Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna: High Winds, New Evacuation Orders, and Fires Counting Through the Week-Friday Fires

The Weather Service expects high winds up to 70 miles per hour in Los Angeles and Ventura counties through Wednesday and it could cause 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. But new evacuation warnings and orders are expected to be issued as high winds return over the next few days.

The red flag warning will be in effect from late Monday night through Wednesday morning because of the extremely dry conditions and low humidity.

More than 20 people have been dead and hundreds of thousands have been ordered to leave in the past week as fires rage in Southern California.

There are four active fires as of Tuesday, and two of which have burned more than 30,000 acres since last Tuesday.

The fires have placed hundreds of thousands of residents under evacuation orders and warnings, forcing many to flee their homes and risking the lives of those staying behind. According to the LA County Medical Examiner, there have been 24 deaths related to blazes as of Monday afternoon.

The San Gabriel Mountain National Monument and the Angeles National Forest, which were temporarily closed last week due to raging fires, will remain shut down through midnight on Sunday.

Sports Support During the Palisades Fires: Los Angeles Elementary Schools and Schools Reopen after the Academy Awards Decree on Jan. 23

Sports are also providing support in other ways. All of the LA’s professional teams have agreed to donate $8 million to the victims of the wildfire.

“It’s our job to go give strength, and give hope and give joy,” said Lakers coach JJ Redick, who lost his home in the Palisades Fire. “Sports are a lot of things and sports can certainly provide an escape and a distraction and hopefully sports, and tonight, can provide some joy as well.”

Last week, fires postponed NFL, NBA and NCAA games featuring LA teams. On Monday, the Clippers and Lakers returned to the court and resumed their seasons.

Beyoncé postponed a much-anticipated announcement originally scheduled for Tuesday, citing the devastation of the wildfires and donating $2.5 million to relief funds.

This year’s Academy Awards nominations, originally scheduled for last Friday, have since been delayed twice until Jan. 23. The fires and ensuing evacuations have impacted Hollywood stars and halted film production too, as NPR has reported.

Most of the schools and offices in the Los Angeles Unified School District reopened on Monday with limited outdoor and athletic activities, but some schools are still closed.

Customers in high risk areas are being asked to keep their phones charged, portable chargers, flashlight, and extra batteries nearby in case of a lengthy power failure.

Residents are warned to monitor emergency notifications and to avoid starting fires. Those include not using lawnmowers on dry vegetation, ensuring trailer chains do not drag on the ground and never throwing cigarettes or matches out of a vehicle.

Additional steps may be taken by the county. According to the LA Department of Water and Power, local fire authorities may ask them to nix power lines as a preventative measure during the red flag warning.

Two smaller areas within LA and Ventura counties are considered to be in “a particularly dangerous situation” (PDS), the rarest and most extreme level of red flag warning. It has historically preceded especially destructive blazes, including the Palisades and Eaton fires.

A large swath of southwest California is under red flag warnings through Wednesday, meaning there is a high risk for rapid fire growth if a fire starts.