L.A. wildfire updates: Strong winds return; FEMA in spotlight

UPDATED: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 9:12 a.m. PT

Fire Status:

• Palisades Fire: 23,700 acres, 8 fatalities, 17% containment
• Eaton Fire: 14,100 acres, 1,400 structures destroyed, 11 fatalities, 35% containment
• Hurst Fire: 800 acres, 97% containment
• Kenneth Fire: 1,052 acres, 100% containment
• Sunset Fire: 43 acres, 100% containment

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Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Firefighters around Los Angeles were preparing on Tuesday to attack flare-ups or new blazes. The National Weather Service issued a rare warning that dry winds combined with severely dry conditions created a ” particularly dangerous situation,” indicating that any new fire could explode in size. The warning comes a week after two massive infernos destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people.

Here’s the latest:

Bass says damage from the wildfires is devastating to see

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass got a chance to survey the wildfire damage from the air Monday, and she said it was devastating to see.

Bass said seeing the destruction drove home the enormity of the situation, and described the aftermath of the wind-driven infernos as a “dry hurricane.”

Bass said she wants to begin thinking about how Los Angeles will rebuild from the massive destruction.

She added that she has taken steps to reduce the bureaucracy residents may face when they start to recover from the fires and has also signed an order to clear the path for debris removal.

All eyes are on FEMA, county supervisor says

LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the Federal Emergency Management Agency is the agency designed to help people at their darkest moment, but residents need clear answers about exactly what help they can expect.

“We need to be very clear about what help FEMA can provide,” Barger said on Tuesday morning.

3 people have been arrested since Sunday on suspicion of arson

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said all three were arrested on suspicion of arson.

One person was using a barbecue lighter to start fires. Another person lit a trash can on fire. The third person was caught lighting brush on fire. Those small fires were all quickly extinguished.

The arson arrests were in addition to nearly 40 arrests for looting, flying drones illegally that could interfere with firefighting aircraft, curfew violations and other things, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.

About 85,000 people have been warned they might face evacuation orders

Strong winds over the next day will create dangerous conditions as several major wildfires continue to burn in the Los Angeles area.

About 88,000 people remained under evacuation orders Tuesday morning because of the fires. But another 84,800 have been warned that they might be ordered to evacuate.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna encouraged people to consider leaving when they get a warning without waiting for an order.

Luna pointed out that his deputies had to rescue many people who waited until the last minute when evacuations were ordered last week.

Nearly 3 dozen arrests have been made

Authorities have made nearly 40 arrests for looting, flying drones illegally that could interfere with firefighting aircraft, curfew violations and other things, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.

At least two dozen people have been reported missing

Sheriff’s officials said Tuesday they are investigating at least two dozen missing persons cases — 18 in the Eaton Fire and six around the Palisades.

‘It is still very dangerous for the next 24 hours,’ sheriff says

LA County Sheriff Robert Luna urged people to leave as soon as evacuation warnings are issued.

He added that despite the progress that’s been made in some areas, people need to be vigilant.

“I don’t want people to start thinking everything’s OK now. Everything’s not OK yet,” Luna said. “We’ll get there together but again the wind’s blowing and it’s going to continue to blow.”

Evacuation orders could rise over the coming day

Some 88,000 people are currently under evacuation orders, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said on Tuesday at a morning news conference.

Luna warned that number could go up over the next 24 hours with the wind threat.

“Life-threatening and destructive and widespread winds are already here,” LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley said.

FEMA says misinformation about government assistance after the fires is being spread deliberately

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency says officials have seen the deliberate spreading of misinformation related to government assistance after the wildfires in Los Angeles in ways similar to what occurred following Hurricane Helene’s devastation in North Carolina last year.

“We are seeing that,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said when President Joe Biden asked about misinformation during a White House briefing on the wildfires.

Biden asked a similar question of U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. He responded, “There’s always rumors with large fires like this, Mr. President.”

Criswell said that, if winds intensify overnight and exacerbate still-burning fires, state and county officials have systems that send alerts to the cell phones of people in evacuation zones.

Small airborne embers play a big role in the spread of wildfires

While authorities still don’t know what sparked the deadly fires in the Los Angeles area, they do know one clear way the flames have spread: embers.

Contrary to popular belief, experts say most homes destroyed by wildfires aren’t overcome by a racing wall of flames, but rather burn after being ignited by airborne embers.

Wind allows embers to burn harder and release more energy, becoming a more potent ignition source, said James Urban, an assistant professor in the Department of Fire Protection Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The burning pieces of debris then accumulate and sort of work together, gathering between the slats of wood fences or in shrubbery and igniting new fires.

Contaminated drinking water is a growing concern for cities facing wildfires

As fires continue to burn across Los Angeles, several utilities have declared their drinking water unsafe until extensive testing can prove otherwise.

A warmer, drier climate means wildfires are getting worse, and encroaching on cities — with devastating impact. Toxic chemicals from those burns can get into damaged drinking water systems, and even filtering or boiling won’t help, experts say.

Last week, Pasadena Water and Power issued a “Do Not Drink” notice to about a third of its customers for the first time since it began distributing water more than a century ago. With at least one burned pump, several damaged storage tanks, and burned homes, they knew there was a chance toxic chemicals had entered their pipes.

“Out of the abundance of caution, you kind of have to assume the worst,” said Stacie Takeguchi, chief assistant general manager for the utility.

This week, they lifted the notice for most of the area after testing.

High winds have worsened California wildfires. What makes them?

High winds have been a key ingredient in the devastating wildfires around Los Angeles.

Southern California’s winds typically flow onshore from the Pacific, carrying moist air onto land. The Santa Ana winds are warm currents that move in the opposite direction.

Santa Ana winds typically occur from September through May, and they are so dry that they’ve been linked with some of the worst wildfires the region has ever seen, in part because the lack of humidity in the air contributes to vegetation quickly drying.

Here’s where things stand on Tuesday morning

A beefed-up firefighting force was staged around Los Angeles to attack flare-ups or new blazes and anxious residents prepared for more fire danger as winds began to build Tuesday, a week after two massive infernos destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people.

Dry winds gusted early Tuesday to 40 mph (64 kilometers per hour) in coastal and valley areas and 50 miles per hour (80 kph) in the mountains, said meteorologist Todd Hall of the National Weather Service. Gusts up to 65 mph (105 kph) were forecast to continue through midday Wednesday.

The weather service issued a rare warning that the winds combined with severely dry conditions created a “particularly dangerous situation” indicating that any new fire could explode in size. Hall said the conditions could lead to extreme fire behavior that could spread embers 2 to 3 miles (3 to 5 kilometers) ahead of flames or even cause fire tornadoes.

