Winds, arsonists complicate fight against LA-area wildfires as crews report progress

Firefighters reported significant gains Wednesday against the two massive wildfires burning around Los Angeles while also extinguishing smaller blazes set by arsonists in recent days as a final round of windy, flame-fanning weather moved through Southern California.

With winds picking up again, much of the nation’s second-most populous metropolitan region was still on alert for new outbreaks and flareups from the fires that have killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

Gusts whipped up to 80km/h in the mountains, but many areas saw relatively light winds late in the morning, according to the National Weather Service. Better conditions expected in the coming days should help fire crews to make even more headway and allow residents to return to their neighbourhoods to begin rebuilding.

Still, firefighters and police faced new challenges. Since the beginning of the wildfire outbreak last week, authorities have arrested about half a dozen people accused of setting new, small fires that were quickly knocked down.

One suspect admitted starting a fire in a tree “because he liked the smell of burning leaves,” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said. Another said “she enjoyed causing chaos and destruction,” the chief said Wednesday.

Authorities have not determined a cause for any of the major fires that are on track to become the nation’s costliest fire disaster.

Officials facing questions over response

LA officials, who already were criticised for hydrants running dry, faced more questions. Fire officials chose not to double the number of firefighters on duty last Tuesday as winds increased, and only five of more than 40 engines were deployed, according to internal records obtained by The Los Angeles Times and interviews with fire commanders.

The department also did not call in off-duty firefighters until after the Palisades Fire erupted.

Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley defended her decisions. “I can tell you and stand before you, we did everything in our capability to surge where we could,” she told a news conference.

Crowley insisted that despite “limited capacity” within the department, crews were able to respond swiftly by calling for assistance from other agencies and seeking help from off-duty firefighters.

Increasing containment on biggest fires

More manageable winds on Tuesday allowed firefighters to make gains on the two most destructive fires. Almost half of the Eaton Fire just north of LA was contained, and one-fifth of the fire that destroyed much of the seaside neighbourhood of Pacific Palisades was surrounded.

Both of those fires broke out January 7 in conditions similar to what was expected Wednesday, though winds were higher last week when they pushed flames at remarkable speed and carried fire-sparking embers for miles.

The weather service issued red-flag warnings — indicating temperatures are warm, humidity is low and strong winds are expected — through Wednesday afternoon from the Central Coast south to the border with Mexico.

Packed and ready to go

Weary and anxious residents said they were ready to make a hasty escape amid the threat from intense winds.

Javier Vega, who said he feels like he has been “sleeping with one eye open,” and his girlfriend have planned out how they can quickly pack up their two cats, eight fish and leopard gecko if they get orders to evacuate.

“Typically on any other night, hearing helicopters flying overhead from midnight to 4 in the morning, that would drive anyone crazy,” Vega said. But figuring they were helping firefighters to keep the flames from threatening their neighbourhood, he explained, “it was actually soothing for me to go to sleep.”

Long road of rebuilding ahead

Los Angeles authorities promised to do everything they could to help people recover and rebuild. But Mayor Karen Bass acknowledged there is no way to replace much of what has been lost.

“You’ve lost memories, family. All of the experiences that took place there are gone, and gone unexpectedly, gone rapidly,” Bass said.

Earlier this week, the mayor issued an executive order to eliminate red tape and allow people to live in tiny homes and trailers while they rebuild.

Thomas Martin works with Calvary Disaster Relief, a group that responds to disasters all over the world. Most times, he shows up after floods, tornadoes and hurricanes, helping people repair their roofs and rip out soggy carpet.

“This is different,” he said. “This is total devastation. There’s nothing much we can do other than pray for the folks.”

With almost no rain in more than eight months, the brush-filled region has had more than a dozen wildfires this year, mostly in the greater Los Angeles area.

The four largest fires around the nation’s second-biggest city have scorched more than 163 square kilometres, an area roughly three times the size of Manhattan.

Searching for victims

Nearly 30 people remain missing, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Wednesday.

Deputies have searched more than 5,500 properties for victims from the Eaton Fire and hope to finish in that area by Thursday, he said.

One of the victims of the Eaton Fire, 95-year-old Dalyce Curry, loved wearing big hair and makeup, her family said. She hobnobbed with stars from old Hollywood, appearing as an extra with Diana Ross in “Lady Sings the Blues” and in 1956’s “The Ten Commandments.”

The Grammy awards ceremony will happen Sunday in LA and focus on helping the city’s recovery.

“In challenging times, music has the power to heal, comfort and unite like nothing else,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. and Tammy Hurt, chair of the board of trustees, wrote in a letter sent to Recording Academy members that was obtained by The Associated Press.