Firefighting efforts continue on the Eaton Fire that has burned over 14,000 acres and killed at least 17 people as the area finally sees improving weather conditions beginning Thursday.
There has been no growth in the fire and it has remained at 14,117 acres for nearly a week, since it reached that size the evening of Jan. 10, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. Firefighters have continued making progress over the last few days, with containment on the blaze reaching 65% by early Thursday evening.
The Eaton Fire sparked just hours after the Palisades Fire started in the coastal west LA communities of Pacific Palisades and Malibu on Jan. 7. The LA County Medical Examiner has reported 25 deaths in connection with both the Eaton and Palisades fires.
On Thursday, the Medical Examiner confirmed 17 deaths in just the Eaton Fire, most of them in the hard-hit community of Altadena, which is located in an area of northeast LA County just north of Pasadena. The Medical Examiner has identified two of the victims.
The wildfire devasted entire neighborhoods in the Altadena and Pasadena areas. Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said it has damaged or destroyed more than 7,000 structures. It has already become one of the five most destructive wildfires in the state, according to Cal Fire.
In a sign of progress, mandatory evacuation orders in Pasadena were reduced to a warning Wednesday afternoon. More progress is expected to continue as weather conditions improve starting Thursday and through the weekend, with high winds and red flag warnings not expected to return to the Southern California region until early next week.
“Calmer overnight and early morning winds reduced fire activity allowing firefighters to make good progress in securing containment lines,” Cal Fire said an update Thursday morning, saying overnight fire activity was “limited to smoldering, creeping, and rollouts in heavy fuels.”
“Today, air support continues to be used to extinguish inaccessible hot spots, aiding containment efforts,” the update continues.
According to Cal Fire, dry conditions will continue Thursday but there will be “mild winds,” with moist marine air and moderate onshore winds — bringing some much-needed humidity — that will build Friday and into the weekend.
As reported by CBS News.