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PREVIOUS REPORTING: Monday, Jan. 13, 12:40 p.m. ET

By Christopher Weber and Holly Ramer
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — After a weekend spent blocking the explosive growth of fires that destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people in the Los Angeles area, firefighters got a slight break with calmer weather but cast a wary eye on a forecast for yet more wind.

Should that happen, already burned homes and valleys could flare anew, sending embers to unburned territory miles downwind. New fires could add to the complication.

The death toll surged late Sunday with an update from the Los Angeles County medical examiner. At least 16 people were missing, a number authorities said was also likely to rise.

The relative calm Sunday allowed some people to return to previously evacuated areas, however.

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday, with sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph) and gusts in the mountains reaching 70 mph (113 kph). The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, warned fire behavior analyst Dennis Burns at a community meeting Sunday night.

“It will kind of ebb and flow over the next couple days,” Burns said. “Tomorrow night, it will really ramp up.”

Spotting — new fires caused by blowing embers — could happen as much as 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) or more downwind of areas that have already burned, Burns said.

Despite their recent losses, stress, and uncertainty, the crowd in a Pasadena City College gym was mostly respectful, in contrast with harsh criticism elsewhere for Los Angeles and California leaders. Applause followed each of the experts, police, firefighters and community leaders who spoke.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said 70 additional water trucks arrived to help firefighters fend off flames spread by renewed gusts. “We are prepared for the upcoming wind event,” Marrone said.

Fire retardant dropped by aircraft will act as a barrier along hillsides, officials said.

Fierce Santa Ana winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires sparked last week into infernos that leveled entire neighborhoods around the city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than eight months.

Twelve people were missing within the Eaton Fire zone and four were missing from the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Investigators were reconciling whether some of the missing might be among the dead but so far no children were among those reported missing, he said.

Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 24 over the weekend. Eight deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 16 to the Eaton Fire, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.

The toll could rise still more as cadaver dogs conducted systematic searches in leveled neighborhoods. Authorities established a center where people could report the missing.

Officials also were building an online database to allow evacuated residents to see if their homes were damaged or destroyed. In the meantime, LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley urged people to stay away from scorched neighborhoods.

“There are still active fires that are burning within the Palisades area, making it extremely, extremely dangerous for the public,” Crowley said at a Sunday morning briefing. “There’s no power, there’s no water, there’s broken gas lines, and we have unstable structures.”

Officials warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.

About 150,000 people in Los Angeles County remained under evacuation orders, with more than 700 residents taking refuge in nine shelters, Luna said. Officials said most of the orders in the Palisades area were unlikely to be lifted before the red flag warnings expire Wednesday evening.

“Please rest assured that first thing Thursday we will begin talking about repopulation,” Marrone said.

In all, four fires had consumed more than 62 square miles (160 square kilometers), an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades Fire was 11% contained and containment on the Eaton Fire reached 27%. Those two blazes alone accounted for 59 square miles (nearly 153 square kilometers).

Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes nearly 1,400 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico.

Fighting to save public and private areas

Minimal growth was expected Sunday for the Eaton Fire “with continued smoldering and creeping” of flames, an LA County Fire Department incident report said. Most evacuation orders for the area have been lifted.

After a fierce battle Saturday, firefighters managed to fight back flames in Mandeville Canyon, home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities near Pacific Palisades not far from the coast, where swooping helicopters dumped water as the blaze charged downhill.

The fire ran through chaparral-covered hillsides and also briefly threatened to jump over Interstate 405 and into densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley.

Arrests for looting

Looting continues to be a concern, with authorities reporting more arrests as the devastation grows. Michael Lorenz, a captain with the Los Angeles Police Department, said seven people have been arrested in the last two days.

“We even made arrests of two individuals that were actually posing as firefighters coming and in and out of houses, so we’re paying very, very close attention to everybody,” Lorenz said at Saturday evening’s community meeting.

Asked exactly how many looters have been arrested, Lorenz said he couldn’t give a precise number but that officers were detaining about 10 people a day. California National Guard troops arrived Friday to help guard properties.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X Saturday that “California will NOT allow for looting.”

Historical cost

The fires that began Tuesday just north of downtown LA have burned more than 12,000 structures.

No cause has been determined for the largest fires and early estimates indicate the wildfires could be the nation’s costliest ever. A preliminary estimate by AccuWeather put the damage and economic losses so far between $135 billion and $150 billion.

In an interview that aired Sunday on NBC, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the fires could end up being the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.

“I think it will be in terms of just the costs associated with it, in terms of the scale and scope,” he said.

Inmate firefighters on the front lines

Along with crews from other states and Mexico, hundreds of inmates from California’s prison system were also helping firefighting efforts. Nearly 950 incarcerated firefighters were dispatched “to cut fire lines and remove fuel to slow fire spread,” according to an update from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Though the state has long relied on prison labor to fight fires, the practice is controversial as the inmates are paid little for dangerous and difficult work. Inmates are paid up to roughly $10.24 each day, with additional money for 24-hour shifts, according to the corrections department.

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PREVIOUS REPORTING: Jan. 11, 12:35 p.m. PT

Firefighters raced Saturday to cut off spreading wildfires before potentially strong winds return that could push the flames toward the world famous J. Paul Getty Museum and the University of California, Los Angeles, while new evacuation warnings left more homeowners on edge.

A fierce battle against the flames was underway in Mandeville Canyon, home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities not far from the Pacific coast, where swooping helicopters dumped water as the blaze charged downhill. Firefighters on the ground used hoses in an attempt to beat back leaping flames as thick smoke blanketed the chaparral-covered hillside.

At a briefing, CalFire Operations Chief Christian Litz said a main focus Saturday would be the Palisades Fire burning in the canyon area, not far from the UCLA campus.

“We need to be aggressive out there,” Litz said.

County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said the LA area “had another night of unimaginable terror and heartbreak, and even more Angelenos evacuated due to the northeast expansion of the Palisades Fire.”

Only light breezes were fanning the flames, but the National Weather Service warned that locally strong Santa Ana winds — the nemesis of firefighters — could soon return. Those winds have been blamed for turning wildfires into infernos that leveled entire neighborhoods in the LA area, where there has been no significant rainfall in more than eight months.

The fire also was threatening to jump over Interstate 405, a main traffic artery through the area, which could become a gateway to densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley.

The hunt for bodies continues

Even as the fires spread, the grim work of sifting through the devastation continued Saturday, with teams conducting systematic grid searches with cadaver dogs, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. A family assistance center also was being set up in Pasadena, said Luna, who urged residents to abide by curfews.

“We have people driving up and around trying to get in just to look. Stay away,” he said. “We understand that this is extremely stressful and absolutely challenging, but we appreciate the public’s cooperation as we work together to get through this crisis.”

