LA fires might still get worse — officials warn ‘critical’ weather conditions could fan the flames into Wednesday

• Firefighters are bracing for deadly new winds as the LA fires enter their second week.
• The fires have burned more than 40,000 acres. One figure estimates up to $275 billion in damage.
• More than 88,000 people were under evacuation orders — and 84,000 under warnings on Tuesday.

Parts of Los Angeles remain engulfed in flames Tuesday as high winds persisted and officials warned that things weren’t likely to get better anytime soon.

And as the fires left misery and destruction in their wake, they could end up causing up to $275 billion in economic damage and losses, according to a new estimate from AccuWeather.

That would make the Los Angeles fires more economically damaging than the Maui wildfires from 2023, which AccuWeather said caused up to $16 billion in damages — and more destructive than 2024’s Hurricane Helene, which caused $225 to $250 billion in damages, according to AccuWeather’s estimate.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles City’s Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said Tuesday that the area was nowhere near in the clear: “Life-threatening and destructive and widespread winds are already here,” she said.

The National Weather Service said conditions were ripe for “extreme” fire danger through at least Tuesday — and warned of “critical” conditions on Wednesday throughout much of Southern California.

One piece of potentially good news: Winds, which have been spreading the fires and also making it more challenging to fight them, were expected to generally weaken by Wednesday evening.

Tallying the destruction in the wake of the LA fires

The scope of the LA fires’ destruction already caused is beginning to come to light.

AccuWeather’s estimate accounts for more than just damage to buildings and infrastructure — it also includes the expected financial impact of evacuation orders, the long-term cost of rebuilding or relocation for people whose homes were destroyed, anticipated cleanup and recovery costs, emergency shelter expenses, immediate and long-term healthcare costs for those who were injured or exposed to unhealthy air quality, as well as lost wages for people whose jobs will have been affected.

Goldman Sachs estimates that the total damage from the LA fire will rank it among the top 20 costliest natural disasters as a share of GDP in US history.

And as damage estimates grow higher, some are using the situation for financial gain. People have started placing wagers on the LA fires, and reports have emerged of price-gouging on residences, hotels, and medical supplies.

Since the fires first broke out on January 7, firefighters have contained several smaller blazes in Los Angeles County, but the three largest — the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires — spanned a combined 38,629 acres as of Tuesday morning, with limited containment.

Around 88,000 people were under evacuation orders, and an additional 84,000 are under evacuation warnings as of Tuesday morning, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.

Luna noted that while the evacuation numbers have decreased since Monday, “it is still very dangerous for the next 24 hours, so we’re keeping a very close eye.”

Winds pose ‘extreme fire danger’

The National Weather Service of Los Angeles warned of “critical to extremely critical fire-weather conditions” that could continue across parts of Ventura and Los Angeles Counties through Wednesday.

Dry, fast winds over open brushland fueled the growth of the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires, which continue to burn.

More than 8,500 firefighters have been marshaled to fight the fires, which have so far caused at least 25 reported deaths and destroyed more than 12,000 structures, which include homes, buildings, cars, and sheds.

Palisades Fire

The Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades area north of Santa Monica has burned through over 23,700 acres and was 17% contained as of Tuesday night, according to Cal Fire.

The cause of the fire, the first to start last week, is still under investigation. The area is home to a large number of celebrities whose homes were destroyed in the disaster.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has received reports of eight deaths tied to the Palisades fire so far.

Eaton Fire

The Eaton Fire, which has devastated parts of Pasadena and Altadena since it began last week, has now burned through more than 14,100 acres, according to Cal Fire. It is 35% contained as of Tuesday night.

“It’s one thing to see it on television, it’s another thing to see it from air,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said at a Tuesday morning briefing, referencing the devastation she saw throughout the region during an aerial tour. “The massive, massive destruction is unimaginable until you actually see it.”

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has received reports of 17 deaths tied to the Eaton fire so far.

Hurst Fire and others

A number of other fires have sparked in the last week as high winds continue pummeling the region.

The Hurst Fire, which began last week in the northern part of the San Fernando Valley, spread to 799 acres and was 97% contained as of Tuesday night, Cal Fire said.

The Auto Fire, which erupted Monday night in Ventura, had burned through 56 acres, with 25% containment. The fire’s forward progress was stopped and no structures remained threatened, officials at Ventura County Fire Department said early Tuesday.

After burning over 1,400 acres combined, several other fires have been 100% contained, including: the Kenneth Fire near the border of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills, the Lidia Fire near Antelope Valley, and the Woodley Fire in the south San Fernando Valley.

This is a developing story. Please refresh for updates.