The four largest fires raging around Los Angeles have already scorched over 63 square miles, an area roughly the size of Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, more fire-fueling weather is expected to hit Southern California on Wednesday, prompting the National Weather Service in Los Angeles to issue a "particularly dangerous" warning.

A Brief Respite

Firefighters caught a break on Tuesday as the winds were unexpectedly mild, allowing them to make progress in containing the fires in the Los Angeles area. They also quickly extinguished several smaller fires that had broken out.

Rising Death Toll and Destruction

With 13 people still missing, the death toll of 25 is likely to rise, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. Thousands of homes across Los Angeles and beyond have been destroyed by the multiple infernos that have ravaged the city for over a week.

Evacuation Orders and Fire Warnings

Just under 90,000 people in Los Angeles County remain under evacuation orders, half the number from last week. The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag warnings for Wednesday, from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m., covering 275 miles from the Central Coast to the Mexican border.

Preparing for the Worst

More than 80,000 households have been left without electricity as utilities cut power to prevent lines from sparking new blazes. Residents have been warned to be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice. Police have reported about 50 arrests for looting, flying drones in fire zones, violating curfew, and other crimes.

Investigation and Prosecution

Authorities have not yet determined what sparked the major fires. However, one man has been charged with arson for intentionally starting a fire in Azusa. Nine people are also facing felony charges in connection to residential burglaries at evacuated homes.

Response and Relief Efforts

To protect communities, Gov. Gavin Newsom has deployed 2,500 California National Guard members. Firefighters from other states have been deployed to reinforce California's fire response. Planes have been dropping fire-retardant chemicals, and crews have been deployed to vulnerable spots with dry brush.

Share to your favorite social media page