The fires have consumed about 56 square miles (145 square kilometers) — an area larger than San Francisco. Tens of thousands of people remained under evacuation orders and new evacuations were ordered Friday evening in an area that includes part of Interstate 405 after a flare up on the eastern side of the Palisades Fire.

Since the fires first began popping up around a densely populated, 25-mile (40-kilometer) expanse north of downtown LA, they have burned more than 12,000 structures, a term that includes homes, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings and vehicles. No cause has been identified yet for the largest fires.

The fires are still burning but early estimates indicate the losses so far could make the wildfires the nation’s costliest ever. A preliminary estimate by AccuWeather put the damage and economic losses so far between $135 billion and $150 billion.

Survivors return to the wreckage of their homes

On Friday, many residents returned in a state of shock. For some, it was a first look at the stark reality of what was lost as the region of 13 million people grapples with the ominous challenge of overcoming the disaster and rebuilding.

Bridget Berg, who was at work when she watched television coverage of her house in Altadena erupt in flames, came back for the first time with her family two days later “just to make it real.”

Their feet crunched across the broken bits of what had been their home for 16 years.

Her kids sifted through debris on the sidewalk, finding a clay pot and a few keepsakes as they searched for Japanese wood prints they hoped to recover. Her husband pulled his hand out of rubble near the still-standing fireplace, holding up a piece of petrified wood handed down by his grandmother.

“It’s OK. It’s OK,” Berg said as much to herself as others as she took stock of the destruction, remembering the deck and pool from which her family watched fireworks. “It’s not like we just lost our house — everybody lost their house.”

While some residents sifted through rubble for keepsakes, officials urged them not to, warning that the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.

“If you’re kicking that stuff up, you’re breathing it in,” said Chris Thomas, a spokesman for the unified incident command at the Palisades Fire. “All of that stuff is toxic.”

Residents will be allowed to return — with protective gear — after damage teams have evaluated their properties, Thomas said.

City leadership accused of skimping on firefighting funds

Allegations of leadership failures and political blame have begun and so have investigations. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million-gallon (440 million-liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants had run dry. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said city leadership failed her department by not providing enough money for firefighting. She also criticized the lack of water.

“When a firefighter comes up to a hydrant, we expect there’s going to be water,” she said.

At least 11 people have been killed, five in the Palisades Fire and six in the Eaton Fire, according to the LA County medical examiner’s office. Officials said they expected that number to rise as cadaver dogs search leveled neighborhoods and crews assess the devastation, and on Friday authorities established a center where people could report the missing.

The disaster took homes from everyone — from waiters to movie stars. The government has not yet released figures on the cost of the damage, but private firms have estimated it will climb into the tens of billions. The Walt Disney Co. announced Friday it will donate $15 million to respond to the fires and help rebuild.

The flames hit schools, churches, a synagogue, libraries, boutiques, bars, restaurants, banks and local landmarks including the Will Rogers’ Western Ranch House and a Queen Anne-style mansion in Altadena that was commissioned by wealthy mapmaker Andrew McNally and had stood since 1887.

Progress made on fighting the Eaton fire

Firefighters for the first time made progress Friday afternoon on the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena, which has burned more than 7,000 structures. Officials said most evacuation orders for the area had been lifted.

LA Mayor Karen Bass, who faces a critical test of her leadership as her city endures its greatest crisis in decades, said several smaller fires also were stopped.

Crews earlier Friday had been gaining ground on the Palisades Fire, which burned 5,300 structures and is the most destructive in LA’s history.

California National Guard troops arrived on the streets of Altadena before dawn to help protect property in the fire evacuation zone, and evening curfews were in effect to prevent looting after several earlier arrests.

The level of devastation is jarring even in a state that regularly confronts massive wildfires.

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PREVIOUS REPORTING: Jan. 10

Fires raging in the Los Angeles area reduced some 12,000 structures to ash and rubble, killed at least 11, displaced thousands of others and spread over an area larger than the size of San Francisco.

The blazes started Tuesday, powered by gusts from the Santa Ana winds, which slackened Thursday, though forecasters warn they could pick back up later this weekend. Los Angeles city and county officials said Friday that the blazes ravaging the Palisades were 8% contained while the fire burning in Altadena was just 3% contained.

The LA County medical examiner’s office said at least 11 have died, with five from the Palisades Fire along the coast and six from the Eaton Fire father inland.

Still unclear is the financial impact from the damage, though an estimate from AccuWeather, a private firm that provides weather data, estimated the toll to be about $135 billion to $150 billion. Government officials haven’t given a damage estimate yet.

Historic destruction hits neighborhoods

More than 5,300 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the hilly coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, making it the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history. Dozens of blocks were flattened to smoldering rubble, with only the outlines of homes and their chimneys left. Among those whose homes were destroyed were a number of celebrities, including Jamie Lee Curtis and Billy Crystal.

The wreckage surpassed that of the Sayre Fire of November 2008, which destroyed 604 structures in Sylmar, the northernmost suburb of the city, according to statistics kept by the Wildfire Alliance, a partnership between the city’s fire department and MySafe:LA.

Farther inland, the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena burned more than 7,000 structures, including homes, apartment or commercial buildings and vehicles. It also substantially damaged five school campuses in Altadena and scorched more than 21 square miles (54 square kilometers).

A newer blaze, the Kenneth Fire, was 50% contained Friday, one day after the Los Angeles Fire Department issued evacuation orders. It broke out near West Hills, a neighborhood densely packed with homes in the San Fernando Valley.

Flames that threatened the Hollywood Hills Wednesday evening were under control and evacuation orders were lifted Thursday morning.

Altogether, the fires have consumed about 56 square miles (142 square kilometers), which is larger than the size of San Francisco.

Investigators are studying the cause of the fires

Officials have identified the origin of the Palisades blaze fire behind a home on Piedra Morada Drive, which sits above a densely wooded arroyo.

The National Fire Protection Association says lightning is the most common source of fires in the U.S. but investigators were able to rule that out quickly. There were no reports of lightning in the Palisades area or the terrain around the Eaton Fire.

The next two most common causes are fires intentionally set and those sparked by utility lines. So far there has been no official indication of arson in either blaze and utility lines have not been identified as a cause.

National Guard arrives to protect property

California National Guard troops arrived on the streets of Altadena before dawn Friday to help protect property in the fire evacuation zone. At least 20 arrests have been made for looting.

Officials promised looters who took advantage of the wildfire crisis will be prosecuted.

“This is simply unacceptable,” Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said. “I promise you, you will be held accountable.”

Officials said Friday that National Guardsman will be deployed to the Palisades Fire area to manage traffic.

The Biden administration is working with Trump’s team on the fires

“They know every single thing we’re doing about this response,” President Joe Biden said on Friday.

