PACIFIC PALISADES (CNS) – President Donald Trump, who spoke about the Los Angeles fires during his inauguration address Monday, is expected to visit the area later this week, likely Friday, although specific details have not yet been released.
Containment of the deadly Palisades Fire rose to 68% Wednesday, as fire crews again braved gusting Santa Ana winds as they worked to fully surround the burn area in and around Pacific Palisades.
Much of the LA area will be under a red flag warning of critical fire danger until 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, thanks to continued gusty winds and extremely low humidity.
The Palisades Fire has scorched 23,448 acres and killed at least 11 people since erupting Jan. 7. The county medical examiner confirmed the 11th death on Tuesday. Authorities have said they anticipate the number of fatalities to rise as crews continue sifting through the ash and rubble.
More evacuation orders were lifted Tuesday, with residents only being permitted back into the areas, which include an unincorporated area on the far western flank of the fire, a pair of zones within the city of Malibu and an area in the city of LA roughly west of Palisades Drive and north of Pacific Coast Highway.
County public health officials are distributing personal protective equipment to residents returning to their homes.
A curfew continues to be in effect nightly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the mandatory evacuation areas in the Palisades and Eaton fire zones. Only firefighters, utility workers and law enforcement personnel are allowed in those areas.
A man and a woman from Oregon were arrested Saturday for impersonating firefighters and entering an evacuation zone, according to the LA County Sheriff’s Department.
Authorities said the pair claimed to be from the Roaring River Fire Department in Oregon, which deputies found was not a legitimate agency. Dustin Nehl, 31, and Jennifer Nehl, 44, were found wearing Cal Fire T-shirts under turnout gear, helmet and radios in a fire truck purchased at an auction, sheriff’s officials said. The relationship of the two was not disclosed.
The sheriff’s department and other law enforcement agencies have reported dozens of arrests for alleged looting, burglaries and curfew violations since the fires in Palisades and Altadena broke out on Jan. 7.
The LA Department of Water and Power reported that as of Tuesday night, there were about 8,500 customers remaining without power in the Pacific Palisades area, mainly in areas where workers cannot safely access homes or in areas where it is unsafe to re-energize power lines. Customers with questions about the status of their service can call (800) 342-5397.
Southern California Gas Co. had shut off service to about 13,600 customers in the Palisades Fire area for safety reasons, but the utility reported Wednesday that it has restored service for 3,526 of those customers.
The Gas Co. has established an information booth for residents that will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pavilions store at 29211 Heathercliff Road in Malibu, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center at UCLA Research Park West, 10850 W Pico Blvd., to provide information for customers.
LA County officials said its damage assessments can be viewed at recocery.lacounty.gov/palisades-fire. They will be updated daily in real time.
At least 6,662 structures have been destroyed in the blaze, according to Cal Fire, and another 890 have been damaged, according to Cal Fire. Those numbers may rise as property assessments continue.
Some 5,300 personnel were committed to the firefighting effort.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The Palisades Fire erupted around 10:30 a.m. Jan. 7 in the area of Piedra Morada and Monte Hermoso drives as the area was under a red flag warning for critical fire danger due to a historic wind event that saw gusts of 80 mph. It continued to grow exponentially Jan. 7 and Jan. 8, driven by heavy fuel loads and powerful Santa Ana winds.