narrator

We look at the outlook for this Tuesday as authorities continue to battle dangerous fires.

As Los Angeles enters eighth day of battle relentless wildfireA combination of drought, low humidity and strong Santa Ana winds fueled the fires. In some areas, winds reached hurricane force, with speeds reaching 100 mph (160 km/h).

The fire has burned more than 16,425 hectares (40,588 acres), an area roughly the size of Washington, DC. The Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire caused most of the damage.

Here’s what we know:

What’s the latest news?

Number of dead and missing:

• At least 24 people have died due to wildfires. Eaton fire kills 16 making it one of the deadliest events in California history, and at least Palisades fire kills eight.
• Another 23 people were reported missing in the areas affected by the two fires, and officials warned the death toll could rise.
• More than 15,000 rescue workers are helping fight fires and rescue workers in Southern California. More than 8 million people in the region are at severe fire risk.

Active fire:

Three major wildfires are still burning in the Los Angeles area:

• Palisades FireThe first and largest fire, which broke out a week ago, has burned 9,596 hectares (23,713 acres) and is currently 14% contained.
• Eaton FireThe second largest fire started on January 7 and has burned an area of ​​5,712 hectares (14,117 acres) and contains 33%.
• Hurst Fire burned 323 hectares (799 acres), 97% controlled.
• Elsewhere, the Ventura County Auto wildfire, which started on January 13, has burned 2.02 hectares (5 acres) and has yet to be contained.

The early Kenneth, Archer, Sunset, Lidia, Woodley and Olivas fires have been contained in Los Angeles.

#break in: Firefighters battle fast-moving vehicles #autofire in Ventura County. Watch the live broadcast: https://t.co/FtsHTmmhM0 pic.twitter.com/dXYzvMctga

— KTLA (@KTLA) January 14, 2025

Damage and Evacuation:

• More than 12,000 buildings were destroyed.
• About 105,000 people in Los Angeles County are under mandatory evacuation orders, and another 89,000 people are under evacuation warnings, officials said.
• The curfew in the Palisades and Eaton fire zones is from 6 pm (02:00 GMT) to 6 am (14:00 GMT).

Countermeasures:

• Thousands of firefighters from California and nine other states are battling the blazes.
• Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed an additional $2.5 billion in funding for fire response and recovery efforts.

What to expect on Tuesday?

Forecasters warned that the historic Santa Ana winds that caused “rapid outbreaks” of fires last week will continue to affect weather conditions into Wednesday night.

Red Flag Warning – Alert for extreme weather conditions related to fires – Implemented throughout Los Angeles County.

The National Weather Service said wind gusts could reach 55 mph (90 km/h) by 8 a.m. (16:00 GMT). Wind gusts are expected to increase significantly around noon, reaching speeds of up to 74 mph (120 km/h). Later in the day, around 4pm (00:00), forecasts showed strong winds would continue, with wind speeds likely to remain around 62 mph (100 km/h) into Tuesday.

Tuesday’s nationwide weather forecast map:

Coastal areas of Southern California, including the Palisades and Eaton fire areas, will continue to face extremely hazardous fire weather conditions due to localized moderate to strong winds in Santa Ana. special… pic.twitter.com/RgEJxNTEkj

— National Weather Service (@NWS) January 14, 2025

However, wind speeds are also expected to weaken after Wednesday night, leading to milder conditions. The region remains extremely dry, with no significant rainfall expected until at least next month.

“When you have strong winds, you not only have to worry about existing fires but also starting new fires. Once the wind picks up, the fire lines don’t move steadily downward. Embers fly for kilometers overhead,” Al Jazeera Correspondent Rob Reynolds reported from Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power warned that power may be cut off to customers in high fire risk areas as a precaution to prevent further fires. The outage could last more than 48 hours, according to the department.

What is a red flag warning?

• According to the National Weather Service (NWS), these “warnings are for extreme fire weather conditions. In other words, this setup is about as bad as it gets.”
• They also said that when warnings are issued, officials limit planned burns and remain vigilant for potential wildfires.
• Red flag warnings alert fire managers on federal lands to conditions that are highly unfavorable for prescribed burning, which could lead to particularly dangerous wildfire spread,” the National Weather Service added.

Where is the fire?

Three fires are currently burning in the Los Angeles area:

• Palisades Fire: This fire is burning between Santa Monica and Malibu. Its impact also rippled through the upscale neighborhood of Pacific Palisades.
• Eaton Fire: Burning north of Pasadena, north of Los Angeles.
• Hurst: This wildfire is near San Fernando to the north.

What to do next?

Once the wildfires are under control, authorities are expected to begin searching for survivors, identifying victims and initiating cleanup efforts while working to restore order to affected areas.

Meanwhile, evacuees whose homes remain intact face another threat — thieves taking advantage of empty neighborhoods. Authorities report nine people have been charged with robberies during the Palisades and Eaton fires.

The economic impact will also be huge. According to Reuters, analysts are assessing the economic damage caused by wildfires, and preliminary estimates from AccuWeather indicate that the total economic damage may be as high as $150 billion.