However, Biden took a shot at President-elect Donald Trump, who he referred to as “someone from the other team,” by mocking his call to sweep the forest floors to reduce fire dangers.

“C’mon man,” he said.

Biden said it would be a better idea to bury electricity transmission wires, which would be “a hell of a lot safer” but would cost “a hell of a lot of money” to do.

Biden says looting during the wildfires is a problem

“There’s clear evidence that there’s looting,” he said at the briefing.

Biden said that’s why they’ve deployed police and National Guard to improve security in the areas affected by the wildfires.

Biden defends LA mayor over criticism about water supplies

“I know you’re getting a bad rap” regarding fire hydrants that aren’t working,” he said to Mayor Karen Bass during the briefing on Friday. “Give me a break.”

Biden pegged the problem to utilities cutting power because they’re worried about sparking more fires, which has hampered the ability to pump water.

“This is complicated stuff, and you’re going to have a lot of demagogues out there trying to take advantage of it.”

Bass appeared virtually at the briefing alongside California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Newsom: ‘We’ve got to deal with this misinformation’ around handling of the fires

During the Oval Office briefing, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he expects firefighters to “make a lot of progress” on Friday.

Local leaders have faced sharp criticism for their handling of the fires, some of it coming from right-wing sources.

Newsom said, “We’ve got to deal with this misinformation.”

“People want to divide this country and we’re going to have to address this as well,” he added.

Biden and Harris convene for wildfire briefing

President Joe Biden hosted a briefing on the wildfires in the Oval Office on Friday. Vice President Kamala Harris was also there, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass appeared virtually.

Biden described the fires as the “worst in California history” and “we still got a long way to go.”

Although progress has been made, the winds that have fanned the flames could remain a threat for days.

Harris said people responding to the fires are showing “the best of the American spirit.”

“There are moments where we should find optimism in the heroism of people, who are taking in strangers, taking in friends,” she said.

Here is where containment of the fires currently stands

• Palisades: 8%
• Eaton: 3%
• Kenneth: 35%
• Hurst: 37%
• Lidia: 75%

The causes of the fires are still under investigation.

‘We’re getting Los Angeles prepared,’ Bass says of next week’s forecast

A reporter pointed out there is a forecast for strong winds to return to the LA area next week and people may deactivate the alerts because of the frustration with all the false alarms.

“We know that we’re going to have a possible increase in the force of the winds at the beginning of next week and we’re getting Los Angeles prepared, doing everything we can to save lives, that is our number one job to protect people’s homes, to protect people’s businesses and to prepare to rebuild Los Angeles in a much better way,” she said.

Bass focuses on recovery and uniting Angelenos

When questioned about the false alerts that have been going on Mayor Karen Bass said officials are working to figure out why that is happening and turned to a message of uniting Angelenos.

“I’m going to spend every moment that I can making sure that I’m in as many areas as possible, meeting and talking to residents to see what is needed in the recovery,” Bass said.

“We’re moving at recovery mode at the same time, meaning, we want the city rebuilt. We want to see Los Angeles come together,” she added.

Some evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted

Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said all evacuation orders and warnings in LA County for the Kenneth Fire have been lifted.

Overall evacuation orders have dipped to 153,000 from more than 180,000.

Damaged super scooper will be back in the air next week, county fire chief says

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Perrone said the super scooper that was damaged by a drone should be back in the air by Monday.

“Flying a drone in the fire traffic area is not only dangerous but it’s illegal,” he said, adding that those who fly them over the wildfire area will be prosecuted.

Mayor Bass: ‘To all Angelenos, we’re fighting hard for each of you’

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said officials are working around the clock and that firefighters have extinguished fires in Pacoima, Hollywood, Studio City and other places.

“To all Angelenos, we’re fighting hard for each of you,” she said. “I don’t believe there is anything Angelenos can’t do if we stand together,” she added.

Officials apologize for erroneous emergency messages

“There is an extreme amount of frustration, anger, fear with regards to the erroneous messages that have been sent out through the wireless emergency Alert System across L.A County. I can’t express enough how sorry I am for this experience,” L.A. County Office of Emergency Management Director Kevin McGowan said at a news conference on Friday.

McGowan said the alerts are not being sent by a person and his office is trying to find the root cause.

Drone collision grounds firefighting plane

A firefighting plane had to be grounded Thursday after it was struck by a drone flown by a civilian, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said. Nobody was injured.

It’s a federal crime to fly a drone during firefighting.

National Guard troops on the ground in Altadena

National Guard troops were patrolling the streets of Altadena before dawn on Friday after being called in to help protect property in the fire evacuation zone.

Troops in camouflage were posted at intersections in the city hard-hit by the Eaton Fire near Jeeps, Humvees and other military vehicles.

At least 20 arrests have been made for looting and other thefts in areas where the fire raged.

Los Angeles County officials say they plan to put an overnight curfew in place that would make it easier to make arrests.

Australia ‘stands ready to provide support’ to help battle Los Angeles blazes

“We haven’t had any requests for further support. But Australia always stands ready to provide support to our friends in times of need,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corp. in the west coast city of Perth on Friday.

“One of the issues that we have, of course, is we do need to be cognizant of the fact that this is our fire season as well,” he added.

The California fires come at the peak of Australia’s fire season.

Earth records its hottest year ever in 2024

Earth recorded its hottest year ever in 2024, with such a big jump that the planet temporarily passed a major climate threshold, several weather monitoring agencies announced on Friday.

Last year’s global average temperature easily passed 2023’s record heat and kept pushing even higher. It surpassed the long-term warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit ) since the late 1800s that was called for by the 2015 Paris climate pact, according to the European Commission’s Copernicus Climate Service, the United Kingdom’s Meteorology Office and Japan’s weather agency.

The European team calculated 1.6 degrees Celsius (2.89 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming. Japan found 1.57 degrees Celsius (2.83 degrees Fahrenheit) and the British 1.53 degrees Celsius (2.75 degrees Fahrenheit) in releases of data coordinated to early Friday morning European time.

What ignited the deadly California wildfires? Investigators consider an array of possibilities

Investigators are considering an array of possible ignition sources for the huge fires that have killed at least 10 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in the Los Angeles area.

While lightning is the most common source of fires in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association, investigators were able to rule that out quickly. There were no reports of lightning in the Palisades area or the terrain around the Eaton fire, which started in east Los Angeles County and has also destroyed hundreds of homes.

The next two most common causes: fires intentionally set, and those sparked by utility lines.

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PREVIOUS REPORTING: Jan. 9, 7 p.m. PT

Canada readies resources to help ‘American neighbors’ battle wildfires

Canada’s emergency preparedness minister says Canadian military personnel, their equipment and another 250 firefighters stand “ready to support our American neighbors” as wildfires devastate parts of Southern California.

