Los Angeles firefighters braced for high winds on Monday expected to fuel two monstrous wildfires that have already levelled entire neighbourhoods, killed at least two dozen people, and burned an area the size of Washington, DC
Dry Santa Ana wind gusts of 45 to 70 miles per hour (72 to f112 kph) were forecast to resume on Monday and persist through Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warning, the agency's most serious advisory.
More than 8,500 firefighters attacked the fires from the air and on the ground, preventing the conflagrations at either end of Los Angeles from spreading overnight.
But the National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned, "This setup is about as bad as it gets," and Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley told Angelenos, "We are not in the clear."
Officials said the state was pre-positioning firefighting crews in vulnerable areas, not just in Los Angeles but also in other Southern California counties that were also under elevated fire danger.
The two main wildfires erupted on Tuesday, fuelled by hurricane-force winds bringing dry air from the inland deserts.
At least 24 people have died in the fires since then, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner reported.
The wildfires have destroyed or damaged more than 12,000 structures, turning entire neighbourhoods into smoldering ash and piles of rubble, leaving an apocalyptic landscape.
As of Monday morning, more than 92,000 people in Los Angeles County were under evacuation orders - down from a previous high of more than 150,000 - while another 89,000 faced evacuation warnings.
The Palisades Fire, which wiped out upscale communities on the western flank of Los Angeles, burned 23,713 acres (96 square km) and was 14% contained, a figure representing the percentage of the fire's perimeter that firefighters have under control.
The Eaton Fire in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains east of the city consumed another 14,117 acres (57 sq km) and was 33% contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported.
A third fire of 799 acres (3.2 sq km) north of town was 95% contained and three other fires in the county have been fully brought under control in recent days.
The Eaton fire damaged the Altadena home of Lorraine Bryan, 63, and destroyed two other dwellings on her property. She told Reuters she worries about getting additional doses of insulin that she needs to manage her diabetes.
"I'm worried about insurance and about rebuilding and getting back on my feet," Bryan said Monday, standing in the doorway of her charred home. "I need my medication. I'm trying to see who can help us."
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION
Deputies are finding human remains every day as they search through burned-out parts of Altadena, where the Eaton fire first ignited, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.
"It is a very grim task," Luna said, adding that he expected the confirmed death toll to rise in the days ahead.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has said the firestorm could rank as the most devastating natural disaster in US history. It is already the costliest wildfire in terms of insured losses. Private forecaster AccuWeather's preliminary estimate of $135 billion to $150 billion in total damage and economic loss would come up short of the estimated $225 billion in losses from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005.
In the face of the devastation, hundreds of volunteers gathered at the Santa Anita Park racetrack on Sunday in Arcadia, close to the Eaton Fire, hauling in boxes of food, clothing and diapers for distribution to victims. Volunteers waited in long lines for an opportunity to help.
The Rose Bowl in Pasadena has turned into a base camp for fire trucks and firefighters from all over California and the West to fight the nearby Eaton fire. Fire trucks are lined up in the area before they head over to the fire and firefighters are sleeping on the grounds and eating their meals under tents.
AID AND POLITICS
"Our hearts ache for the 24 innocent souls we have lost in the wildfires across Los Angeles," said US President Joe Biden, who announced additional disaster assistance for California, covering costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures.
But top Republicans in the US Congress are considering imposing conditions on disaster aid, accusing the state's Democratic leadership of mismanaging water resources and forests.
President-elect Donald Trump planned to visit the disaster zone after he is inaugurated next week, a source familiar with the planning said.
With thousands of homeowners facing a costly rebuilding, large commercial banks including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America have announced plans to ease mortgage repayment conditions for the afflicted. Insurers are looking at historic losses.
The entertainment and sports worlds have also been shaken.
The Oscar nominations were postponed for a second time and will now be announced on 23 Jan, six days later than originally scheduled, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said. The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where the awards will be presented on 2 March, was temporarily within an evacuation zone last week.
The organisers of the Grammy Awards said the music industry honours also will take place as planned at downtown LA's Crypto.com Arena as planned on 2 Feb but will also be used to raise funds for wildfire relief efforts and to honour firefighters.
Twelve Los Angeles pro sports teams on Monday pledged to donate a combined $8 million to support victims and firefighters.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick was among those to lose his home to the fires, which forced the National Football League to move Monday night's playoff game between the Rams and Vikings to Arizona and led the US women's national football team to move a training camp from Los Angeles to Miami.
