• Wildfires are ravaging the Los Angeles area, spreading rapidly due to dry and windy conditions.
• The fires have burned through over 40,000 acres. Officials report that at least 24 people have died.
• Analysts estimate damages caused by the fires may top $50 billion — breaking previous state records.

Across Los Angeles, a series of wildfires fanned by the powerful Santa Ana winds have been leveling homes in the area for nearly a week, leaving a path of record-breaking destruction in their wake.

The largest of the fires, ripping through the wealthy enclave of the Pacific Palisades, was just 13% contained as of late Sunday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

On Sunday, it was moving toward the densely populated neighborhood of Encino in the San Fernando Valley.

About 30 miles northeast, the Eaton Fire, which is now 27% contained, is threatening the city of Altadena.

Over 40,000 acres have burned in four separate blazes, and the LA County Medical Examiner has reported 24 deaths related to the fires so far.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Sunday the fires would likely be the worst natural disaster in US history, noting that the death toll is expected to rise.

"I think it will be in terms of just the costs associated with it, in terms of the scale and scope," Newsom told NBC's Meet the Press. "I've got search and rescue teams out. We've got cadaver dogs out. And there's likely to be a lot more."

Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said during a Sunday morning press conference that over 100,000 residents near the Palisades and Eaton fires are now under evacuation orders, and authorities have told another 87,000 to be ready to leave at any time.

The National Weather Service said in a Monday update that "extremely dangerous fire weather conditions" were due to develop across coastal southern California, with gusts of up to 70 mph by Tuesday.

It issued a high wind warning early Sunday morning for the mountain areas near the Hurst and Eaton fires, and a high wind watch for the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area from Monday evening to Wednesday afternoon.

"We're expecting north, northeast wind gusts anywhere from 35 to 55 miles per hour, maybe locally stronger on Tuesday, very low humidity, and again, the vegetation is still very, very dry," NWS meteorologist Rich Thompson said during a Sunday afternoon press conference.

"That leads a recipe to produce some very critical fire weather conditions," he added.

Dennis Burns, a fire behavior analyst for the California Incident Management Team, said during a Sunday press conference that, in addition to fanning the existing flames, the anticipated winds over the coming days increase the risk of new fires breaking out.

"With the predicted winds, we could potentially see spot fires up to two miles away, maybe even farther," Burns said.

A representative for the electric services company Southern California Edison said on Sunday that around 63,000 residences were without power, a number that has grown due to implementing power shut-offs for public safety.

Local water districts have also issued numerous water advisories, warning residents not to drink or use the water, which may be contaminated with debris from the fire.

Moderate air pollution has also been reported in many parts of LA.

Amid the devastation, residents have also faced opportunistic looters targeting empty properties, inaccurate evacuation orders sent out in error through the county's emergency alert system, and rapidly spreading misinformation online regarding evacuation zones and the cause of the fire.

Analysts from JPMorgan have estimated that the blazes tearing through the region may lead to about $50 billion in total economic losses — including over $20 billion in insured losses.

If the estimates prove to be accurate, the damage caused by the current fires would be significantly more severe than the 2018 Camp Fires, which racked up $10 billion in insured losses.

California has, in recent years, been subject to a mass exodus of major insurers, including State Farm. The company announced in 2023 that it would stop accepting new home insurance policies in the state, citing risks from catastrophes.

Palisades Fire

The Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades area north of Santa Monica has burned through over 23,700 acres and was 13% contained as of late Sunday, according to Cal Fire.

The cause of the fire, which started on Tuesday morning, is still under investigation.

Over 5,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed. Officials have confirmed that more than 420 homes in Malibu and the Pacific Palisades have been incinerated.

The wealthy enclave houses many celebrities who have now lost their homes, including Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, and Milo Ventimiglia.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office has reported eight deaths related to the Palisades fire so far.

Eaton Fire

The Eaton Fire, which has impacted the Pasadena-Altadena area since it began on Tuesday, has now swept through more than 14,100 acres, according to Cal Fire. The blaze is 27% contained.

"The firefighters have made good progress coming up the west side of the shoulder of the fire," Ernie Villa, an operations section chief for the California Interagency Incident Management Team, said during a Sunday afternoon press conference.

However, as wind conditions are expected to worsen in the coming days, firefighters will have their work cut out for them to keep the area safe, he said.

"In my career, I've never seen the amount of devastation and destruction that exists here. So a lot of work. It's going to be long-term," Villa added.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said during a press conference on Sunday morning that more than 7,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed by the Eaton Fire.

Sixteen deaths have so far been attributed to the Eaton Fire, according to a Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office report.

Other fires

While the Palisades and Eaton fires have grown to be the largest in size, additional smaller fires have been reported throughout the region.

The Hurst Fire, impacting the northern part of the San Fernando Valley, started late Tuesday night and spread to about 800 acres. According to Cal Fire, it was 95% contained as of late Sunday.

Evacuation orders for the area were lifted on Thursday afternoon.

The Kenneth Fire, now 100% contained, has covered just over 1,050 acres across Los Angeles and Ventura counties after starting on Thursday, per Cal Fire. The evacuation orders related to the blaze have been lifted.

Further North, the Lidia Fire broke out Wednesday in the Angeles National Forest and burned 395 acres in three days before being 100% contained, Cal Fire said.