Police in Los Angeles arrested a man for “actively lighting fires” on Sunday as devastating wildfires continued to tear through the city’s suburbs.
Ruben Montes, 29, was held on suspicion of arson in Irwindale, around 16 miles from the deadly Eaton Fire in Altadena.
His arrest comes days after police arrested a man for allegedly lighting a fire in Calabasas. Detectives believe the suspect intentionally started the fire.
Meanwhile, the death toll from devastating wildfires sweeping through LA has climbed to 24 as firefighters race against time to contain the blazes before forecasted strong winds threaten to push flames towards the city’s cultural landmarks.
The Los Angeles County coroner’s office said eight of the deaths were attributed to the Palisades fire and 16 resulted from the Eaton fire.
At least 16 people were missing and authorities said that number was expected to rise.
The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through to Wednesday, with sustained winds of 50mph and gusts in the mountains reaching 70mph. The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, said weather service meteorologist Rich Thompson.
“You’re going to have really strong gusty Santa Ana winds, a very dry atmosphere and still very dry brush, so we still have some very critical fire weather conditions out there,” Thompson said at a community meeting Saturday night.
Fierce Santa Anas have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires sparked last week into infernos that levelled entire neighbourhoods around the city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than eight months.
Twelve people were missing within the Eaton Fire zone and four were missing from the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Luna added that “dozens” more reports might have come in Sunday morning and investigators were reconciling whether some of the missing might be among the dead. There are no children among those reported missing, he said.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said 70 additional water trucks arrived to help crews fend off flames spread by renewed gusts. “We are prepared for the upcoming wind event,” he said.
Authorities are building an online database to allow evacuated residents to see if their homes were damaged or destroyed. In the meantime, LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley urged people to stay away from scorched neighbourhoods.
“There are still active fires that are burning within the Palisades area, making it extremely, extremely dangerous for the public,” Crowley said at a Sunday briefing. “There’s no power, there’s no water, there’s broken gas lines, and we have unstable structures. The first responders are working as quickly as possible to ensure that it is safe for you to return into your communities.”
Officials warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.
The fires have scorched roughly 62 square miles—an area larger than San Francisco—forcing 150,000 residents to evacuate. More than 700 people have sought refuge in emergency shelters across the county.
In Mandeville Canyon, home to actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, helicopters dropped water as flames charged downhill through chaparral-covered terrain. The inferno threatens to jump Interstate 405, potentially endangering densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills.
“Weather conditions are still critical and another round of strong winds is expected starting Monday,” said Michael Traum of the California Office of Emergency Services.
The blazes have already destroyed more than 12,000 structures since Tuesday, with preliminary damage estimates ranging between £107 billion and £119 billion, potentially making it America’s costliest wildfire disaster.
Local officials have launched a fierce critique of the city’s preparedness. Fire Chief Kristin Crowley lambasted leadership over funding shortages and water supply issues. “When a firefighter comes up to a hydrant, we expect there’s going to be water,” she said.
Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered an investigation into why a 117 million-gallon reservoir was out of service and some hydrants ran dry during the emergency.
Authorities warned returning residents about toxic hazards in the ash. “If you’re kicking that stuff up, you’re breathing it in,” said Chris Thomas, a spokesman for the unified incident command.
The international firefighting effort includes crews from nine US states and Mexico, with 1,354 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel battling to contain the blazes, which remain at just 11 per cent and 15 per cent containment for the Palisades and Eaton fires respectively.
