California Braces for a 'Lot More' Deaths

Crews worked to contain wildfires still out of control in the Los Angeles area on Sunday before the winds pick back up this week. A red flag warning that was issued Saturday evening was extended till Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Times reports, as was a fire watch warning. The high winds, predicted to gust at 50 to 65mph on Monday, could push the Palisades fire into new communities. Developments include:

• The toll: At least 16 people are unaccounted for in the area of the two largest fires, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said, per the New York Times, a number that he said will surely rise. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said there probably will be "a lot more" deaths confirmed; the death toll stands at 16.

• The fight: Hand crews put hose lines down on the hillside in the Mandeville Canyon area on Saturday, where officials reported good progress made. But winds gusted again on Sunday, and it's possible aircraft deployed in the fight will be grounded. A Cal Fire spokesman said the response in the canyon area is huge. "There's a fire engine in most of the driveways," he said. The Palisades fire was 11% contained as of Sunday morning, and the Eaton fire was at 27% containment.
• Residents blocked: Many people are upset that they're not allowed past National Guard roadblocks to check on their homes, per NBC News, while people from the media, utility companies, and relief agencies are. Three 30-year-old roommates parked in Santa Monica at 6:30am, then hiked more than four miles to the ruins of their home in the Palisades to recover their belongings. Mostly, they wanted a photo of themselves at the house, which they'd rented for five years from Noah Martin's parents, per the Los Angeles Times. "It's our last trip as roommates," Martin said. Another, JJ Amis, was a swim coach at a high school destroyed by the Palisades fire.

• Helping hands: Newsom said 72 firefighters have arrived from Mexico to help. Canada announced it's sending dozens of wildland firefighters, as well as air tankers, per the New York Times. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also offered assistance.

(More Palisades Fire stories.)