley stated at a Sunday briefing. “There’s no power, no water, broken gas lines, and unstable structures. First responders are working swiftly to make it safe for you to return to your communities.”

Officials cautioned that the ash could contain lead, arsenic, asbestos, and other hazardous substances.

Approximately 150,000 people in Los Angeles County remained under evacuation orders, with over 700 residents seeking shelter in nine locations, Luna reported.

By Sunday morning, Cal Fire announced that the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth, and Hurst fires had consumed over 62 square miles (160 square kilometers), an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades Fire was 11% contained, and the Eaton Fire had 27% containment. Together, these two fires covered 59 square miles (nearly 153 square kilometers).

Response efforts included crews from California and nine other states, comprising 1,354 fire engines, 84 aircraft, and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico, he said.

The Eaton Fire was anticipated to exhibit minimal growth on Sunday, with flames continuing to smolder and creep, according to an incident report from the LA County Fire Department.

Following an intense fight on Saturday, firefighters successfully pushed back the flames in Mandeville Canyon, a neighborhood near Pacific Palisades that is home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities. Helicopters swooped in to drop water as the fire moved downhill.

The fire spread through hillsides covered in chaparral and briefly threatened to cross Interstate 405, potentially reaching densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley.

Arrests for looting

Looting remains a concern, with authorities reporting additional arrests as the destruction increases. Michael Lorenz, a captain with the Los Angeles Police Department, stated that seven individuals have been arrested in the past two days.

“We even apprehended two individuals posing as firefighters entering and exiting houses, so we’re being extremely vigilant about everyone,” Lorenz mentioned at Saturday evening’s community meeting.

When asked about the exact number of looters arrested, Lorenz said he couldn’t provide a precise count but noted that officers were detaining approximately 10 people daily. California National Guard troops arrived on Friday to assist in protecting properties.

California Governor Gavin Newsom stated on X Saturday that “California will NOT permit looting.”

Historical Impact

The fires that started Tuesday just north of downtown LA have destroyed over 12,000 structures.

For the first time, firefighters made progress Friday afternoon on the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena, which has consumed more than 7,000 structures, including homes, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings, and vehicles. Most evacuation orders for the area were lifted, according to officials.

No cause has been identified for the largest fires, and early estimates suggest the wildfires could become the most expensive in the nation’s history. AccuWeather's preliminary estimate places the damage and economic losses between $135 billion and $150 billion so far.

In an interview aired on NBC on Sunday, Gov. Gavin Newsom mentioned that the fires might become the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.

“I believe it will be, considering the costs involved and the scale and scope,” he stated.

Inmate firefighters on the front lines

Alongside crews from other states and Mexico, hundreds of inmates from California’s prison system were also contributing to firefighting efforts. Nearly 950 incarcerated firefighters were deployed “to cut fire lines and remove fuel to slow fire spread,” according to an update from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Though the state has long relied on prison labor to fight fires, the practice is controversial as the inmates are paid little for dangerous and difficult work. Inmates are paid up to roughly $10.24 each day, with additional money for 24-hour shifts, according to the corrections department.

Overflowing kindness

Volunteers overflowed donation centers and some had to be turned away at locations including the Santa Anita Park horse racing track, where people who lost their homes sifted through stacks of donated shirts, blankets and other household goods.

Altadena resident Jose Luis Godinez said three homes occupied by more than a dozen of his family members were destroyed.

“Everything is gone,” he said, speaking in Spanish. “All my family lived in those three houses and now we have nothing.”

Rebuilding will be a challenge

The level of devastation is jarring even in a state that regularly confronts massive wildfires. Traum of the state Office of Emergency Services said those impacted by the fires can apply online for immediate government assistance.

Newsom issued an executive order Sunday aimed at fast-tracking the rebuilding of destroyed property by suspending some environmental regulations and ensuring that property tax assessments are not increased.

“California leads the nation in environmental stewardship. I’m not going to give that up. But one thing I won’t give into is delay,” he said. “Delay is denial for people: lives, traditions, places torn apart, torn asunder.”

“We’ve got to let people know that we have their back,” he said. “Don’t walk away because we want you to come back, rebuild, and rebuild with higher quality building standards, more modern standards. We want to make sure that the associated costs with that are not disproportionate, especially in a middle-class community like this.”

Leadership accused of skimping

LA Mayor Karen Bass faces a critical test of her leadership during the city’s greatest crisis in decades, but allegations of leadership failures, political blame and investigations have begun.

Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million-gallon (440 million-liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants had run dry.

Crowley, the LA fire chief, said city leadership failed her department by not providing enough money for firefighting. She also criticized the lack of water.

“When a firefighter comes up to a hydrant, we expect there’s going to be water,” Crowley said.