“Extreme fire behavior” expected in Los Angeles as fires rage

Firefighters continued to battle devastating wildfires in Los Angeles on Thursday, helped by a break in gale-force winds and firefighters pouring in from other states to assist. But their progress in containing what may be the most expensive wildfire disaster in American history — at least six people dead and thousands of homes burned — was limited.

The death toll is expected to continue rising from two deadly blazes that have leveled neighborhoods in west and north Los Angeles since Tuesday. Officials confirmed at least five deaths due to the 10,600-acre Eaton fire north of Pasadena and announced the first death in the 17,200-acre Palisades fire on Thursday. At least 7,000 homes were damaged or destroyed in the blazes, seven times the figure reported a day earlier, officials said.

The fires expanded even as Los Angeles saw a brief reprieve from intense Santa Ana winds on Thursday. Gales had fueled rapidly spreading walls of flame on Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving a vast trail of destruction and sending as many as 100,000 residents fleeing — including movie stars and celebrities in the scenic Santa Monica Mountains.

But winds were expected to pick up again Thursday night, and the region remained under a red flag warning with “critical” fire risk. The Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire remained 0% contained as of Thursday afternoon.

“I want to be very clear here as well: We are still under red flag warning with extreme fire behavior possibilities,” Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley told reporters Thursday morning. She said unpredictable fire conditions had proved a major challenge for firefighters struggling to contain the blazes.

The weather forecasting site AccuWeather estimated Wednesday that the firestorm had caused up to $57 billion of economic damage so far. That’s in part because the Palisades Fire is burning some of the nation’s most prized real estate, including the Pacific Palisades and Malibu.

The blazes “may become the worst wildfire in modern California history based on the number of structures burned and economic loss,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said in a press release.

Though destructive, the fires were far short of the largest and deadliest wildfires in California history as of Thursday — such as the 2018 Camp Fire that killed 85 people and the 1991 Oakland firestorm that left 25 people dead.

Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said firefighters were making progress Thursday thanks to an influx of support from outside of the region. More than 7,500 firefighters and emergency personnel were deployed to Los Angeles on Wednesday evening, said Gov. Gavin Newsom. Western U.S. states including Oregon and Washington also committed to send thousands of firefighters. Earlier this week, Marrone said firefighters were overwhelmed by the explosive Eaton Fire.

“The number of resources assigned to this fire-siege event has increased significantly, and we have a much better posture than we did on Tuesday and Wednesday,” Marrone said.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden said during a meeting at the White House on Thursday that the federal government will pay for the entirety of California’s disaster assistance costs after Newsom requested funds. Biden declared the firestorm a “major disaster” Wednesday.

The manpower and favorable conditions allowed fire teams to make progress toward containing two other fires that ignited Wednesday: the 348 acre Lidia Fire, near the small community of Acton, and the Sunset Fire that had exploded in the Hollywood Hills, fueled by nearly 100-mile-per-hour winds. Firefighters kept that blaze to 43 acres.

In a bright spot in an otherwise devastating week, Crowley said firefighters successfully formed a perimeter around the Sunset Fire with a combined air and ground assault. Firefighters were targeting spot fires within containment lines on Thursday morning, she said.

“Favorable winds” helped about 200 firefighters and four helicopters snuff out that blaze, which had threatened major landmarks, Newsom said in a video posted on the social media platform X.

Crowley said fire teams had also quashed two other blazes, including a structural fire in the Studio City neighborhood near the Hollywood Sign that threatened to start a brush fire. False images circulated online Wednesday of the iconic sign ablaze.

However, Crowley said the Palisades Fire still remained dangerous and unpredictable. Firefighters battled 60-mile-per-hour winds Wednesday night that were expected to resume Thursday, she said. “It’s safe to say that the Palisades Fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles,” she said.

The flames sent thousands of people scrambling for safety in the scenic and wealthy neighborhoods of Malibu and Pacific Palisades. Actors Eugene Levy and John Goodman reportedly lost their homes, and many others had fled, including Mark Hamill and Jamie Lee Curtis. The blaze was nothing short of “apocalyptic,” Malibu resident Veronique de Turenne told the Orange County Register.

The greater Los Angeles area remained blanketed in unhealthy smoke Thursday, and health officials cautioned residents to limit outdoor activity and seek out cleaner air indoors if possible. Sensitive people, such as older people, pregnant women and people with asthma, should stay indoors, authorities said.

Along with the gale-force winds, the firestorm in Southern California was exacerbated by a record dry spell.

While Northern California and the Bay Area has seen a relatively rainy winter season, downtown Los Angeles saw just 3% of its normal rainfall since Oct. 1. San Francisco, meanwhile, experienced 112% of its average precipitation in that time. Fire risk remains low in the Bay Area.

Bay Area News Group features reporter Martha Ross contributed to this story.