Return of strong winds to Los Angeles threatens area's fight against fires

Fire agencies say the suppressants - most often used to fight forest fires - are an invaluable tool. But what is in them and are they safe?

Here's what to know:

Why are they being used in Los Angeles?

The fires are burning quickly through canyons and other rugged areas that are difficult for firefighters on the ground to reach, Cal Fire said.

While fire suppressants can be very effective, they do have limitations, the agency said: Strong winds can make it too dangerous to fly at the low altitudes needed for drops and can dissipate the retardant before it hits the ground.

Besides Cal Fire, multiple agencies have dropped fire retardant and water, including the U.S. Forest Service, the Los Angeles and Ventura county fire departments, the city and the National Guard.

How do they work?

Aerial fire suppressants are generally a mixture of water, ammonium phosphate - essentially fertilizer - and iron oxide, which is added to make the retardant visible, said Daniel McCurry, a civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of Southern California.

The Forest Service, which has used 13 aircraft to dump suppressants on the Los Angeles fires, says they help starve a fire of oxygen and slow the rate of burn by cooling and coating vegetation and other surfaces.

Perimeter, the company that supplies fire retardant to the Forest Service and other agencies, says the phosphate changes the way cellulose in plants decomposes and makes them non-flammable.

READ MORE | Pink flame retardants are being used to slow California fires. What do we know about them?

An Altadena family that lost their home in the Eaton Fire are among the many wildfire victims who say they have been victimized by illegal price gouging.

The Skidmore family quickly found refuge at an AirBNB in Pasadena this week after they were displaced by the Eaton Fire. They lost everything.

"My kids are great kids and they've grown up in that house and that was their place and they've lost their place," Warren Skidmore said. "They've lost their little havens they've made for themselves,"

While trying to find more permanent, long-term housing, they noticed the price of their temporary home Airbnb went up 43.2% for the following week. That would be illegal price gouging.

Under California law, during an emergency, businesses are only allowed to increase prices by up to 10 percent.

MORE | Altadena family who lost home in Eaton Fire says Airbnb price rises nearly 50% next week

One Altadena family who lost their home says Airbnb increased their short-term rental by 43.2%, which would be illegal price gouging.

AIR7 has been above Altadena and Pasadena, taking a block-by-block look at damage from the Eaton Fire.

On Tuesday, we were able to get the closest aerial footage we've gotten with full Skymap technology.

AIR7 got its first lower-level look at the fire devastation across Altadena.

The winner of a $2 billion Powerball jackpot is reportedly among the thousands of people who have lost their homes in Southern California wildfires.

According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, Edwin Castro, the man who bought the winning ticket at a gas station in Altadena, lost one of the three properties he bought with his winnings.

The home, a $3.85 million property in Malibu, was burned to the ground by the Palisades Fire.

His other two homes - a nearly $4 million home in Altadena and a $2.5 million mansion in the Hollywood Hills - were in evacuation zones for the Eaton and Sunset fires, respectively.

Both of those properties were spared.