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New fires in Los Angeles have forced evacuation orders in the upscale neighborhoods of Brentwood and Bel Air, as the region braces for high winds that could create more problems for emergency responders battling multiple blazes 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 still only 11 percent contained, officials said.
The fires are believed to be the most damaging in Los Angeles history.
Helicopters dropped water Saturday over Mandeville Canyon, a private area inhabited by actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Evacuation orders in Brentwood have raised concerns about landmarks including the Getty Center, home to an art collection that includes works by Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Monet.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the Palisades fires are “slowly being contained,” with about 11 percent under control. But she warned that the area is “most vulnerable” to dry, heavy Santa Ana winds that are expected to return Saturday afternoon. She urged residents not to try to “wait out the fires” and to evacuate immediately.
The National Weather Service warned that the latest wave of gusty winds will also hit the coastal Topanga and Malibu valleys. More “wind phenomena” were also expected between Monday night and Wednesday, which could reach speeds of 60 to 70 mph.
Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are trying to fend off criticism over the fire response. Firefighters in the Pacific Palisades area were frustrated this week when they discovered hydrants were short of water — a major problem during periods of high winds that grounded helicopters and planes used to drop water on fires. The city's spare tanks were quickly exhausted while firefighters on the ground battled the flames without support from the air.
Newsom said on Friday that he had ordered an investigation into the causes of the water supply problems. Newsom called the problems “deeply troubling,” adding that they “will likely hamper efforts to protect some homes and evacuation corridors.”
The city's Water and Electricity Authority issued a statement saying that any claims that fire hydrants had broken before the fires were “misleading and false.”
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said in a statement that water pressure dropped due to “extreme and unprecedented water demand to fight wildfires without air support.”
Firefighters from other US states and Mexico came to Los Angeles to help more than 7,500 emergency workers from California. The National Guard was also deployed at checkpoints to protect the area from thieves.
The city imposed a 12-hour curfew starting at 6 p.m. in areas subject to evacuation orders. “Not only do we have to protect ourselves from the fire, but we also have to make sure no one gets up there and tries to loot,” Bass said. So far, about 20 thieves have been arrested.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said it would take the lead in investigating the cause of the Pacific Palisades fire. The federal agency said fire investigators are at the scene.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the sunset fire, which threatened the Hollywood Hills area and a number of landmarks, including the Hollywood Sign. They also extinguished the Lydia Fire north of Los Angeles, while two other fires were 80 percent contained, according to Cal Fire.
