Topline
The death toll due to wildfires in Los Angeles County grew to five Wednesday afternoon, as authorities fight multiple fires that have prompted the evacuation of tens of thousands of people, with conditions prime for the fires to expand.
Los Angeles County firefighters spray water on a burning home torched by the Eaton Fire. (Photo by … [+]
Getty ImagesTimeline
President Joe Biden approves a Major Disaster Declaration for California, making federal funding available to those impacted by the fires in Los Angeles County.
Officials told The New York Times the death toll in the Eaton Fire rose to five after saying earlier in the day two people had died, and the Los Angeles Times reported all five deaths “occurred in and around Altadena and Pasadena.”
Santa Monica expanded its evacuation order, advising residents for all areas north of Montana Avenue from the beach to 11th Street to leave immediately, and areas to the south and east remain under evacuation warnings.
Nearly 1 million customers of electricity providers in Los Angeles County were without power, PowerOutage.us reported before it said the outage management system of Southern California Edison—the main electricity provider in the county—went offline.
The Palisades Fire in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades—an affluent coastal neighborhood—exploded to 15,832 acres, according to Cal Fire, making it the largest fire of the four burning in Los Angeles County as of Wednesday afternoon.
The Eaton Fire in Altadena, a small city directly north of Pasadena, grew to 10,600 acres with 0% containment, according to the Cal Fire.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced Los Angeles Fire Department air operations resumed after a lengthy suspension of air support began Tuesday due to high winds.
County of Los Angeles Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at least two civilians died in the Eaton Fire, though the cause of their deaths were not disclosed.
Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said FEMA is “closely monitoring” the wildfires and has authorized additional assistance from the agency to support firefighting efforts.
The Woodley Fire began in the Sepulveda Basin neighborhood, expanding to 30 acres before being brought under control, according to The New York Times.
The Hurst Fire ignited in the suburban area of Sylmar.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency, urging residents to heed evacuation orders and saying, “This is a highly dangerous windstorm creating extreme fire risk, and we’re not out of the woods.”
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning (warm temperatures, strong winds and low humidity) for portions of Los Angeles County and the neighboring Ventura County until 6 p.m. Friday, noting wind gusts between 35 and 55 mph in mountains and foothills.
The Palisades Fire started in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood and resulted in about 30,000 people receiving evacuation orders as it initially spread to about 2,000 acres.
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How Big Is The Palisades Fire?
The Palisades Fire began around 10:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday and burned 15,832 acres as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which issued evacuation orders for residents of the Palisades and for those living along a long stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway. About 30,000 residents in the Palisades and nearby areas are under evacuation orders, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department, as Cal Fire reported 0% fire containment on Wednesday.
How Big Is The Eaton Fire?
The second blaze, called the Eaton Fire, began on Tuesday evening in Eaton Canyon near the San Gabriel Mountains and grew rapidly overnight to cover 10,600 acres as of Wednesday morning, with 0% contained. The Eaton Fire also triggered a round of mandatory evacuations in the nearby areas of Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre. City officials said at least 550 homes in Pasadena are affected by the evacuation orders, which cover large portions of the city’s northern neighborhoods along with most of eastern Altadena and nearly the entirety of Sierra Madre.
How Big Is The Hurst Fire?
The Hurst Fire was reported later on Tuesday night after it broke out near the Los Angeles-area suburban neighborhood of Sylmar, north of the rest of the city. Shortly after it was reported, the Los Angeles Fire Department issued evacuation orders in the area, warning of a “rapid rate of spread.” As of a 1:20 p.m. PST update Wednesday, the Hurst fire also rapidly grew to cover 500 acres, 0% of which has been contained.
How Big Is The Woodley Fire?
The Woodley Fire, reported Wednesday morning, burned 30 acres and was 0% contained according to an 8:58 a.m. update from Cal Fire. Local officials said earlier Wednesday it appears to be under control.
How Did The California Fires Start—and Why Are They Spreading?
