Millions Southern Californians faced new wildfire warnings and tens of thousands saw their power shut off as strong winds blew Santa Ana winds that started gusting over the mountains before sunrise were forecast to continue until Wednesday morning with enough force to carry fire-sparking embers for miles and stoke new outbreaks in a region where at least 25 people have already been killed across the parched landscape around Los Angeles where two massive blazes have been burning for a week.
“Life threatening and destructive and widespread winds are already here,” LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley told a news conference. Much of Southern California was under elevated fire risk, with crews on high alert from the Mexican border to Central California, far north of Los Angeles. Nearly 90,000 households lost electricity as utilities shut off power to prevent their lines from sparking new blazes. Weary and anxious residents were told to be ready to flee at a moment’s notice.
They remained vigilant, keeping an eye on the skies and on each other: Police announced roughly 50 arrests, for looting, flying drones in fire zones, violating curfew and other crimes. Three people were arrested on suspicion of arson after being seen setting small fires that were immediately extinguished, LA Police Chief Jim McDonnell said. One was using a barbecue lighter, another ignited brush and a third tried to light up a trash can, he said. All were far outside the disaster zones. Authorities have not determined a cause for any of the major fires.
Among nine people charged with looting was a group that stole an Emmy from an evacuated house, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said. The biggest worry remained the threat from intense winds predicted to reach nearly hurricane force Tuesday in some areas. Now backed by firefighters from other states, Canada and Mexico, crews were deployed to attack flareups or new blazes. The firefighting force was much bigger than a week ago, when the first wave of fires began destroying thousands of homes in what could become the nation’s costliest fire disaster.
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