A day after containing the Eaton Fire and protecting Brentwood and Encino from the Palisades Fire, firefighters across Los Angeles County are bracing for another round of strong winds that could threaten new communities and hinder control Firestorm effort.

"As winds pick up, explosive fires are possible, especially late Monday night into Wednesday," said Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service office in Oxnard. "Once an evacuation order is issued, you have to enforce it immediately. A few seconds can save your life."

Wind gusts are expected to reach 50 to 65 mph on Monday, with the strongest winds arriving before dawn on Tuesday and peaking on Wednesday. Cohen said areas north of the fire line from Doom Point to Glendale will be particularly at risk. Brewing winds are expected to push existing fires south and west.

While these winds won't be as powerful as those that sparked last week's fires, Cohen stressed they still present "extremely hazardous conditions."

The fire has killed at least 24 people and destroyed more than 12,000 structures in what may be the most destructive wildfire in U.S. history. In the Eaton Fire alone, more than 39,400 structures remain threatened.

As of Sunday morning, the Palisades Fire had burned 23,713 acres and was 13% contained, while the Eaton Fire in the Altadena area had burned 14,117 acres and was 27% contained, officials said. The Hurst Fire in Sylmar, which has burned nearly 800 acres, is 89% contained; evacuation orders were lifted early Sunday.

As of Sunday morning, more than 105,000 residents in the county remained under evacuation orders, and another 87,000 residents were under evacuation warnings.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said in an update Sunday morning that deputies have begun a search and rescue operation for the Eaton Fire. Three more people were found dead after a grid search of more than 350 properties in the Altadena area.

On Sunday night, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner reported that eight more people had died, raising the death toll from 16 to 24. Of the confirmed deaths, eight died in the Palisades Fire and 16 died in the Eaton Fire.

In addition, at least 16 people were reported missing, Luna said Sunday morning. "But I know, just coming here this morning, it sounds like we have a few dozen more."

Los Angeles County and city fire marshals said all firefighters are preparing for dangerously strong winds. They warned that more power outages may be needed to prevent new fires in the coming days.

Firefighters also increased protection around remaining buildings in the evacuation zone and cleared dry brush and doused hot spots. Crews are also preparing for worst-case scenarios in which extreme winds could prevent the use of firefighting aircraft, such as what happened on Tuesday when 80 mph gusts grounded all aircraft and quickly fanned the Palisades fires.

Evacuation orders and warnings remained in effect for fire-damaged areas of Eaton and Palisades, frustrating many residents who rushed through police checkpoints to grab medicine and inspect personal belongings that may have been left behind. A man stood at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Allenford Avenue Sunday afternoon, eager to check on his mother's home because her two cats were trapped inside.

The fire department acknowledged the frustration but emphasized the ongoing danger. They said getting people back into evacuated areas is a top priority, but that won't be possible until the next round of dangerous fire weather ends Wednesday.

"I know it's hard to believe, but ... there are still fires burning in the Palisades area and it's very, very dangerous for the public," Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley said. "There's no power there. There's no water, the gas lines are broken, and our structure is unstable."

Authorities said the nighttime curfew was imposed to prevent vandalism and looting and to keep areas clear for firefighters who must continue working in the dark.

At least 29 people were arrested in one night alone, authorities said in a briefing on Sunday. In Malibu, a man was caught burglarizing a home while allegedly dressing up as a firefighter.

"We have people who will go to great lengths to exploit the victims of this tragedy," Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonald said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday that an additional 1,000 California National Guard members will be deployed to support wildfire suppression efforts, traffic control points and other public safety needs.

Firefighters from nine other states, as well as Canada and Mexico, are also assisting with the blaze. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky even offered to help with rescue efforts on Sunday, saying 150 firefighters were ready to help.

Calm winds and higher humidity allowed firefighters to make some much-needed progress Saturday, but a shift in wind direction also allowed the flames to spread north and east through the Santa Monica Mountains, forcing Brentwood and Einsey to People were evacuated in the Novotarzana Mountains.

Firefighting helicopters and aircraft sprayed water and retardant on fire lines not far from Highway 405, trying to prevent flames from engulfing more neighborhoods. The precipitation appeared to be productive, but at least two remote hillside homes were burned in Mandeville Canyon, according to aerial video from local television.

Robert Lempert said Sunday that he and his wife, Nancy Perloff, lost their four-bedroom Palisades home of 31 years when a fire broke out on Tuesday. They immediately saw the smoke and ran away. As they drove east, Lempert saw the house fire on video from the remote security system.

"The smoke alarm in the house went off around 1:15, and then you could see all the windows blowing out," said climate risk analyst Lempert. "As far as I know, by two o'clock it was gone."

The couple has since had to move three times. They stayed with their son in Los Feliz that first night, then moved into their nephew's apartment in West Hollywood. On Sunday, they arrived at a friend's house in Westwood, where they planned to stay for a month before looking for a more permanent home.

Lempert, 67, isn't sure they will rebuild. They loved their home but realized early on the risks.

"It's on a ridge overlooking the ocean and it's very beautiful," he said. "But in this place, people always think about fire."

Times staff writers Julia Wick, Teresa Watanabe, Richard Winton, Colleen Shalby and Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.