Race to contain US fires before strong winds return

Another 16 people are believed missing.

An estimated 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the flames, officials say. (AP PHOTO)

Flames have reduced whole neighbourhoods to smouldering ruins, levelling the homes of the rich and famous and ordinary folk alike, and leaving an apocalyptic landscape. 

Officials said 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed.

"LA County had another night of unimaginable terror and heartbreak," Los Angeles County supervisor Lindsey Horvath said on Sunday.

Aerial firefighters, some of them scooping water out of the Pacific Ocean, dropped water and retardant while land crews with hand tools and hoses held the line of the Palisades Fire as it encroached on the upscale Brentwood section and other populated areas of Los Angeles.

Aircraft dropped water and fire retardant to stem the spread of the Palisades Fire. (AP PHOTO)

That fire on the western side of town has consumed 9596 hectares or 96 square kilometres and is considered 11 per cent contained, a figure representing the percentage of the fire's perimeter that firefighters have under control.

The Eaton Fire in the foothills east of Los Angeles scorched another 5713ha or 57 sq km - itself nearly the size of Manhattan - and firefighters increased the containment to 27 per cent, up from 15 per cent a day earlier.

North of the city, the Hurst Fire was 89 per cent contained, and three other fires that had ravaged other parts of the county were now 100 per cent contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported, though areas within the containment lines may still be burning.

Firefighters got a temporary break from the weather this weekend as Santa Ana winds, which reached hurricane force earlier in the week, finally eased. 

The Eaton Fire in the foothills east of LA has burnt an area nearly the size of Manhattan. (AP PHOTO)

The dry winds originating from the inland deserts had fanned flames and blew embers up to 3km ahead of the front lines.

But, in an area that has not received any rain of note since April, the National Weather Service forecast Santa Ana winds of 80 to 112km/h would resume on Sunday night and last through Wednesday.

Officials warned the entire Los Angeles County population of nearly 10 million that anyone may be ordered to evacuate. 

By Sunday, more than 100,000 people in Los Angeles County had been told to evacuate - down from a previous high of more than 150,000 - while another 87,000 faced evacuation warnings.

"These winds combined with low relative humidities and low fuel moistures will keep the fire threat in all of Los Angeles County very high," Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone told a press conference, adding that evacuated areas may not be reopened until "red flag" conditions are lifted on Thursday.

🚩 Critical Fire Weather Alert 🚩— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) Southern California is facing critical fire weather through Wednesday.Life-threatening winds and dangerously low humidity are forecast for much of Southern California - from Ventura to San Diego - creating a significant risk of rapid fire… pic.twitter.com/ASwY1o0E0oJanuary 12, 2025

Newsom said he expected the death toll to rise as search teams and cadaver dogs entered disaster zones.

He told NBC News the fires were likely to be the worst natural disaster in US history "in terms of just the costs associated with it".

Private forecaster AccuWeather has estimated the damage and economic loss at $US135 billion ($A220 billion) to $US150 billion ($A244 billion).

To help expedite the monumental rebuilding effort ahead, Newsom signed an executive order on Sunday temporarily suspending environmental regulations for destroyed homes and businesses.

Active duty military personnel are standing by ready to support the firefighting effort, and firefighters from seven states, Canada and Mexico have already converged on the Los Angeles area to help fire departments from around the state.

With AP