California fires: Calls for Trump to respond to Los Angeles fires, and the upcoming weather conditions “do not bode well”

Firefighters are making intense efforts to try to contain the largest wildfire sweeping through Los Angeles, which has become on the outskirts of one of the city’s most upscale neighborhoods.

Swarms of planes are bombarding the burning hillside areas with water and fire retardant to stop the Palisades Fire, which has spread another 1,000 acres and is now threatening new areas.

The winds are expected to intensify again at night, further fanning the fires that have already left at least 11 people dead.

“Los Angeles County witnessed another night of unimaginable horror and grief,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said Saturday.

Firefighters made modest progress against the worst of the blazes, the Palisades Fire, which has burned nearly 23,000 acres and is 11 percent contained. But the blaze has spread to the Mandevili Canyon neighborhood, prompting evacuation orders for large swaths of Brentwood, an upscale area where The homes of Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger, Disney CEO Bob Iger, and basketball star LeBron James are located here.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna confirmed that authorities had begun using a search and rescue team.

Eight people were killed in the Eaton Fire, while the other three were killed in the Palisades Fire.

He said there were reports of 13 people missing so far, but they were not sure if it was due to the fires.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone also spoke about the weather forecast over the coming days, which he says will create “very critical fire weather conditions” through Wednesday.

He added that there will be moderate to strong Santa Ana winds over the next few days.

The Santa Ana winds are a unique weather phenomenon in Los Angeles that bring strong, gusty easterly or northeasterly winds blowing from the interior toward the coast.

Dry winds not only create the conditions for wildfires to develop, but can also be responsible for the scale of devastation that follows.

In a message shared on X, asking the president-elect to make the trip, Los Angeles County Supervisor Katherine Barger cited Trump’s visit during his first term when the area was experiencing another wildfire in 2018.

Barger praised his administration’s response at the time, which she said allowed for the “rapid deployment of federal resources” to help the city.

“Trump’s presence will be deeply felt and appreciated,” Barger says, adding that he can help support Los Angeles residents.

Trump has yet to visit Los Angeles, despite local calls for him to do so. In an earlier news conference, the Los Angeles mayor told reporters that she had not heard from Trump or his presidential transition team.

Some officials hope his presence will help speed up the allocation of federal resources to the response.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said there were four active fires in Los Angeles, down two from previously.

The authorities announced containment levels for each of those fires that are still spreading:

Palisades Fire: The first fire that broke out Tuesday and the largest in the region, which could become the most destructive fire in California history. It has burned more than 22,000 acres and was 11 percent contained as of Saturday afternoon.

Eaton Fire: Northern part of Los Angeles. It is the second largest fire in the region, burning nearly 14,000 acres. It is 15 percent contained.

The Hearst Fire: Located just north of San Fernando, it began burning Tuesday night and has grown to nearly 800 acres. It is 76 percent contained.

Kenneth Fire: This fire broke out Thursday on the border of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. So far, it covers more than 1,050 acres. Authorities say its advance has been halted and is 80 percent contained, with no damage or destruction to buildings.

Los Angeles Fire Chief Christine Crowley said the budget cuts affect the “ability” to fight fires.

Crowley is the latest voice critical of California officials, who have been accused of not doing enough to protect the city from fires.

Speaking to CNN, she said the Fire Department had cut the budget by $17 million, and any kind of reduction would “adversely impact our ability to carry out our mission.”

“It is certainly one of the most horrific natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles,” she said of the Palisades fire, adding that budget cuts and the elimination of civilian jobs, such as mechanics, are impacting their ability to fight the fire.

“I’ve made it clear for years that the fire department needs help because there aren’t enough firefighters or fire stations,” Crowley added.

California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered an investigation into reports that firefighters faced difficulties due to reduced water supplies, which hampered their disaster response.

Canada has sent firefighters and specialized equipment – including water bombers and air tankers – to California to support local firefighting efforts.

Sean Peterson, of the US National Interagency Coordination Centre, which coordinates firefighting resources, told The Washington Post that Canadian fire crews could arrive as early as Monday.

Mexican firefighters have been deployed to Los Angeles to help bolster efforts to contain the fires.

Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico, earlier posted a photo of dozens of emergency services personnel in front of two transport planes on the X platform, and said they were ready to leave.

There were reports that another group of Mexican firefighters had already arrived, although it was not clear how many.

Power Outages, which tracks power outages in the United States, said at least 60,000 homes and businesses are without power in Los Angeles.

The authorities issued warnings against drinking tap water, for fear of contamination.

The notice states they should not drink or cook with tap water, and limit their use of hot water until it is disinfected.

This is due to the possibility of “fire-related contaminants that may have entered the water system,” according to the release.

Los Angeles authorities also declared a local health emergency for the entire county due to poor air quality, as ash and smoke from wildfires blanketed the area.

In a statement, Los Angeles County Public Health made the announcement in “severely deteriorating air quality… posing immediate and long-term risks to public health.”

The authorities added that the fires forced residents to leave their homes and evacuate health facilities, disrupting “vital health services and resources.”

Authorities advised people to stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed, use air conditioners to recirculate and filter the air, and wear a mask if they go out in the presence of smoke. It is also recommended to keep pets indoors.

Los Angeles welfare agencies say the past few days have hit people who were already homeless before the fires hard.

People Knosern, which works with homeless people, says homeless people are particularly vulnerable during disasters.

“People were already facing enormous challenges, but the bushfires have made their situation even more difficult,” said June Masseri, the agency’s chief executive. “In Palisades alone, there are an estimated 300 homeless individuals, many of whom are now displaced along with thousands of resident residents.”

She said many of them were displaced, lost their few possessions, and faced health risks from the toxic air.

Los Angeles has faced homelessness problems for years. In 2023, more than 46,000 people in the city and 75,000 people across Los Angeles County are classified as homeless, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.