LA fires update: ‘Particularly Dangerous Situation’ alert issued Wednesday

LOS ANGELES - A final round of dangerous fire weather was forecast for Wednesday in Southern California, in addition to a rare warning of a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" for the area near the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires.

The winds were unexpectedly light on Tuesday, giving firefighters the ability to make progress on the major Los Angeles area fires and quickly snuff out several new fires.

Fire crews battle the Palisades Fire on Jan. 9, 2025. (Credit: Cal Fire)

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Status of LA fires

• Palisades Fire: ‎23,713 acres burned, 18% contained
• Eaton Fire: ‎14,117 acres burned, 35% contained
• Hurst Fire: 799 acres burned, ‎97% contained
• Auto Fire: 61 acres burned, 47% contained

LA wind forecast

What we know:

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings – done when temperatures are warm, humidity is low and strong winds are expected – from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. from the Central Coast 275 miles south to the border with Mexico. The "Particularly Dangerous Situation" was in effect for an area that includes parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

The NWS noted how the region was "not out of the woods yet," but some reprieve could be on the way. 

"The really good news is that today will be the last really windy day," the weather service said in an update early Wednesday. "Look for a marked decrease in the winds this afternoon with the advisory level gusts ending by 300pm."

Dig deeper:

The fires have been fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds. Typically, Southern California’s winds flow onshore from the Pacific, carrying moist air onto land. But the Santa Ana winds are warm currents that move in the opposite direction. They typically occur from September through May, and are so dry that they’re linked with some of the worst wildfires the region has ever seen, in part because the lack of humidity in the air contributes to vegetation quickly drying.

LA fires death toll and destruction

By the numbers:

At least 25 people have been killed in the fires, and Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the death toll is likely to rise. Nearly 30 people were still missing as of Tuesday. Some people reported as missing earlier have been found, Luna said.

The fires, which began on Jan. 7, have displaced thousands of people and destroyed more than 12,000 buildings in what might be the most expensive set of conflagrations in the nation's history.

Just under 90,000 people in the county remained under evacuation orders, half the number from last week.

More than 77,000 households were without electricity on Wednesday as utilities shut off power to prevent their lines from sparking new blazes.