Santa Ana winds back down as Eaton fire is 55% and Palisades fire is 22% contained

Containment of the Eaton fire has grown to 55% and 22% for the Palisades fire Thursday as Santa Ana winds finally back down. 

More evacuation orders were lifted on the outskirts of the Eaton fire burn area near Altadena and Pasadena.

The Palisades fire had scorched 23,713 acres, according to Cal Fire. It was 18% contained Tuesday evening, but crews were able to take advantage of favorable weather conditions to build containment.

As of Thursday, the Eaton Fire had burned 14,117 acres.

The break in the winds is expected to be a major boon for the firefighting effort, which was hampered over the last three days due to escalating winds, even though the Santa Anas never reached the previously anticipated strength.

A red flag warning of critical fire danger expired in the San Gabriel Valley, but it will remain in effect until 3 p.m. Thursday in the western San Gabriel Mountains and the Golden State (5) and Antelope Valley (14) freeway corridors, with winds of 15 to 25 mph anticipated, along with gusts of up 40 mph.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office on Wednesday reported 16 deaths tied to the Eaton Fire. The office on Tuesday had reported 17 deaths, but a further investigation of remains being examined in one of those cases determined they were not human.

Sheriff Robert Luna said the sheriff's department has 24 active missing-person cases -- 18 in the Eaton Fire area and six others in the Malibu area near the Palisades Fire.

Crews spent much of Wednesday working to mop up hot spots and reinforce containment lines around the Eaton Fire as Santa Ana winds continued to buffet much of the region -- although at a lesser strength than originally anticipated. Incident commanders said they were confident the fire would be held within its "current footprint." Crews were targeting hot spots within the burn area that were located with the use of infrared imagery.

Mandatory evacuation orders remained in place for thousands of residents in the Eaton Fire area, although on Wednesday afternoon, evacuations were lifted in a large area stretching from the western to southern flank of the fire. On Tuesday afternoon, orders were lifted for an area south of Canyon Crest Road and west of Lincoln Avenue in the Altadena area, according to the sheriff's department.

On Monday, evacuations were lifted in the Altadena Kinneloa Mesa community, south of Heights Road to New York Drive, and east of Outpost Lane to Sierra Madre Villa.

Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said earlier that more than 7,000 structures are believed to have been destroyed or damaged - - many of them homes -- and nearly 40,000 structures were said to be threatened. Those numbers were expected to rise after further evaluation.

Damage assessments in the Eaton Fire area were about 92% completed as of Thursday morning. As of Thursday, 5,718 structures were officially listed as destroyed, and 679 damaged.

Palisades fire

Red flag warnings of critical fire danger had been in place over the burn area -- and much of the Southland -- through 6 p.m. Wednesday, with some areas under the alert until Thursday afternoon.

But while wind speeds increased in much of the region, the Palisades Fire area appeared to have been spared any wind-generated flare-ups. Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said the winds "did not cause any expansion of the Palisades Fire."

She said crews, in addition to building containment, were focused on finding "hot spots and putting them out."

Winds are expected to reduce dramatically over the next few days and remain generally calm through the weekend, but another Santa Ana wind event is in the forecast for early next week.

At least nine people have died in fire, although authorities said they anticipate the number of fatalities to continue rising as crews begin sifting through the ash and rubble.

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said the department is investigating five missing-person reports in the Palisades Fire area. Sheriff Robert Luna said his agency has seven active missing-person cases in unincorporated areas impacted by the fire.

At least 5,000 structures are believed to have been destroyed or damaged in the blaze that has been burning since Jan. 7. That number is also expected to rise as more assessments are done in the burn area.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Authorities warned residents near the fire areas that air quality continues to be highly unhealthy. People were urged to suspend the use of leaf blowers, to stay inside with doors and windows closed as much as possible, and to wear masks if they do go outside.

Southern California Gas Co. officials had shut off service to about 13,600 customers in the Palisades Fire area for safety reasons, but the utility reported Wednesday that it has restored service for 1,279 of those customers. The Gas Co. has established an information booth for residents that will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pavilions store at 29211 Heathercliff Road in Malibu to provide information for customers.

The massive mandatory evacuation zone from fire stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the west, the San Diego (405) Freeway to the east, San Vicente Boulevard to the south and the Encino Reservoir to the north.

Evacuation warnings were issued for the following two areas: Sunset Boulevard to the south, Mullholland Drive to the north, Bellagio Road/Roscomare Road to the east and the San Diego Freeway to the west; along with separate zone that included Mulholland/Sepulveda Boulevard to the south, the San Diego Freeway to the east, Ventura Boulevard to the north and Louise Avenue to the west.

Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust, says "the Getty Center and Getty Villa remain safe from the Palisades Fire, and we continue to monitor the situation closely."

Fleming said the Getty Center in Brentwood "will likely remain closed until Monday, Jan. 20," while the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades is closed until further notice.

"We remain acutely aware of our affected staff, our Getty neighbors, and the whole Los Angeles region, and extend our heartfelt sympathy and hope for everyone's safety," Fleming said.

Additional reporting by City News Service.