Harjit Sajjan says Canada is ready to deploy 250 firefighters, aircraft equipment, and other resources as early as Thursday night.

Sajjan’s pledge comes as the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre said Thursday that the U.S. National Interagency Fire Centre asked for two of its CL-415 Skimmer Airtankers to join the fight against the fires.

Alberta is preparing to send water bombers, night-vision helicopters and incident command team support. Premier Danielle Smith said on social media that the province was working with the agency and the federal government to assess California’s needs.

“Good neighbors are always there for each other in times of need, and we will assist our American friends in any way they need during this crisis,” Smith said.

Biden tells Los Angeles fire victims the federal government will be with them

Biden said his message to the people of Southern California is: “We are with you. We’re not going anywhere.”

But with less than two weeks left in his term, it’s a promise he might not hold.

Republican Donald Trump takes over on Jan. 20, and he was at odds with California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, over wildfires the first time he was president.

Trump lately has been referring to Newsom by putting a derogatory spin on his last name. He also has blamed Newsom for the fire currently raging in Los Angeles.

New fire near West Hills neighborhood forces more evacuations

More evacuations are underway across Los Angeles because of another fire that ignited Thursday afternoon.

The Los Angeles Fire Department issued orders for what’s being called the Kenneth Fire near the West Hills neighborhood of LA in the San Fernando Valley. The fire quickly triggered mandatory evacuations in the area, which has many homes.

Several thousand structures destroyed in wildfires in the Los Angeles area

More than 4,000 structures have been destroyed in the Eaton Fire in the Los Angeles area, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said during a media briefing Thursday afternoon.

Los Angeles city officials say thousands more structures burned in the Palisades Pacific community.

Structures could include homes, apartment buildings, commercial buildings or even vehicles, Marrone said.

Biden prompts energy secretary to explain why Los Angeles hydrants couldn’t pump water

President Joe Biden took some time during a White House briefing to debunk President-elect Donald Trump’s claims that the hydrants were running dry because of water conservation priorities, without naming Trump directly.

Biden asked his deputy energy secretary David Turk to help explain why power lines were shut down in the fire and how that impacts hydrants.

Turk said it was a power and pressure issue — hydrants need power in order to pump water up, but during such disasters, power lines are cut in order to curb the potential for power surges and line breakdowns.

Federal resources have been approved to help battle fires in California, Biden says

President Joe Biden said during a White House briefing with staff that that he was making federal resources available and has approved additional funding to help California battle the devastating fires, saying they were the “worst fires to ever hit Los Angeles. Ever.”

The new funding will cover 100% of the cost for 180 days for hazardous materials removal, temporary shelters, first responder salaries and measures to protect life, he said.

“We’re sticking with this,” Biden said. “We expect there may be a temporary break in the winds, but in some areas, the winds are likely to continue well into next week.”

As Biden turned the floor over to Vice President Kamala Harris, he noted she was “directly affected.” Harris is a former California senator, and her home there was in the evacuation zone, but it wasn’t clear if it was damaged. She described the scene as “apocalyptic.”

“This is something that is going to have an impact for months and years to come,” she said.

FEMA’s administrator is in Los Angeles

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is in Los Angeles on Thursday, at the direction of President Joe Biden, to hear from state and local officials and firefighting personnel to assess immediate and anticipated needs from the wildfires.

FEMA also has a team embedded at the California State Emergency Operations Center to help with the wildfire response, the White House said.

‘There are areas where everything is gone’

There’s no way to quantify the extent of the destruction yet other than “total devastation and loss,” said Barbara Bruderlin, CEO of the Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce.

“I don’t know what’s still standing and I’m not allowed in,” Bruderlin said. She’s sent an email asking everyone to check in but doesn’t know where people have gone.

Bruderlin recalls the damage and what it took to rebuild after the Woolsey Fire in 2019 that burned in a different part of Malibu. But this time is different.

“There are areas where everything is gone, there isn’t even a stick of wood left — it’s just dirt,” Bruderlin said. “There’s nothing left in Pacific Palisades except for Caruso Village … and there’s no gas stations, there’s no grocery stores, there’s no banks.”

Santa Ana winds expected to strengthen

In its latest forecast discussion, the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office said there’s a high likelihood of “damaging wind gusts across the mountains into the foothill areas again tonight and into Friday.”

Computer models are also beginning to show another “strong and damaging Santa Ana wind event” forming next Tuesday night into Wednesday.

“There is great concern that fire weather conditions could become exacerbated given the antecedent conditions, little rain across the area since the Spring of 2024, and another offshore wind event on top of all of what we have seen, so far,” the agency said.

Defense secretary says the department will be ready if more help is needed

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters on Thursday that California has made only a “few requests” so far for aid from the military to fight the fires, but he has taken steps to ensure troops are ready if needed.

“We stand ready to surge capability in as quickly as possible,” Austin said during a press conference in Germany. “I’ve done some things to cause our troops to get in a three-point stance to make sure that … if the whistle blows we are ready to move in and provide assistance.”

He said the department has “a lot more capability” that can be requested, and officials are working with FEMA and California’s leaders to determine any next steps.

He did not provide details on what troops may have been asked to prepare to deploy.

The death toll is expected to rise

Cadaver dogs and search crews are beginning to search the rubble, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. “Right now, frankly, we don’t know yet,” he said.

Crews are working around the clock to restore power, official says

There are currently 118 crews deployed, Quiñones said. Downed power lines remain a priority for the agency.

“If you see a wire down, please call 911 and we will send crews immediately to make the area safe,” said Janisse Quiñones, CEO and chief engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

“Some customers may experience some longer outages because some power equipment has been damaged or “compromised” by the fires,” she added.

Sewer, water and power infrastructure ‘significantly damaged,’ official says

The “life safety” infrastructure in some of the Los Angeles-area communities ravaged by wildfires has been destroyed, Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella said Thursday.

Crews are focusing on utility restoration, Pestrella said, but sewer, water and power infrastructure has all been “significantly damaged.”

Before repair work can begin, massive amounts of debris — including fallen tree limbs and hazardous materials from burned structures — must be removed, he said.

Ash and other materials have contaminated some water supplies, so boil orders have been issued in areas including Palisades, said Janisse Quiñones, the CEO of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Officials were working to deliver water to residents who have partial damage or have remained behind, Pestrella said.

Area water reservoirs are full and available for aerial water drops by firefighting aircraft, he said.

LA fire chief says thousands of homes, other structures burned in Palisades fire

“Damage assessments are ongoing at the Palisades fire. Preliminary reports estimate the damage or destroyed structures to be in the thousands,” Los Angeles city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said during a news conference Thursday morning.

“It is safe to say that the Palisades fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles.”

At least 180,000 residents are under evacuation orders for all blazes in the county, officials said.

