Here is a summary of the key points from the article:
Wildfire Situation:
- At least 25 people have died in the wildfires burning across the Los Angeles area.
- Multiple wildfires are raging, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds.
- Thousands of firefighters are battling the fires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County.
- About 82,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders, and another 90,000 are under evacuation warnings.
Fire Updates:
- The Palisades Fire has destroyed around 5,000 structures, covered over 23,000 acres, and is at 19% containment.
- The Eaton Fire has destroyed or damaged around 7,000 structures, burned over 14,000 acres, and is at 45% containment.
Weather Conditions:
- Red flag warnings remain in effect due to high winds and low humidity, which could fuel wildfires.
- Winds are forecast to peak at 40-55 mph in the mountains, with isolated gusts up to 70 mph.
- The coast and valleys will see 35-50 mph gusts, with winds expected to wind down by Wednesday evening.
Air Quality Alert:
- A new air quality alert has been issued for Los Angeles County until 7 p.m. local time due to harmful particle pollution levels from windblown dust and ash.
- Health experts urge those impacted by the fires to protect themselves from air pollution by staying indoors, wearing protective equipment, and taking steps to purify air in the home.
Arson Incidents:
- Two people were arrested for arson in separate incidents just outside the fire zone on Wednesday.
- One suspect admitted to starting a fire because they “liked the smell of burning leaves,” while another said they set fires because they enjoyed causing “chaos and destruction.”
Response Efforts:
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom has deployed an additional 1,000 members of the California National Guard to help fight the wildfires, bringing the total number of National Guard service members to around 2,500.
- Urban search and rescue workers are using rakes to move debris as they search for human remains along the Pacific Coast Highway where homes were destroyed by the Palisades Fire.