The Eaton Fire, which burned over 14,000 acres east of Los Angeles, has been fully contained, Cal Fire announced on Friday. This marks a key milestone more than three weeks after wildfires erupted on both sides of the city.
The Palisades Fire, which scorched 23,448 acres on L.A.’s west side, has also reached 100% containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Together with several smaller blazes, these fires created the most severe natural disaster in Los Angeles County’s history, claiming 28 lives and damaging or destroying more than 16,000 buildings. At the height of the crisis, evacuation orders affected 180,000 residents, officials said.
AccuWeather estimates the total damage and economic impact exceeds $250 billion.
While 100% containment indicates firefighters have secured the fire’s perimeter, some areas inside the burn zone may still smolder. Fire crews emphasize that stopping the fire’s forward movement is the more critical factor.
Rainfall last week aided containment efforts but also triggered mudslides and blocked key access routes for emergency responders. “Had this rain come two weeks ago, it might have been more helpful,” said Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Both fires had their forward progress halted roughly a week after igniting on January 7.