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New fires in Los Angeles have forced evacuation orders in the upscale neighborhoods of Brentwood and Bel Air as the area braces for strong winds that could cause more problems for emergency crews battling multiple fires across the county.
The death toll from the fires rose to 11 as the crisis entered its fifth day. The Palisades Fire, which started Tuesday morning, has burned 22,000 acres and is only 11% contained, officials said.
The fire is considered the most destructive in Los Angeles history.
Helicopters dumped water on Saturday into Mandeville Canyon, the hometown of actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Brentwood’s evacuation order has raised concerns about landmarks such as the Getty Center, which houses works by Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Monet.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the Palisades fire was “slowly coming under control,” with about 11% of the fire contained. But she warned the area was “most vulnerable” to dry, strong winds, which are expected to return on Saturday afternoon. She urged residents not to try to “wait out the fire” and to evacuate immediately.
The National Weather Service warned that the latest wave of gusty winds would also hit coastal Topanga and Malibu Canyon. It also forecasts further “wind events” between Monday night and Wednesday, with winds potentially reaching 60 to 70 mph.
Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are trying to fend off criticism of the response to the fires. Firefighters in Pacific Palisades were dismayed this week to discover that hydrants were running out of water, a big problem during high winds that grounded helicopters and planes used to put water on fires. The city’s reserve tanks were quickly depleted as firefighters on the ground battled the blaze without air support.
Newsom said Friday he had ordered an investigation into the cause of the water supply problems. Newsom called the issues “deeply troubling,” adding that they “could harm efforts to protect some homes and evacuation corridors.”
The city’s water and power department issued a statement saying any suggestion that the hydrant was damaged before the fire was “misleading and false.”
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said in a statement that water pressure dropped due to “the unprecedented and extreme water usage required to fight wildfires without air support.”
Firefighters from other U.S. states and Mexico have arrived in Los Angeles to assist more than 7,500 emergency responders from California. The National Guard was also deployed to the Palisades to protect the area from looting.
The city imposed a 12-hour curfew in areas under evacuation orders starting at 6 p.m. “Not only do we have to protect ourselves from the fire, but we also have to make sure no one goes up to rob,” Bass said. So far, about 20 robbers have been arrested.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said it will lead the investigation into the cause of the Pacific Palisades fire. The federal agency said fire investigators are on scene.
Firefighters successfully extinguished the Sunset Fire, which threatened the Hollywood Hills and many landmarks including the Hollywood sign. Cal Fire said it also extinguished the Lidia Fire north of Los Angeles and that two other fires were about 80% contained.
