When Aaron McNeil moved from Maryland to Los Angeles three years ago, his biggest worry was earthquakes.
“I had heard of a fire here and there in this area, but it wasn’t anything to be really concerned about,” McNeil saidon Sunday.
But after being evacuated from his Brentwood home after a fire ripped through the Palisades, his fears changed.
“So yeah, it’s definitely beat out the earthquake thing.”
After he was evacuated, McNeil, his wife and two kids fled to a Culver City hotel.
Related: LA wildfires: death toll rises to 24 as winds threaten further destruction
“Because it was just so close, down the street. We could definitely see the smoke. I don’t know if I ever saw the fire but I’m sure people who stayed longer than we did could.”
On Sunday afternoon, he returned to his home for more belongings.
“We have no idea when they’re going to lift the evacuation. So just since we’re at least allowed in right now … we just grabbed a few more essential stuff,” he said.
As of Sunday afternoon, fires across Los Angeles had burned through 40,000 acres. The number of people killed from the Palisades and Eaton fires rose to 24, according to the county medical examiner, and 13 were reported as missing. The Palisades fire, according to Cal Fire, was 11% contained. Several exits on the 405 remained closed, and residents in parts of Santa Monica, Malibu and Topanga were still in evacuation zones. Parts of Calabasas, Tarzana and Encino remained under warning on Sunday.
Even after fire crews made progress on the Palisades fire, residents braced for new danger. According to Cal Fire, strong Santa Ana winds are still expected up until Wednesday. The strongest could happen on Tuesday.
“ I mean, we got our fingers crossed that the winds that are coming tomorrow and through Wednesday, I think, don’t whip it back up to what it was. Looks like they’ve got it under control to a certain extent right now, so hopefully it stays that way,” McNeil said.
On Sunday afternoon, Los Angeles police officers and national guardsmen directed traffic at intersections in Brentwood, where many residents had already been ordered to evacuate. Residents dropped off pallets of bottled water and snacks in front of Los Angeles fire department’s station 19 on Sunset Boulevard in Brentwood.
Related: LA officials warn of price gouging as those displaced by fire seek housing
Barbara and Marc Fishman stood in front of the fire station, observing the scene. They said they’d been without power since Friday. They were keeping an eye on the wind, but playing it by ear.
“ Our bags are packed.” Barbara Fishman said. “ And how do you decide what to take after you’ve lived in a house for 28 years and you have all kinds of things that you love and you have to take, you know, suitcases of shit? You just decide, I’ll take this sweatshirt, leave this one. I wear these shoes, I’ll lose those, whatever. I mean, the reality of it doesn’t set in until God forbid, like some of those people, they lost their houses.”
Nancy Zezlarian, whose house overlooks Sullivan Canyon in Brentwood, came back to the area on Sunday to try to get more records, but wasn’t allowed back. She and her husband left their house on Tuesday.
“We saw all the smoke from the Palisades because we have a bird’s eye view. When we started to see flames, we said: ‘We gotta leave. This is not good. This is not healthy. We need to leave now.’”