Topline
Authorities continued to battle the Palisades and Eaton fires throughout Los Angeles County as lower wind speeds are expected to provide some respite Thursday morning before picking up again in the afternoon, though firefighters were able to lift evacuation orders for a fire that burned through the Hollywood Hills.
A firefighter sprays water on the Sunset fire on Vista street on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Timeline
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said he was “not satisfied” with some of the preliminary numbers he was getting regarding the death toll from the fires and he asked for patience on the subject, saying “right now, frankly, we don’t know” how many people have died, but they will eventually.
The Los Angeles Fire Department lifted the last evacuation order related to the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills, providing some relief to residents, though it said there are still “LAFD companies working in the area” and asked people “to be careful while returning” to their homes.
President Joe Biden said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, he was again briefed on the fires and would make remarks to the nation after the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, which began at 10 a.m. EST.
The wildfires have severely impacted the air quality in the Los Angeles area with levels of PM 2.5 pollutants—airborne particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter—hitting 165, which is labeled “unhealthy” by the EPA’s AirNow tracker and 11 times above the World Health Organization’s recommended safe limit of 15.
At least 2,000 homes, businesses and other buildings have been destroyed by the fire so far, and more than 130,000 people have been forced to evacuate—some even multiple times as the fires spread to other parts of Los Angeles county.
According to the National Weather Service, the dry Santa Ana winds moving in from the northeast will “continue over Eaton Fire through the next few days, with somewhat weaker winds Thursday morning followed by increasing winds Thursday afternoon…into early Friday.”
The NWS also noted that the red flag warnings across Los Angeles and nearby Ventura County will remain in effect until 6 p.m. on Friday.
At least 250,000 homes and businesses across Los Angeles County and neighboring Ventura County remained without power on Wednesday night, according to PowerOutage.us, as the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power said its crews had managed to restore power to “more than 152,000” since the start of the fires.
After lifting the most of the evacuation zone around the Hollywood Hills fire, the LAFD urged residents to be “cautious when returning to their homes because firefighters are continuing to work in their neighborhoods,” and said areas where the evacuation order has not been lifted will remain closed until Thursday morning.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said “the majority of the Evacuation Zone for the Sunset Fire is LIFTED” in an update shortly after midnight as Cal Fire’s tracker showed the size of the blaze in the Hollywood Hills shrinking from its previous size of 60 acres to 43 acres at 12:17 a.m. PST.
City of Pasadena officials warned that the tap water in the areas that have been evacuated due to the Eaton Fire is not safe to drink and said the residents should “not try to treat the water” themselves but use bottled water instead.
Cal Fire’s latest update at 9:40 p.m. PST showed that at least 10% of the Hurst Fire has been brought under control although the blaze still continues to cover around 855 acres.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the the “most intense fire activity” in the Hollywood hills fire is occurring on the southwestern side, while the perimeter on the eastern side is “holding well thanks to a fire road and ground crews in place.”
Cal Fire has deployed several helicopters and tankers to douse the Hollywood Hills fire, with flight tracker data showing at least six aircraft flying over the area—aerial operations had been impacted on Tuesday night and early Wednesday due to the strong winds.
The city of Santa Monica instituted a mandatory curfew from sunset to sunrise on Wednesday night “to support law enforcement efforts in these zones, and other measures to facilitate an effective response,” the Palisades Fire.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the Los Angeles Police Department’s officers are being deployed to Hollywood “to help alleviate evacuation traffic,” as the city moves to “urgently to close roads, redirect traffic and expand access for LAFD vehicles to respond to the growing fire.”
The mandatory evacuation order triggered by the Hollywood Hills fire covers areas between the 101 Freeway on the east, Laurel Canyon on the west, Mulholland Drive on the north and Hollywood Boulevard on the south—an evacuation warning is also in effect covering remaining areas of Hollywood Boulevard and parts of Sunset Boulevard.
Another fire, called the Sunset Fire, broke out around 6 p.m. PST in the Hollywood Hills which has rapidly grown in recent hours to engulf more than 50 acres or area, prompting mandatory evacuations.
Biden canceled the final overseas trip of his presidency on Wednesday—shortly before he was set to travel to Italy and the Vatican—to stay in Washington D.C. and monitor the emergency in California.
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 Tuesday and burned 17,234 acres as of Thursday morning, 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 continued to report 0% fire containment Thursday. Los Angeles Fire Department chief Kristin M. Crowley said Thursday “it is safe to say that the Palisades fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles,” noting preliminary reports estimate thousands of structures have been damaged or destroyed, The New York Times reported.
How Big Is The Eaton Fire?
