With the burn area nearly fully contained, final evacuation orders stemming from the deadly Palisades Fire were lifted, allowing residents to return to their properties, but nightly curfews are still in place Wednesday in fire areas. The orders for the final two neighborhoods within the city of Los Angeles portion of the fire area were lifted shortly after noon Monday. Only residents will be permitted into any of the repopulated areas.
Fire officials said residents will no longer need escorts into the area, but they must obtain an access pass by checking in with law enforcement at the Lot 3 Beach Access, Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica. County public health officials are distributing personal protective equipment to residents returning to their homes. Nightly curfew orders remain in effect, barring any unauthorized people from entering the fire areas. The Palisades Fire scorched 23, acres and has killed at least 12 people.
The 12th death was reported Monday by the county Medical Examiner, which said the unidentified victim died at a hospital.
As of Tuesday, 6, structures had been destroyed by the blaze, and another 1, damaged. One firefighter was injured, along with three civilians, according to fire officials. Rain that fell over the weekend raised concerns about mud and debris flows, and some roads were blocked Monday due to small slides. The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District closed its four Malibu schools Monday due to dangerous road conditions and challenges with access to schools.
All four reopened on Tuesday. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has reported that many customers are without power in the Pacific Palisades area, mainly in areas where workers cannot safely access homes or in areas where it is unsafe to re-energize power lines. Customers with questions about the status of their service can call Southern California Gas Co.
