The number of confirmed deaths from the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires jumped to 24 on Sunday evening.
Eight of those deaths are from the Palisades fire and 16 are from the Eaton fire in Altadena, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Two of the victims have been officially identified by the county agency.
Victor Shaw, 66, died from smoke inhalation and thermal injuries at his Altadena home. Charles Mortimer, 84, of Pacific Palisades died in a hospital from a heart attack, smoke inhalation and thermal injuries.
The Times also has spoken with the grandaughter of Erliene Kelley, 83, who died in the Eaton fire, as well as friends of Arthur Simoneau, 69, who perished in the Palisades fire.
Officials warn that the toll is likely to continue rising.
Search and recovery operations are underway in both the Eaton and Palisades fire zones using cadaver dogs and grid searches, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a Sunday afternoon news conference.
“I don’t expect good news from those,” he said.
Searches will take considerable time to complete given the widespread devastation wrought by both blazes and safety challenges of searching in fire zones, the sheriff said.
“A lot of these areas still look like they were hit by a bomb,” Luna said. “There are live electrical wires, gas lines and other hazards.”
Crews have to “go from house to house to house” to search for human remains, L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a recent news conference. So far, more than 12,000 structures are estimated to have burned in the blaze.
The Palisades fire was 23,713 acres and 11% contained on Sunday evening, while the Eaton fire was 14,117 acres and 27% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Times staff writers Ruben Vives, Rebecca Ellis and Grace Toohey contributed to this report.
