California wind forecast worsens as red flag fire weather warning expected on Monday
As firefighters in Los Angeles made progress on Sunday containing wildfires that have destroyed much of the Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods, forecasters warned that fire weather is likely to return on Monday.
Donald Trump told NBC news he plans to travel to California to inspect the damage after his inauguration, “probably, at the end of the week”. California governor Gavin Newsom had initially invited the president-elect to visit more than a week ago, even as Trump attacked him on social media and spread misinformation about the state’s Democratic leadership response to the fires.
On Saturday, Newsom announced that five major banks – Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, US Bank and Wells Fargo – have agreed to provide mortgage relief of up to three months of forbearance for homes in affected areas.
The Palisades fire was 52% contained as of 7am on Sunday morning, with 23,713 acres burned, 4,996 structures destroyed and 707 damaged, with these totals still expected to climb.
Ten people have lost their lives, according to officials, in the Palisades fire.
The Eaton fire was 81% contained, with 14,117 acres burned, 9,366 structures destroyed and 1,062 damaged.
Seventeen people have died from the Eaton fire, according to officials.
About 82,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders and 90,000 remain under evacuation warnings due to the fires.
The Santa Ana wind forecast for southern California worsened on Sunday, and forecasters expect to issue a red flag fire weather warning on Monday for counties throughout southern California, including the counties of Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura, from Monday morning into Tuesday night.
“These dry and windy conditions, coupled with dry and receptive fuels, will result Extremely Critical conditions supportive of rapid wildfire onset and spread,” the National Weather Service storm predication center stated on Sunday.
