AILSA CHANG, HOST:
We begin this hour here in Los Angeles County, where wildfires continue to burn. The damage has been colossal. Thousands of homes have been destroyed, and officials have confirmed at least two dozen people have been killed. That number is expected to rise. And for more on what is next for communities in southern California, we're joined now by NPR's Jason DeRose. Hi, Jason.
JASON DEROSE, BYLINE: Hello.
CHANG: So where do things stand now both with the fires and with the weather conditions?
DEROSE: Well, Ailsa, over the weekend and into today, fire crews were able to eke up the percentage of containment on the two largest fires, the Palisades Fire on the west side and the Eaton Fire on the north of Los Angeles. But there are real concerns they might lose ground this evening and tomorrow. And that's because a few - after a few quiet days, winds are expected to pick up dramatically this evening and into tomorrow.
CHANG: Right.
DEROSE: The National Weather Service says we'll see sustained winds of about 50 miles an hour in places through Wednesday, and gusts could reach 70 miles an hour. Now, while that isn't as bad as it was last week when the fire started, it's still bad. And it's compounded by the fact that the humidity's dropping.
CHANG: OK, so it's getting drier. The winds are picking up. What do those conditions mean for firefighters out there right now?
DEROSE: Well, the winds mean the real possibility that the fires will spread and spread fast. Rob Clark is a fire behavior specialist with Cal Fire focusing on the Palisades.
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ROB CLARK: Even though you might not see activity on our fire currently or very isolated pockets, the possibility and the ability for fires to become active or new fire starts is high probability.
DEROSE: Those winds blow embers over firebreaks, sometimes across major highways and into neighborhoods, and could ignite more fires and homes and businesses. Cal Fire warns that there is still a lot of fuel out there - bone-dry trees and brush and grass - and exhausted firefighters who've been battling these blazes for a week now.
CHANG: Nonstop. What kind of help are they getting? Do you know?
DEROSE: Well, quite a lot. At least 9,000 people are battling these fires right now. Firefighters from surrounding counties, even surrounding states have arrived and are working with Cal Fire. Also, fire crews from Canada and Mexico are here in LA County to aid local crews and are going on duty today. And California Governor Gavin Newsom has sent an additional 1,000 National Guard troops. They're doing things like working with local police to keep people from entering the very dangerous burn zones and evacuation areas and to prevent looting.
CHANG: OK, so a lot of people from all over trying to protect us. Jason, I do want to ask you, because you normally cover religion and I'm so curious, what are you hearing from the communities you usually report on as part of your regular job? What are they saying now?
DEROSE: Well, Ailsa, at least a dozen houses of worship have burned so far, including nine churches, two synagogues and a mosque. Bruce Freeman is the rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Pacific Palisades. He says 13 of the 21 buildings on their campus burned down.
BRUCE FREEMAN: We will get through this with each other. Even if all the buildings go, we're still St. Matthew's 'cause we are the church. We are the community.
DEROSE: Freeman says about three-quarters of his congregation lost their homes. Freeman's own home, the parsonage at the church, as well as the homes of two associate rectors at St. Matthew's also burned down. But they seem resilient so far. In fact, all three of the clergy and a lot of the congregation of St. Matthew's showed up at a nearby episcopal congregation in Santa Monica on Sunday morning for church.
CHANG: That is NPR's Jason DeRose. Thank you so much, Jason.
DEROSE: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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