Weather forecasters in California are warning fierce winds which fueled the infernos around Los Angeles are expected to pick up again this week, as fire crews on the ground race to make progress controlling three wildfires.

Officials warned that after a weekend of relatively calm winds, the notoriously dry Santa Ana winds would pick up again from Sunday night until Wednesday, reaching speeds of up to 60mph (96km/h).

Ahead of the wind’s uptick, some progress has been made in stopping the spread of the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires, which are burning on opposite ends of the city. Local firefighters are being assisted by crews from eight other states, as well as Canada and Mexico, who continue to arrive.

The LA County medical examiner updated the death toll on Sunday to 24, while officials said earlier at least another 16 remain missing.

Sixteen of the dead were found in the Eaton fire zone, while eight were found in the Palisades area.

Three conflagrations continue to burn around Los Angeles.

The largest fire is the Palisades, which has now burnt through more than 23,000 acres and is 13% contained.

The Eaton fire is the second biggest and has burnt through more than 14,000 acres. It is 27% contained.

The Hurst fire has grown to 799 acres and has been almost fully contained.

The wildfires are on track to be among the costliest in US history.

On Sunday, private forecaster Accuweather increased its preliminary estimate of financial losses from the blazes to between $250bn-$275bn.

While crews have managed to start containing the largest fires, authorities have warned the incoming wind event could lead to “potential disastrous wind conditions”, with the whole of LA County put under fire threat.

“Unfortunately, we’re going right back into red flag conditions with some potential disastrous wind conditions between now and Wednesday, with the peak winds expected to be on Tuesday,” Pasadena fire chief Chad Augustin told the BBC.

“While we’re making some progress, the end is not even close yet,” he said.

The National Weather Service has issued a rare ‘particularly dangerous situation’ alert for Tuesday, warning of “extreme fire behaviour” running from 04:00 local time, until midday on Wednesday.

Kristin Crowley, the fire chief for the city of LA, called for residents near evacuation zones to be prepared to flee if an order is issued, and to stay off the roads as much as possible in order to not hinder crews.

Despite the dire forecast, all schools except those in mandatory evacuation zones would reopen on Monday, the LA Unified School District announced.

Topanga Canyon resident Alice Husum, 67, told the BBC a new fire that began in the area overnight was quickly contained, but that she and her neighbours are all “dreading Tuesday” when the wind speeds are likely to peak.

But Ms Husum, who has stayed behind despite evacuation orders, notes that the forecast “is a little better than the 100 mile-gusts that were hammering us” earlier in the week.

New fires continued to flare up on Sunday, threatening communities in the San Fernando Valley and near Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

At least 29 people have been arrested for looting in mandatory evacuation zones. Two people were caught posing as firefighters in order to steal from evacuees.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said in a news conference Sunday he had requested more National Guard troops to bolster the 400 already in the area. California Governor Gavin Newsom has since announced that 1,000 additional members of the National Guard would be deployed.

“When I was out there in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman that looked like a firefighter. And I asked him if he was okay because he was sitting down. I didn’t realise we had him in handcuffs,” Sheriff Luna told reporters.

“We are turning him over to LAPD because he was dressed like a fireman, and he was not. He just got caught burglarising a home. So those are issues that our front-line deputies and police officers are dealing with.”

There are now 14,000 firefighters in the southern California region, being assisted by 84 Aircrafts and 1,354 fire engines, said Sheriff Luna.

Evacuation numbers have dropped, with around 105,000 residents still under mandatory evacuation orders and 87,000 under evacuation warnings.

Deanne Criswell, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), told CNN on Sunday that a significant threat remained.

BBC/Adebukola Aluko