This article is being periodically updated with new information.
At least 16 people have died, over a dozen are missing, and over 15,000 structures have burned in a spate of Southern California wildfires that began Tuesday, Jan. 9.
These were the stats as of 8:30 am Sunday:
Palisades Fire (Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Brentwood)
Acres: 23,707
Containment: 11%
Eaton Fire (Altadena, Pasadena)
Acres: 14,117
Containment: 27%
Hurst Fire (Sylmar)
Acres: 799
Containment: 89%
Lidia Fire (Acton)
Acres: 395
Containment: 100%
Kenneth fire (West Hills, Calabasas, Ventura County)
Acres: 1,052
Containment: 100%
Over the past several days, smaller fires have also been knocked down in Van Nuys, Studio City, the Hollywood Hills, and Granada Hills.
The cause of the fires is under investigation. However, they were fueled by extremely high winds and months of low precipitation. Wind speeds finally began slowing Thursday, allowing firefighters to begin making progress.
It comes too late for many. The destruction of homes and businesses in the Palisades already totals over $150 billion dollars, making it the most destructive and expensive wildfire in L.A. history.
Multiple people have died in both the Palisades and Pasadena. The Pasadena Nature Center, the Pasadena Jewish Temple, the Altadena Golf Course, the Will Rogers Estate, and several schools in L.A. County have been destroyed.
An unsafe water alert was issued by the Pasadena Department of Water and Power due to contamination of the water supply. Hundreds of thousands of people around the county were left without power because of extreme wind and safety shutoffs. Dozens of cities have joined the firefighting efforts, including Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, and Oakland.
For up-to-date evacuation information, we recommend downloading the Watch Duty app. L.A. County has also set up a web page for the latest fire information. Click here.
Updates:
The National Guard has been mobilized. Several guard members arrived in L.A. County Thursday night. The number of requested guard troops has since doubled.
An L.A. firefighter has sustained significant injuries in one of the fires and is recovering at a local hospital. This is just one of several firefighter injuries.
LASD is enforcing a curfew in evacuation zones between the hours of 6 pm to 6 am.
An evacuation alert meant for the Kenneth fire was accidentally sent out to all L.A. County residents Thursday afternoon.
Gov. Gavin Newsom deployed an additional 900 firefighters and 70 trucks to the Kenneth Fire on Thursday.
All schools in the Los Angeles Unified, Burbank Unified, Pasadena Unified, and Glendale Unified school districts were closed Friday.
President Biden has announced that the federal government will cover 100% of disaster response in Southern California for the next 180 days.
For the second time in 24 hours, L.A. County residents received a false evacuation alert from the county. The second alert was sent at around 4 am Friday.
Want to help? California City News has compiled a list of reputable organizations that are seeking donations for relief efforts.
Over 150,000 L.A. County residents were under evacuation orders as of 1 pm Friday.
At least 18 people have been arrested near the Palisades and Eaton fire areas for suspected looting or other crimes.
Another high wind event is expected Monday, which could raise the risk of additional wildfires.
L.A. Fire Chief answers “yes” when asked if her department was failed by the City of Los Angeles; says budget cuts hindered fire response.
Did faults in the power grid spark the fires? A company that monitors electrical activity says faults skyrocketed near three of the major fires shortly before they began.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is demanding an investigation into the water pressure issues at fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades and reports that the Santa Ynez Reservoir was out of commission when the fire started.
Watch the viral video of the Governor being confronted by a Palisades resident.
There are mounting concerns over air quality. The American Lung Association has provided tips on how to protect lung health.
On Sunday , Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to cut red tape and streamline re-building efforts in damaged areas. The order will suspend CEQA review and California Coastal Act permitting for units built where property was substantially damaged or destroyed. It also directs agencies to identify additional building requirements that could be suspended or streamlined to aid reconstruction efforts.