The second blaze, called the Eaton Fire, began Tuesday evening in Eaton Canyon near the San Gabriel Mountains and grew rapidly Wednesday to cover 10,600 , with 0% contained as of Thursday morning. The Eaton Fire also triggered a round of mandatory evacuations in the nearby areas of Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre. City officials said Thursday more than 1,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the greater Pasadena area.
How Big Is The Hurst Fire?
The Hurst Fire was reported later 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 an 8:30 a.m. PST update Thursday, the Hurst fire covered 855 acres, as authorities contained 10% of the blaze.
How Big Is The Lidia Fire?
The Lidia Fire was first reported Wednesday afternoon, burned 348 acres and was 40% contained Thursday morning, according to Cal Fire. Anthony Marrone, fire chief for Los Angeles County, said Thursday forward progress on the fire had been stopped. LAist reported the fire, which began in the Angeles National Forest, posed such an extreme threat that the forest will remain closed for at least one week.
How Big Is The Woodley Fire?
The Woodley Fire was first reported Wednesday morning, and fire crews were able to hold the fire to 30 acres, LAist reported. It was reported as 100% contained Thursday and officials said there were no current threats tied to it.
How Big Is The Sunset Fire In The Hollywood Hills?
The Sunset Fire, which broke out Wednesday evening, grew to engulf around 43 acres with 0% contained, according to a Thursday morning update from Cal Fire. Evacuation orders in the area were lifted at 7:30 a.m., and LAFD advised residents returning to their homes to use caution as workers were still in the area. The fire burned near a number of Hollywood landmarks, including the popular urban hiking trail Runyon Canyon, Hollywood Boulevard and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
How Much Will The Wildfires Cost?
JPMorgan analysts led by Jimmy Bhullar estimated in a note Thursday there could be $50 billion in total damages, including $20 billion in insured losses, though they noted “estimates of potential economic and insured losses are likely to increase.” Those estimates would place the fires as the costliest in U.S. history.
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?
Paris Hilton, who wrote she had evacuated her home, reportedly lost her Malibu home to the fire. Billy Crystal and his wife Janice said they lost their Pacific Palisades home to the fire, after first moving to the location in 1979. Jamie Lee Curtis, who appeared on “The Tonight Show” on Wednesday, said she likely lost her home to the fire and wrote on Instagram calling for people to “reach out to anyone who lives in Los Angeles” to offer assistance. Eugene Levy, the Pacific Palisades’ honorary mayor, told the Los Angeles Times he fled his home and said the “smoke looked pretty black and intense over Temescal Canyon.” Anna Faris evacuated her Pacific Palisades home before it was destroyed by the Palisades Fire. Actor Adam Brody’s Pacific Palisades home was also reportedly lost in a fire. 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 that 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 Celebrities Have Donated To Relief Efforts?
Curtis, who advocated in a “Tonight Show” appearance Wednesday for people to donate to relief efforts, said on Instagram on Thursday she was donating $1 million to start a support fund for the city and people impacted by the fire. The Los Angeles Chargers announced Wednesday they were giving $200,000 to wildfire relief efforts. Bethenny Frankel’s charity also announced on Fox News on Thursday it was raising money for California wildfire victims.
Which Schools Are Closed Due To The Wildfires?
Several schools across the affected region closed Wednesday, including six schools under the Los Angeles Unified Schools District like Palisades Charter Elementary School. All schools and district buildings in the LAUSD were closed Thursday, and all schools under the Pasadena Unified School District will remain closed throughout the week. Several other school districts in the region also canceled classes Wednesday through Friday, including the Glendale Unified School District and Burbank Unified School District, and two other area districts—Alhambra Unified School District and South Pasadena Unified School District—closed through Thursday. 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. The university switched largely to remote operations Thursday.
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 Thursday morning, according to FlightAware. Just 1% of departures were canceled and 5% were delayed as of 8:55 a.m. PST. Some flights were disrupted at the much smaller Hollywood Burbank Airport: About 8% of departures were delayed and another 1% were canceled Thursday.
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.
Chief Critic
President-elect Donald Trump and one of his key advisers, Elon Musk, have been critical of the local government’s response to the fire since they broke out. In a Thursday post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Musk claimed “the immense loss of homes in LA is primarily due to” bad governance leading to a shortage of water and “nonsensical overregulation that prevented creating fire breaks and doing brush clearing.” Trump has also taken aim at Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying on Truth Social Thursday “nobody has ever seen such failed numbers before!” (referring to the Palisades Fire’s zero containment) and blamed it on “gross incompetence” by Newsom and Bass.
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)