LOS ANGELES – Thousands of residents across Los Angeles County face a long road to recovery after fires devastated communities in California’s most populous county. Now, many families begin the long road to recovery.
The massive and destructive Eaton and Palisades fires have yet to reach full containment as firefighters from agencies across Southern California, the nation, Canada and Mexico have been working around the clock for over a week to help battle the flames.
After days of weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service, including red flag alerts warning of critical fire weather, Thursday brought slight relief with more favorable conditions, bringing calm winds and moisture.
Follow along below for live updates.
Red Flag Warning issues in northern LA County
- 4:49 a.m.: FOX 11 Weather Anchor Soumada Khan said a Red Flag Warning remains in place for parts of the Antelope and Santa Clarita valleys through 3 p.m. Wind speeds are expected to reach between 20 and 30 mph, with gusts potentially reaching 50 mph.
Weather Forecast for Thursday, Jan. 16
The latest forecast and air quality conditions for the greater Los Angeles area, including beaches, valleys and desert regions.
Pacific Palisades home destroyed by mudslide
- 4:07 a.m.: A Pacific Palisades home that was spared by the Palisades Fire was split in half due to a mudslide that came crashing down.
Homes spared by Palisades Fire face mudslide threat
A home that was left unharmed in the Palisades Fire was destroyed by a mudslide.
Some begin returning home
- 4:05 a.m.: While some homes were spared in the raging fires, some families have returned to find their homes in poor condition, and the damage goes much deeper. Residents are asked to use extreme caution when returning home and officials said HAZMAT teams will be sent to assess damage.
Eaton Fire: More evacuations lifted as winds calm
The Eaton Fire could reach 50% containment on Thursday as calm winds re-enter the forecast.
Improved Weather Conditions
- 4 a.m.: FOX 11’s Soumada Khan said firefighters will face favorable conditions for the firefight. With onshore winds, there will be a slight increase of humidity, which comes as a positive update for the wind-driven fires.
Calm winds return to SoCal forecast
Firefighters will face more favorable conditions on Thursday, Jan. 16.
The Eaton Fire
The Eaton Fire was first reported on Tuesday, Jan. 7 near Altadena and Midwick drives.
Some residents did not survive the flames and at least 7,000 structures were destroyed.
Authorities have implemented a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. for all areas that remain under mandatory evacuation orders in the Altadena area. This comes after more than 30 looting arrests were made by the LA County Sheriff’s Department.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, but they were fueled by extreme drought conditions, combined with the supersized Santa Ana winds that whipped flames and embers at 100 mph – much faster than usual.
A lawsuit filed Monday claims Southern California Edison equipment sparked the Eaton Fire.
The lawsuit alleges that Southern California Edison failed to comply with essential electrical and fire safety standards, including failing to maintain power lines and overgrown vegetation.
The Palisades Fire
The Palisades Fire broke out on the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 7 as parts of Southern California were hit by powerful Santa Ana winds – the strongest to hit the area in over a decade, officials said. The piercing winds not only intensified the spread of the fire, it also prevented helicopters and planes from dumping water or fire retardant onto the burning scene as it was too dangerous to fly during the first day of the massive fire.
The fire extended well over 23,000 acres in seven days, destroying homes and businesses across the Pacific Palisades and Malibu. The fire also forced evacuations across parts of LA County, including Bel-Air, Brentwood and Santa Monica.
The fire also destroyed the Pacific Palisades Charter High School and other schools in the fire’s path.
What caused the Palisades Fire?
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, a popular hiking destination, Skull Rock – an area north of Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades – is at the center of an investigation “as a possible starting point for the Palisades fire.”
Meanwhile, local authorities have announced multiple rounds of arrests taking place from the Palisades Fire scenes, but none of which are explicitly related to the cause of the fire. Over the weekend, there was an announcement of a man arrested for impersonating a firefighter. The alleged “fake firefighter” was accused of trying to break into one of the evacuated homes.
Other people have also been accused of arson across Southern California.
Quick Resources
This article was originally published by a www.foxla.com . Read the Original article here. .