Los Angeles braced for high winds as wildfires continue

At least 24 people dead as 70mph gusts could spread blazes

Los Angeles firefighters are braced for high winds expected to fuel two monstrous wildfires that have already leveled entire neighbourhoods, killed at least two dozen people, and burned an area the size of Washington DC.

Dry Santa Ana wind gusts of 45 to 70mph were forecast to resume yesterday and persist until tomorrow, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warning, the agency's most serious advisory.

More than 8,500 firefighters attacked the fires from the air and on the ground, preventing the conflagrations at either end of Los Angeles from spreading. But the National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned, "This setup is about as bad as it gets," and Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley told Angelenos, "We are not in the clear."

Officials said the state was pre-positioning firefighting crews in vulnerable areas, not just in Los Angeles but also in other southern California counties that were also under elevated fire danger.

Two main wildfires erupted last Tuesday, fueled by hurricane-force winds bringing dry air from the inland deserts. At least 24 people have died in the fires since then, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner reported.

The wildfires have destroyed or damaged more than 12,000 structures, turning entire neighbourhoods into smoldering ash and piles of rubble, leaving an apocalyptic landscape.

As of yesterday morning, more than 92,000 people in Los Angeles County were under evacuation orders - down from a previous high of more than 150,000 - while another 89,000 faced evacuation warnings.