27 reported dead as fire conditions in LA improve
LOS ANGELES -- Officials now say 27 people have died as multiple wildfires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds, continue across the Los Angeles area.
Tune into "Good Morning America" on Friday, Jan. 17, as ABC News and ABC owned stations kick off "SoCal Strong" (#SoCalStrong) coverage in support of Los Angeles-area communities amid the devastating wildfires. Coverage continues across ABC News programs and platforms.
On Thursday evening, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner announced that 17 of the deaths are from the Eaton Fire in Altadena and 10 from the Palisades Fire.
The Palisades Fire, which began in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, has destroyed about 5,000 structures. It's covered more than 23,000 acres and is at 22% containment.
The Eaton Fire, north of Pasadena, also began on Jan. 7 and has destroyed or damaged around 7,000 structures. It's burned over 14,000 acres and is at 55% containment.
Thousands of firefighters are battling wildfires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. About 82,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders and another 90,000 are under evacuation warnings.
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The powerful winds and low humidity that were helping fuel the fires are now leaving the region.
Winds rapidly decreased on Thursday. Peak gusts will drop to 25 to 40 mph in the mountains and 15 to 25 mph in the valleys by the evening.
A red flag warning that's been in effect in the LA area expired in the afternoon.
No rain is coming soon, but lighter winds and higher humidity are in the forecast, which decreases the risk of fires.
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On Wednesday morning, officials said they have generated more than 150 leads as they probe the cause and progress of the blaze.
Jose Medina, acting special agent in charge of the ATF Los Angeles Field Division, said investigators are scouring video from state owned cameras that were in place in the area, from residents in the area and from social media posts.
Investigators have conducted interviews with individuals that initiated the 911 calls and the first responders to the Jan. 7 blaze, as well as the fire that was started in the area and put out on Jan. 1, he said.
Medina appealed to any hikers who were on nearby trails around Skull Rock on the morning of Jan. 7 to contact investigators. "We are talking to individuals about not just what they saw, but what they smelled and they heard," he said.
"Even if you were in the area and saw or smelled nothing that too could be valuable information," Medina said.
Asked if rekindling of the Jan. 1 fire appeared the most likely cause, Medina said investigators "are not leading towards anything right now. We're taking everything in evaluating all the evidence we received, but it's too early on in the investigation to make any determination."
Take a look at the latest stories and videos on the devastating Southern California wildfires here.
