Palisades and Eaton fire containment continues as dangerous weather may loom

Los Angeles: Firefighters are hard at work tackling the Palisades and Eaton fires. They’ve made some headway, but there’s still a long way to go.

The good news is that four other fires in the area have been fully contained. Those were the Hurst, Kenneth, Lidia, and Auto fires. Thankfully, no structures were damaged, and there were no fatalities from those blazes.

However, the Palisades Fire is still a big concern. It’s only 31% contained and has burned through nearly 24,000 acres. Sadly, it has damaged or destroyed almost 5,000 structures and resulted in 10 deaths. The Eaton Fire is also serious, having burned over 14,000 acres and is 65% contained. It has devastated more than 7,000 structures, with 17 reported deaths.

Looking ahead, the weather might offer some help. A rise in humidity could ease the dry conditions that have fueled these wildfires. But, forecasters are warning that the Santa Ana winds could return early next week, which might complicate things again.

On a brighter note, some residents are getting relief as evacuation orders have been lifted in certain areas affected by the fires. This includes over three dozen neighborhoods near the Palisades Fire.

Authorities are still urging people to stay out of the evacuation zones. Sheriff Robert Luna mentioned that while he understands the urge to return home, it might be at least another week before most evacuations are lifted. For now, there’s a curfew in place from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in those areas, allowing only firefighters and essential workers to enter.