A charred half mast American flag still flies as wind continues to blow through the area on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 at the corner of Lake Avenue and Altadena Drive where businesses were destroyed in the Eaton fire. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG) One of many billboard signs damage due to strong Santa Ana winds Tuesday, Van Nuys CA, Jan 7, 2025. (Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer) Dana Albright leaves Walworth Avenue in Pasadena on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 after checking on her mother’s home which was still standing during the wind-driven Eaton fire. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG) A Monrovia streetlight sign on Huntington Dr. hangs damaged due to fast moving Santa Ana winds on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2024. (Photos by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.) Large burning embers are seen flying through the air during the Eaton fire in Altadena Wednesday Jan. 8, 2025. Hundreds of homes have burned in the northern and eastern areas of Altadena which sits next to the San Gabriel Mountains north of Pasadena. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG) Palm trees bend toward the south from strong Santa Ana winds Tuesday, Van Nuys CA, Jan 7, 2025. (Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer) A man works to clean an empty sidewalk near a downed tree on Colorado Blvd. at Marengo Ave. in Pasadena on Thursday morning, Jan. 9, 2025. Due to the heavy smoke, most businesses were closed. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG) Workers remove one of 22 trees that fell due to high winds at the City of Hope campus in Duarte on Thursday, morning, Jan- 9, 2025. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer) Homes burn above Pacific Coast Highway during the Palisades Fire on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Pacific Palasdes, CA. ..(Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG) Uprooted trees damage sidewalks after a night of fast moving Santa Ana winds on Huntington Dr. in Duarte, part of the San Gabriel Valley, on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2024. (Photos by Victoria Ivie, San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG.) Show Caption1 of 10A charred half mast American flag still flies as wind continues to blow through the area on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 at the corner of Lake Avenue and Altadena Drive where businesses were destroyed in the Eaton fire. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG) Expand It all started with the wind. A windstorm unlike any other powered brush fires into unprecedented wildfires, creating perhaps the two most destructive fires in Los Angeles County’s history. The heavy winds propelled embers throughout the region, fueled flames and temporarily grounded firefighting aircraft overnight Tuesday, further slowing efforts to control the blazes. Related Articles News | More than 750 members of inmate crews are helping battle burning wildfires in LA County News | Three-time Olympian Gary Hall Jr.’s Olympic medals lost in Palisades Fire News | Santa Anita cites fires, smoke in postponing Friday’s races News | Catastrophic weather drives insured losses to highest since 2017 News | More people are living in riskiest wildfire zones