LA firemen brace for threat of more powerful winds

The threat of powerful wind gusts combined with bone-dry humidity in Los Angeles on Wednesday could pose a severe test for firefighters who have been battling to keep monstrous fires in check since last week.

Local officials urged residents to stay vigilant throughout the day and be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice, even after tamer-than-expected winds over the last 24 hours.

"We want to reiterate the particularly dangerous situation today. Get ready now and be prepared to leave," County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said during a news conference yesterday.

Some 6.5mn people remained under a critical fire threat as winds were forecast to be 32-64 km an hour with gusts up to 120km and humidity dropping into the single digits during the day, the National Weather Service said.

The combination of low humidity and strong winds has further dried out the brush, increasing the risk of fire, Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said.

"The danger has not yet passed," she said, noting that firefighters have seen up to 70kmph winds Wednesday,

The death toll from the fires stood at 25. The estimate of structures damaged or destroyed held steady at over 12,000, portending a Herculean rebuilding effort ahead. Entire neighbourhoods have been leveled, leaving smoldering ash and rubble. In many homes, only a chimney is left standing. Some 82,400 residents were still under evacuation orders with other 90,400 facing evacuation warnings, County Sheriff Robert Luna said.

Winds were tamer than expected on Tuesday, letting firefighters extinguish or gain control of some small brush fires that ignited. No major wildfires erupted in the area, as had been feared.

During the day, the milder-than-expected conditions also allowed some 8,500 firefighters from at least seven states and two foreign countries to hold the line on the Palisades and Eaton fires for the second day running.

The Palisades Fire on the west edge of town held steady at 23,713 acres (96 square km) burned, and containment nudged up to 19% - a measurement of how much of the perimeter was under control. The Eaton Fire in the foothills east of the city stood at 14,117 acres (57 sq km) with containment at 45%. The fires have consumed an area the size of Washington, D.C.

"In the past 24 hours, there has been little to no fire growth on both incidents," Cal Fire Incident Commander Gerry Magaña said.

A fleet of aircraft dropped water and retardant into the rugged hills while ground crews with hand tools and hoses have worked around the clock since the fires broke out on Jan. 7, with the aircraft occasionally grounded by high winds.