LA authorities searching for at least 36 missing people as wildfire death count rises to 25
As fire crews continue to battle the wildfires consuming Los Angeles County, officials on Thursday said at least 36 people remain missing while two additional deaths brought the toll to 25.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told reporters during a news conference that search and rescue teams discovered one of the deceased in the Eaton Fire area and the other in the Palisades Fire area.
"We continue to work with multiple partners, not only in the recovery of remains, but then ultimately the identification of the deceased and then the notification to the next of kin," Luna said.
Luna said it was likely that more remains would be discovered in these areas, which is why officials are keeping evacuation orders in place around those sites.
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"As we're going through some of these grids, there are areas that we are holding because we believe there are deceased victims there," Luna said. "We have to hold for the right time and the right resources to process the scene correctly, and that's going to take a little while. Please be patient with us."
As the death toll rose to at least 25, officials also said that at least 36 people were still unaccounted for in the wildfire areas.
Luna said of the 43 total missing persons reported in the county, 12 have been found safe. There remain 31 active missing persons cases, 24 of which are in the Eaton Fire area and seven in the Palisades.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said eight others were missing in the city’s territory. He said three of those are believed to be dead while five remain unaccounted for.
The Eaton and Palisades fires are the two largest wildfires that firefighters are battling.
Fire officials said the Eaton Fire has scorched an estimated 14,117 acres and is 55% contained as of Thursday. The Palisades Fire has consumed approximately 23,713 acres and is 22% contained.
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Thousands of fire personnel were working around the clock to combat the fires, and have been able to make progress in containment as the strong winds that fanned the flames weakened, according to officials.
Despite the reprieve from favorable weather conditions, officials warned of possible future weather threats, including strong Santa Ana winds forecast to arrive Monday or Tuesday.
"There are more extreme winds on the horizon," Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said. "It is important that you protect yourselves and your family by planning, preparing and staying aware."
Other officials warned that a potential window for rain later this month could bring mudslides and debris flows to areas that have been scorched in the wildfires.