The Los Angeles fires death toll has skyrocketed to 24 amid warnings hellish weather conditions will spur on the raging infernos for at least three more days.
Meteorologists warned residents in fire-ravaged evacuation zones that winds reaching 70mph will pick up on Sunday night and last to Wednesday, heightening the risk for fires to spread even further across southern California.
The weather warning also prevents locals from returning home to inspect the damage, and makes it more challenging for first responders sifting through the ash and debris searching for dozens of people who remain unaccounted for.
Four fires burned through 40,000 acres across the most affluent neighborhoods in LA, with A-list celebrity homes and restaurant hotspots among the 12,300 structures wiped out.
The Los Angeles medical examiner updated the death count on Sunday afternoon, revealing 24 people are now confirmed dead as a result of the fires.
But dozens more are unaccounted for as evacuees locked out of their suburbs face an anxious wait to return home and see what - if anything - remains.
With cadaver dogs now being brought in to locate human remains, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna has warned the death toll will likely continue to rise.
'The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office and the Los Angeles County Fire Department [are] using cadaver dogs, doing grid searches,' he said.
'I don't expect good news from those. We will keep people updated.'
Miles Bliss, for the National Weather Service, provided a grim update on Sunday afternoon, warning strong Santa Ana winds which fueled the infernos last week will intensify once again.
'Critical fire weather conditions will be expected during this time so please be prepared to evacuate if told so by officials,' he said.
Similarly, meteorologist Rose Schoenfield warned: 'The general duration of this is not looking good.'
The weather is expected to contribute to another stint of dangerous and potentially extreme fire conditions which could exacerbate the fires already burning and cause more new ones to pop up.
Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said: 'It's very important that the community understands that these wind events are coming.'
These conditions have prompted a red flag warning until 6pm Wednesday.
A CalFire spokesperson said: 'Life-threatening winds and dangerously low humidity are forecast for much of Southern California - from Ventura to San Diego - creating a significant risk of rapid fire spread.
'The winds will cause increased fire activity.'
Residents in the areas not yet facing evacuation orders but subject to the Santa Ana winds have been warned to avoid mowing or trimming their dry grass, parking their cars on grass and to ensure campfires are 'completely out.'
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said authorities won't consider allowing displaced residents to return home until after that warning has been lifted.
'Unfortunately, those conversations are not going to begin until the next predicted red flag ends on Wednesday,' he said.
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