Authorities in the Los Angeles area reported the Palisades fire has grown beyond 23,600 acres, and the Eaton fire is now more than 14,000 acres.
At least 16 people have died in the Los Angeles-area wildfires, the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner said in an evening update on Jan. 11.
Five deaths were caused by the fire in the Pacific Palisades area and the other 11 were caused by the Eaton Fire, burning in and around Pasadena and Altadena.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said that at least 13 people have also been reported missing.
“Are those related or not? Maybe, maybe not,” Luna said Saturday. “We hope to find everybody safe; we want to bring closure to the family.”
The death toll is expected to rise as cadaver dogs conduct house-to-house inspections.
A high number of injuries sustained by residents and firefighters have also been reported.
On Saturday night, light breezes were fanning the northeast expansion of the Palisades Fire into the Mandeville Canyon area, where new evacuations were ordered. Mandeville Canyon is home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities.
The National Weather Service warned that strong Santa Ana winds—the nemesis of firefighters—could soon return.
The Palisades Fire has grown beyond 23,600 acres and is just 11 percent contained.
Speaking at a Jan. 11 press briefing, Todd Hopkins, incident commander with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said preliminary estimates indicate approximately 5,300 structures have been destroyed in the Palisades fire area, including 426 homes. Other damaged structures may include vehicles, sheds, and other outbuildings, he noted.
More than 105,000 residents in the Palisades Fire evacuation zone have been evacuated, as of Jan. 11.
The Palisades Fire is one of several separate blazes that fire authorities are still fighting to contain.
Speaking at the Saturday press conference, Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said the fire in Eaton Canyon is now more than 14,000 acres, and is just 15 percent contained. Marrone said some 2,832 fire personnel are currently engaged in fighting the blaze.
By Ryan Morgan
