Dire fire warning for LA area pushed back as winds ease

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Winds weakened on Tuesday, providing a brief and much-needed respite for firefighters battling two massive wildfires in the Los Angeles area. The National Weather Service also pushed back its previously issued warning of exceptionally severe fire weather to the following morning.

Forecasters said winds had dropped below dangerous levels by the evening, but were expected to pick up overnight and could bring gusts that would fan the flames. Red flag warnings stretched from central California to the Mexican border and were set to remain in place until late Wednesday afternoon. Winds picked up somewhat on Tuesday but did not reach the near-hurricane force that had been predicted earlier. Officials said the danger was not over.

“Key Message: We are NOT out of the woods yet. Winds were not as bad today, but they could pick up again tonight into tomorrow,” the Los Angeles National Weather Service posted on social media. This round of Santa Ana winds was not expected to be as strong as last week, but could still carry embers for miles and spark new fires in the region. At least 25 people have already died in the region.

Firefighters made more progress on the largest and most stubborn Palisades fire. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection operations chief Christian Litz said he flew a helicopter around the perimeter and did not see active flames, but it was far from over. Nearly 90,000 homes were without power as utility companies cut electricity to prevent lines from sparking new fires.

Tired and anxious residents were told to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice. They remained vigilant, watching the skies and each other: Police announced the arrest of about 50 people for crimes including looting, flying drones in fire zones, violating curfews and other offenses. Three were arrested on suspicion of arson after they were found starting small fires that were quickly extinguished. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said one used a barbecue lighter, another set brush on fire and the third tried to ignite a trash bin. All of this occurred outside of the disaster area. Authorities have not determined the cause of any major fire.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said among the nine people charged with looting was a group that stole an Emmy award trophy from an evacuated home. The biggest concern remained the threat of strong winds. Fire crews, bolstered by firefighters from other states, Canada and Mexico, were deployed to put out hotspots or new fires. The firefighting force was much stronger than a week earlier, when the first wave of fires began destroying thousands of homes in what could become the most costly fire disaster in U.S. history.

Karyn Johnson and her family planned to spend the night at their home in the Altadena community near Pasadena, one of the few houses in her neighborhood to survive. They intended to remain vigilant against looting and to hose down their property and neighbors’ properties to prevent any fire resurgence. “Our lives are on hold indefinitely,” Johnson said via text message, adding they were not free to come and go due to restrictions on entering the burn area. “But I’d rather be here than not be able to come back at all.”

Tuesday’s weather forecast included a rare warning: strong winds coupled with extremely dry conditions created a “particularly dangerous situation,” the National Weather Service said, meaning any new fires could spread quickly. The weather forecast was later adjusted to expect gusts to pick up earlier on Wednesday. Residents said they were prepared to flee quickly.

Javier Vega said he felt like he was “sleeping with one eye open.” He and his girlfriend had planned how they would quickly pack their two cats, eight fish and leopard gecko if they received an evacuation order. “Usually on any other night, hearing helicopters going overhead from midnight to 4 a.m. would be maddening,” Vega said. But he considered that they were helping firefighters stop the flames from threatening his community, explaining, “It actually puts me at ease.”

Planes sprayed bright pink fire retardant chemicals on homes and hillsides while fire crews and fire trucks were deployed to areas especially vulnerable to dry brush. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and other officials, who had been criticized for their initial response, said they believed the region was prepared for the new threat. The mayor said she was able to fly over the disaster area, which she described as a scene from a “drought hurricane.”

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said the winds were not expected to be as fierce as last week, but could ground firefighting aircraft. He urged homeless people to avoid starting fires for warmth and to seek shelter. With little rain for more than eight months, the brushy region has already experienced more than a dozen wildfires this year, mainly concentrated in the greater Los Angeles area.

Firefighters have been extinguishing small fires that have suddenly sprung up. A fire in a dry riverbed near Oxnard on Monday night was quickly put out. “We have helicopters ready to drop water on any new fire,” said Ventura County Fire Department spokesman Andrew Dowd. The four largest fires surrounding the nation’s second-largest city have burned more than 63 square miles (163 square kilometers), about three times the size of Manhattan. Of those, the Eaton Fire near Pasadena was about a third contained, while the largest, along the coast in Pacific Palisades, was far from being under control.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the death toll could rise. Nearly 30 people were still missing on Tuesday. Some of those who were reported missing earlier had been found. Nearly 90,000 people in the county remained under evacuation orders, half the number from the previous week. Hollywood’s awards season has been paused due to the crisis. Oscar nominations have been postponed twice, and some organizations have postponed their awards ceremonies and announcements without rescheduling.

Watson reported from San Diego, and Siewert reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers Christopher Weber and Lindsay Bar in Los Angeles, Lisa Baumann in Seattle and Julie Walker in New York contributed to this report.