California fires: Beefed-up fire crews prepare as 'dangerous' wind situation starts
Winds are forecast to gust up to 70 mph, with relative humidity as low as 8%.
LOS ANGELES -- Fires burning homes and businesses in Los Angeles for a week have killed at least 24 people, displaced thousands of others and destroyed more than 12,000 buildings in what might be the most expensive set of conflagrations in the nation's history.
Fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds, the fires have posed problems for the large forces of firefighters deployed across several areas of the sprawling city. Cal Fire reported that the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires have consumed about 63 square miles.
RELATED: Before and after photos show scenes of destruction from the California wildfires
The Palisades Fire, which began in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, has destroyed about 5,000 structures and has been blamed for eight deaths. It's covered more than 23,000 acres and is at 17% containment.
The Eaton Fire north of Pasadena also began on Jan. 7. It's been blamed for 16 deaths and has destroyed or damaged around 7,000 structures. It's burned over 14,000 acres and is at 35% containment.
The sheriff's department is following 24 missing persons cases, all adults, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said. The LAPD said it has 13 active missing persons cases, two of whom are believed to be dead.
No more remains were found when crews searched the hard-hit Altadena area on Monday, the sheriff said.
Investigators are still trying to determine what sparked the fires. They could be the nation's costliest ever. Government agencies haven't provided preliminary damage estimates yet, but AccuWeather, a company that provides data on weather and its impact, puts the damage and economic losses at $250 billion to $275 billion.
Here's a closer look at what to know about the fires.
'Dangerous' wind situation begins early Tuesday
The next 24 hours will be very dangerous as high winds blow through the Los Angeles area, Luna warned.
He urged residents to follow evacuation orders, noting that many people who waited until the last minute to evacuate last week suffered significant burns.
"We don't want you to impact your own life or the life or your loved ones," Luna said.
Strong winds in Southern California could create a "particularly dangerous situation" with a red flag warning will go into effect in western Los Angeles County and most of Ventura County, weather officials said.
The warning began at 4 a.m. local time. Winds are forecast to gust between 45 mph to 70 mph, with relative humidity as low as 8%.
Those strong winds and dry conditions will likely continue to fuel the historic wildfires.
Winds overnight and early on Tuesday have been gusting up to 67 mph in the mountains near Los Angeles. The West San Gabriel Mountains have seen gusts up to 67 mph, with the Central Ventura County Valley hit about 66 mph.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the gusty Santa Ana winds will come in periods.
The strongest gusts are expected Tuesday into the early afternoon, which will then be followed by a break in the evening. More gusty winds are expected Wednesday morning.
It has been so dry that any spark could produce major fire that would grow explosively. The weather in Los Angeles last year and early this year has been the second-driest water year on record to date. Water years are recorded from Oct. 1 to Sept. 2, with records going back to 1877.
After Wednesday, winds will begin to calm down and by Friday and Saturday humidity will come up a bit. There a very small chance for a rain shower Friday into Saturday across southern California.
Three people charged with suspected arson
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell says three people have been arrested outside the fire zones since Sunday for starting small fires that were extinguished. All three were arrested on suspicion of arson after citizens alerted police.
One person was using a barbecue lighter to start fires. Another person lit a trash can on fire. The third person was caught lighting brush on fire, McDonnell said.
Water safety worries utilities
Sewer, water and power infrastructure across the region has been significantly damaged, and several utilities have declared their drinking water unsafe until extensive testing can prove otherwise.
Toxic chemicals from the fires can get into damaged drinking water systems. Experts say filtering or boiling won't help.
Los Angeles County has more than 200 water service providers, but so far only a handful believe that damage or loss of pressure may have resulted in chemical contamination and have issued "Do Not Drink" notices.
Utilities are focused on ensuring there's enough water for fighting fires, though some are beginning to test for contaminants. It can take weeks to months of testing before water can be declared safe for drinking.
FEMA delivers cash assistance to affected households
About 40,000 people have applied for assistance from Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has already disbursed more than $8 million for immediate needs like water, food, baby formula and gas. This money goes directly into bank accounts, regional FEMA administrator Robert J. Fenton, Jr. said Tuesday, denying misinformation about vouchers.
President Joe Biden did say that the federal government would pay 100% of the firefighting and recovery costs in the first 180 days. But that doesn't mean FEMA will cover 100% of individual families' costs - the maximum amount FEMA can provide is $43,600, Fenton said.
Looting and price gouging add to the problems
Nine people have been charged with looting, including a group that stole an Emmy award from a house that had been evacuated, said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
Another pair took more than $200,000 worth of items in a neighborhood filled with mansions, he said.
Price gouging has become an issue with hotels, short-term rentals and medical supplies. Scammers are also soliciting donations for bogus relief efforts, authorities said.
The fires scorched more than landmarks and celebrity homes
Although the fires have reduced a number of celebrity mansions and movie landmarks to ashes, they also burned through more affordable communities such as Altadena, which has served generations of Black families who might have faced discriminatory housing practices elsewhere.
The fires have also destroyed several places of worship, including a mosque, a synagogue, a Catholic parish and a half-dozen Protestant churches.
Investigators are looking into what caused the fires
Investigators haven't determined the cause. But a person whose home was destroyed in the Eaton blaze claims in a lawsuit filed Monday that Southern California Edison's equipment sparked it. Gabriela Ornelas, an Edison spokesperson, said the utility is aware that a lawsuit has been filed, but has not yet reviewed it.
Lightning is the most common source of fires in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association, but investigators quickly ruled that out. There were no reports of lightning in the Palisades area or the terrain around the Eaton Fire, which started in eastern Los Angeles County.
The next two most common causes are fires that are intentionally set or caused by electricity lines.
Take a look at the latest stories and videos on the devastating Southern California wildfires here.
ABC News' Max Golembo and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
