Los Angeles, Jan 13
As firefighters continue to battle devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area, winds are expected to intensify in the coming days, potentially further complicating rescue efforts.
According to the local officials, gusty winds and persistently dry weather are increasing extreme fire threats in the region.
Northeast wind gusts surpassed 50 miles (about 80 km) per hour on Sunday, and the strong Santa Ana winds are also forecast to pick up in the coming days.
These winds, combined with low humidity and extremely dry vegetation, will keep the fire threat in Los Angeles County at a "very high" level, said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone.
Three active wildfires are still ravaging Los Angeles County, scorching nearly 40,300 acres (about 163 square km), according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).
The death toll from the fires has risen to 24 as of Sunday, with eight resulting from the Palisades fire and 16 from the Eaton fire.
The two largest fires have been 11 per cent and 27 per cent contained, respectively, according to CAL FIRE, news agency reported.