More progress made on Palisades, Eaton fires, as strong winds to hit again Monday
Firefighters on Sunday continued to surround the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires, working ahead of yet another Santa Ana windstorm, this one expected to move into the region on Monday with gusts of up to 60 mph.
Palisades fire
The Palisades fire was 52% contained on Sunday morning, up overnight from 49%.
Firefighters have continued to benefit from a break in the weather, thanks to low clouds and good humidity levels.
But this week’s expected, powerful Santa Ana winds and low humidity combined with the dry landscape are all expected to pose an extreme wildfire danger again in Southern California, especially Monday into Tuesday.
The Palisades fire has scorched 23,713 acres and killed at least 10 people since erupting Jan. 7. Authorities said they anticipate the number of fatalities to rise as crews continue sifting through the ash and rubble.
More than 3,800 structures have been destroyed in the blaze, and another 628 have been damaged. Those numbers may also rise in the coming days.
Meanwhile. more evacuation orders were lifted Saturday, as officials cited “an increased need for specialized supplies related to all-hazards response for responders and re-populating civilians, including masks, respirators, gloves, eye protection and decontamination,” according to Cal Fire.
Eaton fire
Containment of the destructive Eaton Fire grew to 81% Sunday up overnight from 73%, as firefighters, aided by water-dropping helicopters, continued extinguishing hot spots in steep, inaccessible canyons near Winters Creek, Mt. Lowe and Mt. Wilson.
“Air Operations will continue to assist firefighters in extinguishing hot spots that are inaccessible by ground. Containment continues to grow, with a total of 60 miles of control lines established around the fire’s perimeter, including 8 miles of hand lines,” Cal Fire officials said Saturday.
Officials have completed inspections of 95% of the structures in the fire area, and so far 9,300 have been confirmed destroyed, with upwards of 10,000 more threatened.
The fire has burned 14,117 acres in Altadena and Pasadena since Jan. 7, leaving at least 16 people dead.
What ignited the Palisades and Eaton fires remains under investigation.
While some residents have been allowed to return home, at least temporarily, thousands of people remain under evacuation orders.
Residents affected by both fires can confirm their evacuation status at protect.genasys.com/search or fire.ca.gov/incidents/2025/.
This story is developing and will be updated. Please check back for more.
Air quality monitoring not equipped to measure full dangers from Eaton, Palisades fires, experts say