Containment of Palisades, Eaton fires grows but strong winds to return

As another windstorm was set to hit Southern California starting Monday, Jan. 20, fire crews were nearing full containment of the Eaton fire and made a marginal increase in containment of the Palisades fire overnight into Monday morning, officials said.

Air resources continued to assist firefighters battling the Eaton by extinguishing hot spots in steep terrain near Winters Creek, Mt. Lowe and Mt. Wilson, Angeles National Forest officials said Monday. The fire was now 87% contained.

Officials also slightly downgraded the acreage of the fire, which now stands at 14,021, nearly 100 acres less than what had been reported for most of last week.

Near the coast, the Palisades fire was 59% contained as of Monday morning as firefighters continue to make stead progress, Cal Fire officials said.

But firefighters will again be challenged as Santa Ana winds return Monday, with peak gusts up to 70 mph possible in the coasts and valleys, and up to 100 mph were possible in the mountains, according to the National Weather Service.

A particularly dangers situation red flag warning will be in effect from noon Monday to 10 a.m. Tuesday, Angeles National Forest officials said.

“Rapidly drying conditions and strong Santa Ana winds will surface across the mountains and below the canyons this afternoon,” officials said.

Both fires ignited on Jan. 7 during an uncommon windstorm that saw peak gusts up to 100 mph in the western San Gabriel Mountains.

The Eaton fire has damaged or destroyed more than 10,000 structures, according to the latest numbers from the Angeles National Forest on Monday. Damage assessments had been completed for 98% of all structures within the fire’s perimeter, officials said.

More than 6,800 were damaged or destroyed by the Palisades fire, according to Cal Fire’s latest update, though it was unclear how many structures within the fire’s perimeter had yet to be checked.

While some residents have been allowed to return home, thousands remained under evacuation orders as officials continue to mitigate the dangers and search for missing persons.

The fires are expected to amount to the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history by the time all the damage is assessed.

At least 27 deaths have been reported for both fires combined, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.