Firefighters continue to fight a burning fire which has killed 16 people in the Los Angeles area of California, as forecasters also warned of severe weather and the return of strong winds this week.
Although the Santa Ana storm that fueled the flames has calmed over the weekend, the US National Weather Service (NWS) warned that winds of up to 110km/h (70mph) could return early next week.
Local officials say they expect the strongest winds to hit Tuesday. Red flag warnings remain in effect for Los Angeles and Ventura counties through Wednesday, the NWS said.
Conditions are expected to ease by Thursday.
On Sunday, planes dropped water and fire on the slopes to try to contain the fire's eastward spread in the Pacific Palisades area, and KTLA television reported that crews on the ground were able to save several homes, though others were lost.
“La County had another scary and heartbreaking night,” said County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath.
Six wildfires have ravaged the second-largest city in the US since Tuesday, killing at least 16 people.
Five of the people who died in the Palisades fire and 11 were from the Eaton Fire, the Los Angeles County coroner's office said in a statement Saturday evening.
Twelve people were missing from the Eaton Fire and four from the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Sunday morning.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said he expects the death toll to rise.
“I have search and rescue teams. We have walking dogs and there will probably be more,” he told NBC News.
Newsom said the fire would be the worst natural disaster in US history in terms of its “size and scope” and the cost involved.
Soldiers in the military are ready to help with firefighting efforts, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said in a series of television interviews Sunday, adding that the agency has encouraged people to start applying for disaster relief.
“We have funds to support this response, to support the recovery,” he told ABC News.
The fire has damaged or destroyed 12,000 homes, fire officials said, as flames have reduced entire communities. the ruins are smoldering and leave the apocalyptic scene.
Officials reported Saturday evening that the Palisades Fire had spread over 1,000 acres (400 hectares) in the past 24 hours, destroying many homes,
Cal Fire Chief Todd Hopkins said that while the Palisades Fire is now 11 percent contained, it has burned more than 22,000 acres (8,900 hectares).
Hopkins told reporters that the fire has spread to Mandeville Canyon and is threatening to jump into Brentwood, neighboring areas, and the San Fernando Valley. It rerouted north-south on the 405 freeway.
Al Jazeera's Phil Lavelle, who is reporting from a helicopter over Los Angeles, said the damage was massive.
“What you're getting from here is an understanding of how dangerous it is ahead, because the Palisades fires are going into populated areas, and their trajectory can change in a minute,” he said.
“One minute, they're going into places like Brentwood. The next they're going into the densely populated San Fernando Valley, where millions of people live.”
Evacuation orders across the Los Angeles area now affect 153,000 people. Another 166,000 people have been warned to evacuate, Sheriff Luna said.
Trump criticizes the administration
US President Joe Biden spoke by phone with officials to inform them of their efforts and was briefed by financial aides on the deployment.
His declaration of a major disaster opened up federal aid to wildfire victims, paving the way for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide assistance.
Assistance can range from home repair costs to replacements for lost food or medicine, FEMA spokesman Michael Hart said, adding that assistance can be provided within days.
Newsom also signed an executive order to reduce the amount of government tape needed to rebuild lost homes and businesses.
However, the US President-elect, Donald Trump, has criticized the federal and state officials who he believes have solved the problem.
“The fire is still burning in LA. The poor (politicians) don't know how to put it out. Many beautiful buildings have been destroyed, and many more will soon be destroyed. There is death everywhere…they can't put out the fire. What's wrong?” he said on his Truth Social media feed.
The chairwoman of the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, Kathryn Barger, told reporters that she would invite Trump – who will take office on January 20 – to visit the county to see for himself the damage.
