California forecasters warned that the high winds that have fueled the fires around Los Angeles are expected to intensify again this week as firefighters on the ground race to make progress in containing three wildfires.

Officials warned that after a relatively calm weekend, the notoriously dry Santa Ana winds will pick up again Sunday night into Wednesday, with winds reaching 60 mph (96 kph).

Before the winds picked up, some progress had been made in stemming the spread of the deadly fires in Palisades and Eaton, which were burning at opposite ends of the city. Local firefighters are being assisted by crews from eight other states, as well as Canada and Mexico, who are continuing to arrive.

At a news conference on Sunday, officials said 16 people had been confirmed dead and 16 more missing.

They also warned that the death toll was expected to rise as city search and rescue crews used cadaver dogs to clear the rubble.

Three fires continue to burn around Los Angeles.

The largest fire, Palisades, has burned 23,000 acres and is 11% contained.

The Eaton Fire is the second largest fire, having burned 14,000 acres. Its content is 27%.

The Hearst Fire has grown to 799 acres and is almost completely contained.

While crews have successfully contained the largest fires, authorities warned that incoming winds could lead to “potentially catastrophic wind conditions” that threaten all of Los Angeles County.

Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustine told the BBC: “Unfortunately, between now and Wednesday we’re going to re-enter red flag conditions with the potential for some catastrophic wind conditions, with peak winds expected on Tuesday. “

“While we are making some progress, the end is not yet over,” he said.

Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley called on residents near evacuation zones to be prepared to flee orders and stay as far away from roads as possible to avoid hampering rescuers.

Topanga Canyon resident Alice Husum, 67, told the BBC that a new fire that started overnight in the area was quickly brought under control but that she and her neighbors were “scaring about Tuesday” because of the Wind speeds may peak.

But Ms Husum remained in place despite the evacuation order, noting that the weather forecast was “a little better than the 100 mile gusts that hit us earlier this week”.

New fires continued to break out Sunday, threatening communities in the San Fernando Valley and near NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

Firefighters on Sunday quickly stopped the spread of a new fire in the Los Angeles National Forest, which surrounds facilities at the heart of the U.S. space program and houses top-secret technology.

At least 29 people were arrested for looting in mandatory evacuation zones. Two people were arrested after posing as firefighters to steal items from evacuees.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news conference on Sunday that he had requested additional National Guard troops to support the 400 National Guard troops already in the area. Since then, California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that 1,000 additional National Guard members will be deployed.

“While I was in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman who looked like a firefighter. I asked him if he was okay because he was sitting down. I didn’t realize we had handcuffs on him,” Sheriff Lu Na told reporters. reporter.

“We turned him over to the LAPD because he was dressed like a firefighter, which he was not. He had just been busted for burglarizing a house. So these are issues that our frontline deputies and officers are dealing with.”

Chief Luna said there are currently 14,000 firefighters in Southern California, with 84 aircraft and 1,354 fire trucks providing assistance.

Evacuations have declined, with about 105,000 residents still under mandatory evacuation orders and 87,000 residents under evacuation warnings.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) Administrator Deanne Criswell told CNN on Sunday that significant threats remain.

“I know a lot of people may want to return to the area to check on their homes, but as the winds pick up, you never know which way they’re going to go,” she said.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonald said limited access was allowed to evacuate residents over the weekend, but his officers again banned all residents from returning.

Officials have repeatedly ordered drone operators not to fly near fire zones and are seeking information after a drone struck a critical aircraft.

The FBI shared photos of the small drone that collided with a plane called the Super Scooper on Thursday, briefly grounding it. The “Super Scooper” is one of the most influential firefighting aircraft in the world.

The drone tore a 3 x 6 inch (8 x 15 cm) hole in the plane.

Officials also warned scammers not to try to take advantage of their victims and issued a stern warning that anyone found guilty of price gouging will be prosecuted.

Meanwhile, the spat between California Governor Gavin Newsom and President-elect Donald Trump continues.

Trump, who took office on January 20 and was invited by governors to inspect the fire damage, on Saturday blamed “incompetent” politicians for “one of the worst disasters in the history of our country.”

Newsom, a Democrat, in turn attacked Trump for sharing misinformation about the fires.

In an interview with NBC on Sunday, Newsom called Trump’s false statements “inexcusable.”

Additional reporting by Reagan Morris