A mix of extremely gusty winds, drought conditions and low humidity created conditions conducive for fires to quickly spread. The appearance of weather conditions suggestive of La Niña, a climate phenomenon linked to drier conditions and drought in southern parts of the U.S., likely played a large part in priming southern California for extreme fire conditions this week. Los Angeles in particular has seen an underwhelming amount of rain in the last eight months alongside a dry winter. The last time the city recorded over a tenth of an inch of rainfall was last May, according to the Los Angeles Times, contributing to drought. The dry conditions paired with historically strong winds gave way to this week’s fires. Wind gusts of up to 99 mph were reported near Altadena and other nearby areas early Wednesday. The National Weather service forecast wind gusts of 50 to 80 mph in parts of southern California and up to 100 mph gusts in mountains and foothills into Wednesday night. The conditions are the result of a wind pattern called the Santa Ana winds or “devil winds,” which are often fast-moving, dry and warm winds that originate inland, around Nevada and Utah, and blow toward the coastal regions of Southern California. Cal Fire is still investigating the specific causes for each of the fires blazing in Los Angeles County.
How Many Deaths And Injuries Have The Fires Caused?
The Eaton Fire has killed at least five people, multiple outlets reported around 3 p.m. PST. Earlier in the day, Marrone confirmed two were killed and said there have also been a “high number of significant injuries to residents who did not evacuate.” A 25-year-old firefighter sustained a serious head injury while combatting the Palisades Fire on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Fire Department told NBC News. There were “multiple burn victims” who were treated by medical officials, though the number of people who were treated is not immediately known.
What Celebrities Are Affected By The Fires—like James Woods And Mark Hamill?
Actor James Woods—who posted videos of his area engulfed in flames on X—told CNN he left his Palisades home on Tuesday, and described the harrowing process of helping an older neighbor evacuate, at one point breaking into tears as he described his house’s likely demise. Meanwhile, actor Mark Hamill wrote on Instagram Tuesday saying he evacuated his Malibu home, while singer Mandy Moore said she evacuated with her kids and animals, saying she feels “gutted for the destruction and loss” caused by the wildfires. Vice President Kamala Harris’ home in Los Angeles was put under an evacuation order, though no one was in the home at the time the order was placed, spokesperson Ernesto Apreza said. Keith Wasserman, founder of the real estate investment firm Gelt Venture Partners, said he would pay “any amount” for private firefighters to protect his Pacific Palisades home, sparking backlash from some users on X. Other celebrities who reportedly have homes in areas affected by evacuation orders include Adam Sandler, Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.
Which Schools Are Closed Due To The Wildfires?
Several schools across the affected region closed on Wednesday, including six schools under the Los Angeles Unified Schools District like Palisades Charter Elementary School. All schools under the Pasadena Unified School District will remain closed on Wednesday as well to “allow our crews time to evaluate and repair damages” caused by the Eaton fire. Several other school districts in the region have also cancelled classes Wednesday, including the Glendale Unified School District, the Alhambra Unified School District, South Pasadena Unified School District, South Pasadena Unified School District and Burbank Unified School District. Pepperdine University’s Malibu and Calabasas campuses closed Wednesday because of nearby fires, the university announced, though the flames “pose no immediate threat” to either campus.
Which Events Are Cancelled Due To The Wildfires? Are The Fires Shutting Down Hollywood Productions?
The Critics Choice Awards—slated for Sunday—were postponed due to the fires, the organization told Variety. Several other TV shows—from “Jimmy Kimmel Live” to “NCIS”—paused production (see here for a list). The Screen Actors Guild canceled it in-person awards nomination ceremony on Wednesday because of the wildfires “in an abundance of caution.” The nominations will be announced on the SAG Awards website on Thursday, the guild said. Universal Studios said its park in Hollywood would close Wednesday because of “extreme winds and fire conditions,” adding they expect to reopen on Thursday. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences extended its voting deadline for the 97th Academy Awards by two days, according to multiple outlets. The voting period, which is now open, is set to conclude Tuesday due to the delay. The announcement of this year’s Oscar nominees will also be pushed back two days, and is now scheduled for Jan. 19.
Has The Fire Impacted Flights From Lax And Other Airports?
Los Angeles International Airport, located about 19 miles south of the Pacific Palisades, has not experienced significant flight cancellations as of Wednesday morning, according to FlightAware. Just 1% of departures were cancelled and 9% were delayed as of late Wednesday morning. Some flights are disrupted at the much smaller Hollywood Burbank Airport: About 19% of departures are cancelled and another 9% are delayed Wednesday.
What Other Areas Face Fire Risks In Southern California?
The NWS issued an extreme fire weather alert—its highest designation for fire potential—from Wednesday to Thursday for a 2,356-square mile stretch of land that includes areas such as Glendale, Oxnard, Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks and Pasadena.
Further Reading
With negligible rain in 8 months, Southern California swings toward drought (LA Times)
Residents flee on foot as Palisades Fire torches hillside homes (LAist)
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