First responders are still focused on rescuing people, officials say

More than 400 sheriff’s office personnel have been deployed to the fire response in addition to the deputies handling normal patrols, said L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna.

“The people that are working under very difficult conditions are doing their best to do what they do,” Luna said. Some of the areas impacted by wildfires “look like a bomb was dropped in them.”

It’s too soon to conduct major searches of burned areas, and it’s not clear what authorities will find when they do search, Luna said. Special K-9 search teams and other tools will be brought in when possible.

The best way to help emergency responders is to stay informed, be prepared to evacuate and follow all evacuation orders, said Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley.

Others should stay off the road when possible, officials said, to reduce the risk of car accidents and other issues during the wildfire response.

Evacuation order lifted in Hollywood Hills West near the Sunset Fire

The Los Angeles Fire Department made the announcement on Thursday morning. Fire crews are still working in the area, and the department asked that people be careful as they return to their homes.

The Sunset Fire is a brush fire that broke out Wednesday evening in the Hollywood Hills. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Thursday morning that it had burned 43 acres (17 hectares), well under a square mile.

Hundreds of thousands without power across California

More than 425,000 customers statewide are without power as wildfires continue to rage in southern California, according to the tracker PowerOutage.us.

Southern California Edison wrote on its website that several community resource centers have been set up around the region and work crews have been deployed within impacted communities. The resource centers allow customers to charge mobile devices and medical equipment and get information.

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said Wednesday night that it had restored power to more than 150,000 customers since the start of the windstorm. Roughly 94,000 of the utility’s customers remained without power Thursday morning, as wind and fire conditions continued to present hazards for work crews.

‘This is unlike anything I’ve seen in my 25 years on the fire department’

Firefighters in Southern California are accustomed to dealing with the strong Santa Ana winds that blow in the fall and winter, but the hurricane-force gusts earlier in the week took them by surprise.

“This is unlike anything I’ve seen in my 25 years on the fire department,” Los Angeles Fire Capt. Adam VanGerpen told CBS This Morning.

VanGerpen called the fire historic. Erratic winds gusted up to 99 mph the first night, spitting embers that rapidly spread the fire.

While gusts are dying down, VanGerpen said winds forecast through Friday were still cause for concern.

Fire in the Hollywood Hills held to under 1 square mile

The latest flames broke out Wednesday evening in the Hollywood Hills, striking closer to the heart of the city and the roots of its entertainment industry and putting densely populated neighborhoods on edge during exceptionally windy and dry conditions.

Within a few hours, firefighters had made major progress on the Sunset Fire in the hills. Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott said they were able to keep the fire in check because “we hit it hard and fast and Mother Nature was a little nicer to us today than she was yesterday.”

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PREVIOUS REPORTING: Jan. 8, 9:00 p.m. PT

Evacuations ordered due to new fire in the Hollywood Hills

Tens of thousands of people have been notified by authorities to evacuate their homes because of the multiple fires burning in the Los Angeles region.

The most recent mandatory evacuations orders came Wednesday evening related to the Sunset fire, a new fire in the Hollywood Hills. That order was in place for Laurel Canyon Boulevard on the west to Mulholland Drive, with others in nearby areas warned to be ready to leave.

Mandatory evacuation orders also remained in place near the Palisades fire west of Los Angeles. People have also been told to leave their homes in the San Fernando Valley near the Hurst fire. Others were told to leave their residences in parts of Santa Monica and Altadena because of the Eaton fire.

Biden has formally signed off on a federal disaster declaration

The White House says the declaration allows for federal funding to be made available to impacted individuals in Los Angeles County for temporary housing and home repairs as well as low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs aimed at helping individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App.

Multiple states sending firefighters

Firefighters from multiple states have arrived or are on the way to help with the fires, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a media briefing Wednesday afternoon.

He said 60 teams were coming from Oregon, 45 from Washington state, 15 from Utah, 10 from New Mexico and “numerous” teams were coming from Arizona.

Another fire has broken out in the Hollywood Hills, officials say

As officials were providing a media update about the fires around 5:50 p.m., Los Angeles city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley announced that a new blaze had broken out in the Hollywood Hills near Runyon Canyon.

She said all available resources were responding and excused herself to attend to that blaze.

Los Angeles County has lost several facilities to fire, officials say

Los Angeles County has lost several facilities to fire, including the Eaton Canyon nature center and a senior center, LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said at a media briefing Wednesday afternoon.

She also said a sheriff’s station had been evacuated because of fire. It wasn’t clear if it had been damaged.

100,000 people have received notices to evacuate due to Eaton fire, officials say

Authorities gave an update Wednesday afternoon on the Eaton fire near Pasadena that exploded in high winds Tuesday, causing at least five deaths.

Here’s a few facts and figures they shared:

• The Eaton fire has consumed over 16.5 square miles (42.7 square kilometers) and is so far uncontained.
• Between 200 and 500 structures have been damaged or destroyed.
• About 100,000 people have received notices to evacuate.
• At least five school campuses in Altadena have suffered substantial fire damage.
• Embers carried by winds in the 70-mph range started dozens of fires Tuesday night, igniting block after block as they flew through the air.
• 750 firefighters are working to halt the blaze, with more on the way.
• More than 250 pets have been taken in by the Pasadena Humane Society in the past 24 hours.

Weather conditions conducive to fires to continue through Friday, forecasters say

The National Weather Service says gusty winds and very dry conditions would continue to fuel fires in the Los Angeles area.

Forecasters predicted wind gusts of 35-55 mph (56-88 kph), which could rise higher in the mountains and foothills. Meteorologists said Los Angeles and Ventura counties would have weather conducive to fire through Friday, meaning low relative humidity, strong winds, unstable air and drought.

But winds have dissipated enough for aircraft to assist in fighting the fires, Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustine said.

“Tonight we have very mild wind conditions where we can get aircraft and a ton of additional resources getting their hands around this fire,” Augustin said. “That’s what gives me confidence that we’re going to get a handle on this fire.”

The fire chief warned that it was still an active fire with risk of spread over the next day.

Eaton fire has damaged between 200 and 500 structures, officials say

The Eaton fire burning north of Pasadena, California, has damaged or destroyed between 200 and 500 structures, Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

The fire has burned over 16.5 square miles (42.7 square kilometers) and is so far uncontained, Augustin said. He said wind gusts reached over 70 mph (113 kph) Tuesday night.

Augustin said the water system was stretched and was further hampered by power outages.

“But I’ll be clear,” he added, no matter how much water was available, “we were not stopping that fire last night. Those erratic wind gusts were throwing embers for multiple miles ahead of the fire.”

Evacuation orders issued for some densely populated areas of Santa Monica

Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued for some densely populated Santa Monica neighborhoods just north of the city’s famous pier.

