LA braces for stronger winds as fires continue to burn

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - LOS ANGELES — Residents of Los Angeles are bracing for further destruction as weather forecasts indicate that winds helping fuel the flames might pick up again.

Three fires continue to blaze. The largest, the Palisades Fire, has burned more than 23,000 acres and remained at 14% contained as of Monday evening.

LA Mayor Karen Bass said "urgent preparations" are being made in advance of near hurricane-force winds predicted to peak on Tuesday.

At least 24 people have died in the fires and 23 others are missing in the Eaton and Palisades fire zones.

On Monday, authorities also announced nine people were arrested for looting and one for arson.

At a news conference, LA District Attorney Nathan Hochman showed videos of some looting and outlined maximum sentences if the accused are convicted.

In some of the cases the suspects could face life in prison under California's "three strikes" law – under which repeat offenders can be sentenced to 25 years to life after a third conviction.

The one arson suspect was arrested in the nearby city of Azusa, around 20 miles (32km) east of downtown Los Angeles.

The arson is not linked to any of the major fires but was allegedly started in a local park.

Law enforcement also warned against price gouging, internet scams, and flying drones, which can interfere with firefighting aircraft.

They said a number of ongoing investigations means more charges could be filed.

Blake Chow, the assistant chief of the Los Angeles Police Department's office of special operations, issued a stern warning to looters: "You're not going to get away with it."

Also on Monday, two lawsuits were filed against power company Southern California Edison (SCE) by property owners who lost homes in the Eaton fire.

They alleged the company failed to de-energise its electrical equipment despite warnings of high winds.

A company spokesperson said that SCE had not yet been served with the complaint but that would review it once received.

"The cause of the fire continues to be under investigation," the spokesperson said.

A separate lawsuit was filed against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) by residents of the Pacific Palisades, accusing the utility company of failing to supply enough water to fight the fire there.

The complaint, filed by law firm Robertson & Associates in Los Angeles Superior Court, claims a reservoir that had been drained should have been maintained.

"The Palisades Fire has been a traumatic event for its victims, who through no fault of their own, went from homeowners to homeless in a matter of hours," the complaint said, according to Reuters news agency.

The BBC has asked LADWP for comment.

In a statement on its website last week, LADWP said: "The water system serving the Pacific Palisades area and all of Los Angeles meets all federal and state fire codes for urban development and housing."

It said it was launching its own investigation into water resiliency.

The Eaton Fire, the second-largest of the series of blazes that broke out across the city last week, has burned more than 14,000 acres, and is 33% contained, authorities said.

There had been "very little fire growth" of the Palisades blaze on Monday, said Jim Hudson, deputy chief of CalFire.

The BBC Weather Centre says Santa Ana winds — blowing in from the east or north-east — could reach gusts up to 70mph (112km/h) on Tuesday, potentially stoking further fires.

Weather officials say lighter winds are forecast to develop after Wednesday, bringing an opportunity for firefighters to further contain the blazes.

A curfew remains in place in evacuation areas between 18:00 and 06:00 local time.

Adam Schiff, the newly elected Democratic senator for California, told the BBC that he hoped that the incoming Trump administration would move quickly to provide disaster relief.

When asked whether wildfires had become increasingly politicised, Schiff said: "There has been people doing that since the moment the fires started."

"It's not helpful right now, let's just focus on putting these fires out, getting people the help that they need."

President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly planning to visit the area in the coming days.

Federal lawmakers are set to meet on Tuesday morning to discuss disaster aid for the state.

President Joe Biden said he has directed hundreds of federal personnel, aerial and ground support to California, and his team will "respond promptly" to any request for more help.

"Our hearts ache for the 24 innocent souls we have lost," he said.

Meanwhile, as city fire crews continue to try to contain the blazes, local residents joined in relief efforts.

Actor and comedian Will Arnett told the BBC that he has friends who lost their homes.

"I think that everybody should help in ways they can," said Arnett, who was helping to distribute water to those affected by the fires.

"It is nice seeing people coming together and volunteering the way that they are."

Fardad Khayami, a 24-year-old restaurant owner in Pacific Palisades, was delivering hundreds of meals to people affected by the fires.

He told BBC Newsday: "If you look, outside, it seems to offer a normal city where we are. But if you drive five minutes to the west, it seems like a different world."

He hoped to provide locals with 500 meals a day "for as long as they need them".

Altadena resident Michael Storc, who lost his family home, said "rents have gone up a lot."

"I grew up a poor kid who was renting, so going back to renting is a bit gutting," he said.

His family wonders if they will ever be able to rebuild on the land where their home once stood, he said.

"We don't know if it will ever be safe," he told the BBC.

While many expensive mansions were lost in the fires, Pete Brown, a spokesman for a local council member in Pacific Palisades, said many owners bought the homes some 50 years ago, some for prices around $25,000 (£20,500).

He said those elderly homeowners are now left with nothing.

"Their wealth was in that home," said Brown. — BBC