LA firefighters brace for more fierce winds

While some progress has been made in containing the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, the outlook remained bleak, as the death toll rose to 24 on Sunday, and the weather forecast is not expected to be conducive for extinguishing the fires.

Sixteen people are reported missing, and the fires have destroyed an estimated 12,000 structures, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday, with sustained winds of 80 kilometers per hour and gusts in the mountains reaching 70 mph. The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, said weather service meteorologist Rich Thompson.

Those gusts could fan flames and whip up embers from existing burn zones into new areas, firefighters warned.

"You're going to have really strong, gusty Santa Ana winds, a very dry atmosphere and still very dry brush, so we still have some very critical fire weather conditions out there," Thompson said at a community meeting on Saturday night.

The largest blaze, the Palisades Fire, has burned more than 9,500 hectares and numerous homes, businesses and landmarks in Pacific Palisades and westward along the Pacific Coast Highway, toward Malibu, according to Cal Fire, the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention. As of Sunday morning, the fire was 11 percent contained.

Many parts of Brentwood, Calabasas, Encino, Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica are under evacuation orders or warnings. More than 12,000 structures remain threatened, the Times reported.

Scores of Hollywood celebrities, including Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, Mel Gibson, John Goodman and Mandy Moore, who live in the affected areas, have seen their houses burned to the ground.

After a fierce battle on Saturday, firefighters managed to fight back the flames in Mandeville Canyon, home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities near Pacific Palisades not far from the coast.

Eight of the deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire, and 16 to the Eaton Fire, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said in a news release on Sunday evening.

New evacuations

Cal Fire Operations Chief Christian Litz said on Saturday that the main focus was the Palisades Fire burning in the canyon area, not far from the UCLA campus. New evacuations were ordered on Friday evening after a flare-up on the eastern side of the Palisades Fire.

Crews from California and nine other states are part of the response that includes more than 1,300 fire engines, 84 aircraft and over 14,000 personnel, including firefighters from Mexico.

Governor Gavin Newsom, who has deployed 2,500 members of the California National Guard to assist in the crisis, issued an executive order on Sunday aimed at fast-tracking the rebuilding of destroyed property by suspending some environmental regulations and ensuring that property tax assessments are not raised.

"We've got to let people know that we have their back," he said. "Don't walk away, because we want you to come back, rebuild, and rebuild with higher-quality building standards, more modern standards."

US President-elect Donald Trump has been criticizing how officials have handled the crisis.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said on Sunday that she has spoken with members of the incoming presidential administration and that she expects Trump to visit the region.

Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley publicly criticized the city on Friday for budget cuts that she said have made it harder for firefighters to do their jobs. She also blamed the city for water running out on Tuesday, when about 20 percent of the hydrants tapped to fight the Palisades Fire were dry.

"I'm not a politician, I'm a public servant. It's my job as the fire chief for the Los Angeles City Fire Department to make sure our firefighters have exactly what they need to do their jobs," she told CNN.

Jillian Michaels, a podcaster and fitness expert with 1.6 million followers on X, told Fox Business on Friday: "This is all politics. You cut the budget of the Fire Department there by $17 million. Fire hydrants were broken. Reservoirs were dry.

Thefts and looting also continue to be a concern, with authorities reporting more arrests.

At least 29 people have been arrested, many for looting, since the wildfires broke out, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.

Nighttime curfews in evacuated zones have been extended and additional National Guard resources have been requested.

Agencies contributed to this story.