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ALTADENA (CNS) - The Eaton Fire that has killed at least six people and destroyed or damaged some 7,000 structures in Altadena and Pasadena was 3% contained Friday as Santa Ana wind conditions diminished slightly in many areas.
On Friday morning, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone announced that the fire had burned 13,956 acres but was 3% contained by lines to keep the fire from spreading. By Friday night, the acreage had increased slightly to 14,117 acres.
Gusty northeast wind will return to high elevations Saturday night into Sunday with gusts up to 30 mph and relative humidity decreasing back below 20 percent. Another Santa Ana wind event is possible around next Tuesday.
Some 1,603 personnel were assigned to the firefighting effort, with Friday's priority structure protection and fire line construction to increase containment on the east, north and west flanks.
A red flag warning of critical fire danger that had been in effect most of the week finally expired at 6 p.m. Friday. However, forecasters said another round of gusty north to northeast winds will develop later Saturday into Sunday, and a stronger offshore wind event is possible between Monday night and Wednesday.
Gusty conditions persisted in the mountains Thursday, hampering aerial firefighting efforts as flames crawled through treetops and thick vegetation toward the peak of Mount Wilson, threatening the observatory and a series of broadcast towers critical for local television and radio outlets.
Sheriff's officials had called for immediate evacuations of any people on the mountain, and authorities said none of the major infrastructure on the mountain had been damaged despite the encroaching flames.
The Eaton Fire was reported at about 6:20 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive in the hills above Altadena amid hurricane- force Santa Ana winds, according to Cal Fire.
Los Angeles County Assistant Sheriff Myron Johnson said Friday six people had died in the Eaton Fire. The county medical examiner confirmed Friday that it was investigating six deaths from the Eaton area, and five from the Palisades Fire.
Sheriff Robert Luna said the sheriff's department was working with the county medical examiner, and investigators will eventually make a more thorough search of the Eaton Fire and other fire areas.
He noted that some of the burn areas "look like a bomb was dropped on them."
Luna also promised Friday that anyone caught looting in the fire zones would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. He said earlier this week that 20 arrests had been made in fire areas for alleged Looting. Johnson said Friday that since Thursday there had been 18 arrests, with 15 at the Eaton Fire and three in Pacific Palisades.
A mandatory curfew was announced for fire zones between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. nightly until further notice, and Johnson promised there would be misdemeanor arrests with up to $1,000 fines and possible jail time for curfew violations and felony charges if any other crimes were committed. Only emergency workers, utility workers and residents are permitted in the fire evacuation zones between those hours.
One of the people who died was identified by his daughter as Rodney Nickerson, 82, of Altadena. His daughter Kimiko told NBC4 that her father died in his bed while he was home alone at 352 Alta Pine Drive. She said her father bought the house in 1968 and she was raised there.
She described her dad as "funny, the life of the party," adding that he "loved sports, people, (and was a) very intelligent man. He loved to read."
Relatives identified two other Eaton Fire victims as Anthony Mitchell, 67, and Victor Shaw, 66.
The county fire department reported Thursday that four firefighters have been injured fighting the blaze, though no specifics were released. Marrone said Thursday afternoon that another firefighter had suffered a "significant" injury in a fall, but he was expected to recover.
Marrone said earlier there were "a number of significant injuries" due to the fire, adding that many injuries that occurred in the various fires occurred among people who failed to heed evacuation orders.
Among the structures destroyed in the fire was the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center.
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation reported that the Eaton Canyon Nature Center, Farnsworth Park's Davies Community Center, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Altadena Golf Course Club House and adjacent buildings were destroyed.
Also destroyed in the blaze was The Bunny Museum in Altadena.
Thousands of residents continue to be under evacuation orders and warnings in the region.
Various evacuation centers were established, including the Pasadena Civic Center, 300 E. Green St.
Small animals were being accepted at 361 S. Raymond Ave. in Pasadena, while large animals were evacuated to the Industry Hills Expo Center at 16200 Temple in the city of Industry.
A city official said about 1,200 people stayed overnight at the shelter Wednesday, and about 500 more stopped by on Thursday to pick up supplies. On Thursday, people could be seen at the Pasadena center carrying pillows, food and other items being distributed to fire victims.
Veronica Osborn, 64, said she lost her Ventura Avenue home in Altadena.
"I've been there for 14 years," she said. "I was fixing up my bathroom, (doing) a renovation, and now it's all gone. I thought I was going to cry. Now I am going to cry. I'm going to rebuild, but I say to myself am I going to be anxious every time the wind blows?"
On Friday, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited fire evacuees.
The entire Angeles National Forest was closed for public safety and the protection of natural resources through at least Jan. 15.
The U.S. Forest Service, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Pasadena Fire Department, Arcadia Fire Department, Sierra Madre Fire Department, Pasadena Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department were working under a unified command.
As a result of the fire, the Glendale, Pasadena and Burbank unified school districts, along with the Alhambra, South Pasadena, San Marino, La Cañada, Arcadia and Monrovia districts canceled classes for the week.
The Pasadena City College campus will be closed through at least Sunday.
Southern California Gas Co. officials said Friday that due to damage to its system caused by the Eaton Fire, it had to "isolate" a section of the natural gas system, temporarily disrupting service for about 16,000 customers in the Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre communities, "including those whose properties may have not been impacted by the fire."
As of Friday afternoon, the utility had shut off gas service for about 772 properties that were destroyed in the Eaton Fire. The utility stressed that customers "should not try to extinguish burning service lines at destroyed homes," but should contact SoCalGas at 877-238-0092.