1 of 3 | The Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates is pictured reduced to rubble by four Southern California wildfires in Los Angeles County along the Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles on January 9. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI |
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Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Gov. Gavin Newsom is deploying additional firefighting resources, as two major fires are still uncontained in the Los Angeles area with red flag warnings issued for Monday.
Newsom announced the mobilization on Sunday, citing the red flag warnings that state powerful Santa Ana winds will make conditions hard for crews to get a handle on what are already the most devastating wildfires in the state's history.
"This is now a strong Santa Ana wind event and extreme fire weather," said Rose Schoenfeld, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Oxnard. He said conditions are expected to be worse than earlier forecast.
Wind gusts could top 90 mph. That, combined with plummeting relative humidity levels, will draw any remaining moisture out of remaining vegetation, creating prime conditions for more fast-spreading, devastating fires.
Schoenfeld said "this is a time to act, yet again." The state made emergency resources available online for people facing the threat of yet more fire danger.
Newsom said in a statement that he was deploying more than 130 additional fire engines, water tenders and aircraft to Southern California in response to the red flag warnings.
"The recent firestorms in Los Angeles have illustrated that importance of being in the right place at the right time," the Democratic governor said.
"By strategically placing specialized personnel and equipment in areas prone to wildfires, crews are able to respond faster and more aggressively."
The red flag warning will go into effect Monday at 10 a.m. PST and last through at least 10 p.m. Tuesday, the NWS said. A red flag warning is issued when weather conditions mean any new fire could spread rapidly. This one will cover large parts of Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, different areas than those affected when the fires first erupted on Jan. 7.
Officials warned people in threatened areas to take precautions, creating "defensible spaces" around their homes by clearing overgrown brush and keeping flammable objects away from vulnerable structures.
That includes areas that have already been devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires.
As of 6:38 p.m. PST Sunday, the Palisades fire, responsible for as many as 10 deaths and the destruction of nearly 6,000 structures, was 56% contained, up 4% over the last 12 hours. It has burned 23,713 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, also known as Cal Fire. Three civilians and a firefighter have also been injured by the blaze.
The Eaton fire, which was one of the first to erupt on Jan. 7, has claimed the lives of at least 17 people and destroyed 9,366 structures. It was 81% contained as of 12:27 p.m. PST Sunday morning. It has scorched 14,021 acres, Cal Fire stated.
There are at least 27 deaths, and the number of deaths, destroyed structures and people missing are expected to rise.
A patchwork of evacuation orders remain in place in and around Los Angeles and its suburbs as fires continue to threaten some areas, and other places remain evacuated as hazardous materials and safety teams inspect some neighborhoods to determine whether the are safe enough enough for residents to return during daylight hours, or even to visit homes that are still standing.
The number of people who remain under evacuation order has dropped from over 82,000 to about 39,000 as of Sunday morning, The New York Times reported.
Dozens of people have been arrested in evacuation zones on suspicion of looting.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on Sunday evening said two people were arrested a day prior for impersonating a firefighter and entering an evacuation zone.
The two were detained as they were attempting to enter the Palisades fire evacuation zone. They were driving a fire truck and wearing Cal Fire t-shirts under their turnout gear while being equipped with helmets and radios.
"The occupants claimed to be from 'Roaring River Fire Department' in Oregon. Upon further investigation, the deputies learned that the department names was not a legitimate agency, and the truck was purchased at an auction," the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's release stated.
The suspects -- identified as Dustin Nehl, 31, and Jennifer Hel, 44 -- admitted they were in the evacuation zone also on Friday.