City officials say people in the affected zones should leave now, including those in evacuation warning areas who may need additional time to get out. Police were being deployed to help with evacuations, the city wrote on its website.

The city says its Big Blue Bus is offering free transport every hour to evacuation centers.

5 people have died in wildfires in the Los Angeles area, officials say

The death toll from the wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area has risen to five, according to Nicole Nishida, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Officials had reported earlier that two people had died. Officials say they have no other details on the deaths.

Pentagon to send helicopters to help California fight fires

The Pentagon will send 10 Navy helicopters to help fight fires burning in California, said Sabrina Singh, spokesperson for the department.

The order has yet to be finalized, but officials expect it will be an active duty unit with Navy Sea Hawks based in Southern California that can be equipped to carry water.

Singh also said Wednesday that the military is prepared to make four additional modular air firefighting systems available to the California National Guard. Those would likely come from other National Guard units in the country.

Over 1.5 million people in Southern California are without power

More than 1.5 million customers were without power in Southern California on Wednesday afternoon as wildfires tore through several Los Angeles county neighborhoods, according to tracking site PowerOutage.us.

Well over half of the roughly 334,000 customers in Ventura County were without power, along with more than 957,000 customers in Los Angeles County.

Power companies often shut off power as a public safety measure when extreme winds, like the ones pummeling Southern California, are forecasted.

Already crowded hospitals now contend with medical emergencies from smoke inhalation

Wildfire smoke is known to cause heart attacks and worsening asthma. Now, patients suffering from those conditions are showing up in emergency rooms at a time when hospitals are already full because of flu season, said Dr. Puneet Gupta, the assistant medical director for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

“We have a number of hospitals threatened, and if they have to be evacuated, it could become a crisis,” said Gupta, also a spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Many at Pasadena evacuation center were evacuated from assisted living facilities

Several hundred evacuees were at the Pasadena evacuation center by Wednesday afternoon. Many were elderly, sitting wheelchair to wheelchair, and from assisted living facilities.

Donald Fisher, 78, said he was first to be wheeled onto the bus at the Camellia Gardens Care Center to be taken to the shelter around 8 a.m.

“I can stand up but I can’t walk,” Fisher said. “I think that the city of Pasadena did a marvelous job.”

The earlier arrivals were able to snag green cots to sleep on, while others wondered where they would sleep at night when the cots ran out.

The shelter was providing hot meals, as well as food for dogs and cats brought there.

Biden and Mayor Bass discuss the wildfires

The White House says the president and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass discussed the latest updates by phone as Biden flew back to Washington, D.C., aboard Air Force One.

Preliminary damage and losses are in the billions, AccuWeather says

AccuWeather estimates $52 billion to $57 billion in preliminary damage and economic loss has occurred from the raging Los Angeles area wildfires.

The company said the estimate comes from an advisory that will soon be released.

Oregon is sending strike teams to help battle the fires in California

“We both understand that fire does not recognize map lines, and we are ready to help each other whenever there is a need,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said in a statement.

“During our historic 2024 wildfire season, California sent us help and in their time of need, we are working as fast as possible to lend them support during this emergency,” she added.

The 12 teams include 240 firefighters and 60 engines.

Their Wednesday mobilization comes after the Oregon agency received a request for assistance late Tuesday evening.

Los Angeles firefighting aircraft resume flights

Aircraft had been grounded due to extreme winds, dramatically hampering the firefight.

Los Angeles City Fire Capt. Jacob Raabe said aircraft resumed dropping fire retardant and water on the Palisades Fire at around 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Biden attends briefing on California wildfires

“It’s going to take time,” President Joe Biden warned when talking about the recovery from the wildfires during a briefing at a Santa Monica fire station on Wednesday.

Newsom, who stood next to Biden, thanked him for his support.

“It’s impossible for me to express the level of appreciation,” he said.

Kristin Crowley, the Los Angeles fire chief, said her team knew there was a “significant threat” from the Pacific Palisades fire as soon as it started because of the “high, high, high winds.”

Crowley said she’d never seen anything like the wind conditions in her 25 years of experience.

The Eaton Fire could become historic

The Eaton Fire stands to become the largest wildfire to burn in California during the month of January in the past 41 years.

The fire, which ignited on Tuesday north of Pasadena, has now burned more than 16.5 square miles (42.9 square kilometers), according to state fire personnel.

Federal data shows just six wildfires have burned more than 2 square miles (5.18 square kilometers) in the month of January in California since 1984.

The largest was the Viejas Fire, which burned 17.1 square miles (44.3 square kilometers) in 2001 in the mountains east of San Diego.

More recently, the Colby Fire burned just over 3 square miles (8.2 square kilometers) near Glendora, California, in 2014.

Since 2014, wildfires of any size in January have been uncommon, with the exception of 2021 and this year, according to Cal Fire data.

Excess water demand caused fire hydrants to run dry

For roughly 15 hours, water systems faced four times more than normal demand, lowering water pressure and causing some fire hydrants to run dry, according to officials from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Demand was so high that it wasn’t enough to fill the three, one-million-gallon (3,785,411-liter) tanks that help maintain pressure for the hydrants in the hills of Palisades.

One tank ran out late Tuesday afternoon, another in the evening, and the third early Wednesday morning.

LADWP is sending in about 20 mobile water tankers to the area to help with suppression, in addition to refilling water trucks at some pressurized hydrants in the area, according to chief engineer Janisse Quiñones.

It takes about 30 minutes to refill about 4,000 gallons (15,142 liters) of water.

County officials urge residents to conserve water for firefighters

Municipal water systems are not designed to fight wildfires, said Mark Pestrella, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.

“That’s why air support is so critical to the firefight. And unfortunately, wind and air visibility have prevented that support,” Pestrella said. County and city reservoirs are ready to be used to fight fires from the air once it becomes safe to fly, he said.

Officials are urging residents across the region to conserve water so there’s enough for firefighters to use.

“We’re fighting a wildfire with urban water systems, and that is really challenging,” chief engineer Janisse Quiñones said.

Air quality in the Los Angeles area is at a hazardous level

The air quality index for most of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Wednesday morning was well over 300, which is considered hazardous to the general public, according to AirNow.gov.

At that level, people are advised to stay indoors and reduce activity levels.

ORIGINAL REPORT – Jan. 8, 1 p.m. PT

Fire hydrants in Palisades turn to a trickle

“We pushed the system to the extreme,” said Janisse Quiñones, CEO of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. “Four times the normal demand was seen for 15 hours straight, which lowered our water pressure.”

The utility was pushing water from its source into the system, but demand was so high that it wasn’t enough to fill three, one-million-gallon tanks that help maintain pressure for the hydrants in the hills of Palisades.

One tank ran out at 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, one at 8:30 pm and the third at 3 a.m. on Wednesday.

