Death Toll Climbs to 24

The number of confirmed deaths from the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires jumped to 24 on Sunday evening.

Eight of the fire victims died in the Palisades fire and 16 in the Eaton fire in Altadena, according to The LA Times citing a news release from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

A day after making some progress containing the Eaton fires and protecting Brentwood and Encino from the Palisades fire, firefighters across Los Angeles County were bracing for another round of powerful winds that could threaten new communities and hamper efforts to contain the firestorms.

“There will be the potential — especially late Monday night through Wednesday — for explosive fire growth as those winds pick back up,” said Ariel Cohen, the meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service office in Oxnard. “In the case of an evacuation order being issued, you have to follow that immediately. Seconds could save your life.”

Gusts of 50 to 65 mph are expected Monday, with the strongest winds arriving before dawn Tuesday and peaking through Wednesday. Areas north of the fire line from Point Dume to Glendale will be particularly at risk, Cohen said. The brewing wind conditions are generally expected to push existing fires at a south and westward angle.

Although these winds will not be as powerful as those that fueled last week’s fires, Cohen emphasized that they still presented “an extremely dangerous situation.”

The fires have claimed at least 24 lives and burned more than 12,000 structures, making them probably the most destructive wildfires in U.S. history. In the Eaton fire alone, more than 39,400 structures are still under threat.

More than 105,000 residents in the county remain under evacuation orders as of Sunday morning, and an additional 87,000 residents are under evacuation warnings.

Evacuation orders and warnings also remain in place for areas devastated by the Eaton and Palisades fires, frustrating many residents who have been anxious to get past police checkpoints so that they can grab medications and check on what personal items might be left.