Southern California firefighters have made some progress in containing two major wildfires, while forecasters said weather conditions in the coming days could provide a reprieve from the days of dry air and high winds that have plagued the region. .
The reprieve will give firefighters a crucial window to battle the Palisades fire on the western edge of Los Angeles and the Eaton fire in the foothills east of the city before dangerous conditions worsen next week.
“Good news: We’re looking forward to some much-needed relief from fire season concerns as this week’s shutdown continues,” the National Weather Service said Wednesday. “The bad news: Next week is a matter of concern. Although we are confident we will not see a repeat of last week, dangerous fire conditions are expected.”
The Palisades Fire was 21% contained late Wednesday after burning 96 square kilometers, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The agency said the Eaton fire was 45% contained and had burned 57 square kilometers.
More than 82,000 people were ordered to evacuate, while 8,500 firefighters from the United States, Canada and Mexico were battling two fires and several smaller fires in the area.
According to officials, at least 25 people died and 12,000 homes and other structures were destroyed in the fire.
The wildfire broke out on January 7, fueled by strong Santa Ana winds in a region that had been without widespread rainfall for eight months. According to the weather forecast, there is little chance of rain next week.
Some information for this report came from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