Officials are urging residents across the region to conserve water so there’s enough for firefighters to use.

“We’re fighting a wildfire with urban water systems, and that is really challenging,” Quiñones said.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is closed

Only essential workers will be allowed in, according to an emergency notice from NASA.

The fire is “very close to the lab,” but there’s been no fire damage yet, the center’s director, Laurie Leshin, wrote in a post on the social platform X.

However, there has been some wind damage, wrote Leshin.

She added that hundreds of NASA employees at the lab have had to evacuate from their homes.

The research lab near Pasadena, California, is known for building and sending robotic spacecraft to Mars and the outer solar system.

Biden to be briefed by fire crews in Santa Monica

The president had planned to travel from Los Angeles to Riverside County by plane on Tuesday to announce the creation of two new national monuments.

His trip was announced on Jan. 3 and he was already in the state when the fires broke out.

White House officials canceled the air traffic restrictions necessary for his travel and noted that he stayed put in his hotel Tuesday in order to minimize his impact on first responders and law enforcement.

He will head to Washington, D.C., later in the day.

GoFundMe has centralized all fundraisers related to the wildfires

The crowdfunding site also has a California Wildfire Relief Fund that will be distributed to people seeking help through GoFundMe fundraisers and nonprofits providing relief, the company said.

Pasadena synagogue caught fire, executive director says

Melissa Levy, the executive director of Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, said staff evacuated on Tuesday night and the synagogue’s Torah scrolls were taken to the home of a community member.

Levy said it appears the synagogue caught fire and buildings have burned.

“We are still assessing the situation and right now our primary focus is on our community members and their safety as many of them have also lost their homes,” Levy said in an email.

Caltech closes its Pasadena campus

Classes were canceled on Wednesday due to the fires and strong winds, the university said on its website.

Thousands are told to leave

Officials have said about 30,000 residents are under evacuation orders. And more than 13,000 structures are under threat.

The evacuation orders affect areas including the Pacific Palisades neighborhood near the sea, areas north of Pasadena and part of the San Fernando Valley.

Other areas are under evacuation warnings that say people who need additional time to evacuate should get moving.

Over 1,000 structures destroyed by wildfires, 2 dead

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said two people were killed and many others hurt in the fires, which have destroyed more than 1,000 structures.

Vice President Harris’ home in Los Angeles is affected

A spokesman for Vice President Kamala Harris says her neighborhood in Los Angeles was put under an evacuation order Tuesday night.

Ernesto Apreza said in a Wednesday post on the social platform X that no one was in the house at the time.

The sounds and scene on the ground

The smoke is thick and gray, and the headlights of vehicles in badly hit areas are glowing well after sunrise. There is the crackling of the flames and the rustling of palm trees in the strong wind, and the exclamations of emergency responders.

One firefighter stands on top of a truck and watches a home burn. There is a bin for recycling sitting outside the blazing home, abandoned.

Litter blows by. Every stray piece could become another flame.

Thousands of Southern California Edison customers face power shut-offs

Southern California Edison shut off power to nearly 120,000 customers in six Southern California counties over safety concerns due to high winds and the risk of wildfires.

Another 440,000 customers could face similar shutoffs depending on weather conditions, the utility said Wednesday on its website.

Much of Pasadena is under evacuation orders, fire chief says

Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin said much of the city of Pasadena is under evacuation orders as his department waits for winds to die down so he can get aircraft up to start dousing the flames from overhead.

Until that happens, it’s going to be difficult to get the blaze there under control, Augustin told KABC-TV, the ABC affiliate.

Fire departments from across California were sending in firefighters as crews in the Los Angeles area were stretched to their limit, he said.

He said there had been no loss of life and thanked public safety officers for “pulling people out from burning buildings” overnight.

Wildfires lead to several school closures in the Los Angeles area

Pasadena, where the Eaton fire is burning, and neighboring Glendale canceled classes Wednesday.

Los Angeles Unified School District also closed several elementary schools in the evacuation area of the fire burning in Pacific Palisades.

Palisades Charter High School, which burned in the fire, was not back in session yet.

Eaton fire grows to over 3 square miles

Fire crews assigned to the Eaton fire burning in Pasadena are working to keep the blaze north of the 210 Freeway, east of Angeles Crest Highway, west of Santa Anita Avenue and south of Mount Wilson, according to an incident action plan developed for Wednesday operations.

The fire rapidly grew to more than 3.13 square miles (8.11 square kilometers) overnight amid dangerous fire weather conditions caused by strong winds and low levels of relative humidity.

Power outages affecting thousands in Los Angeles County

More than 180,000 customers were without power in southern California, with the vast majority of them in Los Angeles County, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.

Statewide, over 320,000 customers were without power on Wednesday morning.

A full incident management team has been activated to combat the wildfires

It’s only the third time in 30 years that has happened in January, said David Acuña, a battalion chief for Cal Fire. Such a team, of officials from various agencies, is only assembled during major, complex events.

“This is a rare event” to have incidents like this in January, Acuña said, adding that wildfires are so common during other months that fire officials no longer talk about “fire seasons.”

“We now talk about ‘fire years,’” said Acuña. “We had wildfires pop up in December and now we have these in early January.”

Where are the fires currently burning?

• Palisades fire: West of Los Angeles, by the sea. It has burned about 4.5 square miles (11.6 square kilometers).
• Eaton fire: Altadena area, north of Pasadena. It has burned about 1.6 square miles (4 square kilometers).
• Hurst fire: In the San Fernando Valley. It has burned about 500 acres (202 hectares).
• Woodley fire: In the San Fernando Valley. It has burned about 75 acres (30 hectares).

All four fires are currently at 0% containment.

Voices from the flames

The sun is rising behind a wall of smoke in the Pacific Palisades that looks as black as night. Here’s what witnesses have been saying.

“We looked across and the fire had jumped from one side of the road to the other side of the road,” Kelsey Trainor said. “People were getting out of the cars with their dogs and babies and bags, they were crying and screaming.”

“As soon as I opened my door, it was like right there,” Sheriece Wallace said. “The first thing I did was look at the trees to see where the wind was blowing. Because it hit me. It blew me back.”

“It is crazy, it’s everywhere, in all the nooks and crannies of the Palisades. One home’s safe, the other one’s up in flames,” Will Adams said.

Strong Santa Ana winds are driving the fires

The National Weather Service is receiving reports of winds up to 80 mph (129 kph) this morning. They could top 100 mph (160 kph) in mountains and foothills and include areas that haven’t seen substantial rain in months.

Red flag warnings are highlighting extremely critical fire weather conditions. Those include exceptionally dry relative humidity levels, according to Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist with the weather service.

He says the winds are expected to continue into Thursday, too, “providing very little in terms of any relief.”