Wednesday, 8:41 a.m. PST Cal Fire provided an update on the fires in Los Angeles, reporting 19% containment for the Palisades Fire, 45% containment for the Eaton Fire, 50% containment for the Auto Fire (later upgraded to 85% containment) and 97% containment for the Hurst Fire.

Containing wildfires—never mind extinguishing them—in parched and windy conditions can be monstrously difficult. Dry vegetation is rocket fuel for blazes and wind both feeds the flames and spreads the embers. “The winds are like pointing an air blower at a fireplace,” says Gershunov, “except it’s not contained and it’s on a much larger scale.”