Powerful new winds are threatening progress in recovery efforts in LA

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna declares a fire broke out Monday night in the Southern Californian Palisade and Eaton Fires

Over the next few days, there are expected to be more strong winds in Los Angeles and Ventura counties that will impact search-and-recovery efforts. As multiple fires continue to burn across decimated areas, these will cause dangerous conditions and the possibility of new fires.

Currently the number of people under evacuation orders has dropped to about 92,000, with 89,000 people under evacuation warnings, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Monday. As high winds return over the next few days, new warnings and orders are expected to be issued.

The environment is expected to remain very dangerous, favorable to very rapid-fire growth if a fire does start, but winds are expected to oscillate in magnitude over the next 48 hours.

A new fire broke out in Southern California on Monday night, adding to the string of fires there in the past week that has left more than 20 people dead and hundreds of thousands under evacuation orders.

Los Angeles County is close to Ventura County, where there are three major fires still being worked on.

The Los Angeles Sheriff’s office confirmed the deaths of 21 people, 16 from the Eaton Fire and five from the Palisade Fire. As of Sunday evening, the LA County Medical Examiner was investigating 24 deaths.