Wildfires burn nearly 32,000 acres, destroying thousands of structures in Los Angeles County
Several major wildfires are destroying thousands of buildings throughout the Los Angeles area, including two that have burned more than 10,000 acres. Five people are dead and several firefighters have been injured.
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According to CNN, within the first 24 hours, the Palisades and Eaton fires had already made it into the list of the top 15 largest fires to hit LA County in the last 11 years.
Palisades Fire - 19,978 acres, 0% contained
The Palisades Fire was the first major fire to start up on Tuesday. Since it was first reported Tuesday before Noon, it has burned nearly 20,000 acres with 0% containment.
In a media briefing alongside city and county officials, police and fire chiefs Thursday morning, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said, "It is safe to say the Palisades Fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles."
Streets flooded along Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles as firefighters continue to battle devastating wildfires. @GhottleKESQ will have the latest live from Los Angeles County starting at 4PM on News Channel 3
— KESQ News Channel 3 (@KESQ) January 9, 2025
Fire Coverage: https://t.co/P2R8zXtdP6 pic.twitter.com/0OeLj0pPPD
The cause of the fire was unknown. It erupted amid fierce Santa Ana winds forecasters said could develop into the worst windstorm in the Southland in a decade. Red flag warnings of critical fire danger were expected to be in place until Thursday evening.
As a result of the extreme weather conditions, the entire Los Angeles Unified School District was shut down Thursday.
All school campuses in the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District were closed for a second consecutive day on Thursday. The SMMUSD issued a statement attributing the closure to ``ongoing safety concerns and poor air quality."
According to Cal Fire, the latest aerial survey of the Palisades Fire estimates that the number of structures destroyed is now 5,316. Cal Fire notes that "structures" can include residential and commercial properties, RVs, sheds or other "minor buildings."
The cause of the fire was unknown. It erupted amid fierce Santa Ana winds that forecasters called the worst windstorm in the Southland in a decade. The peak gusts of the wind event slammed the fire area between 10 p.m. Tuesday and early Wednesday morning, though red flag warnings of critical fire danger
were expected to be in place until Friday evening.
LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley told reporters Tuesday afternoon that roughly 30,000 people were under evacuation orders, with the fire endangering roughly 13,200 structures, including 10,300 homes.
In a media briefing at 8 a.m. Wednesday, the Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said the fire has burned more than 5,000 acres and destroyed about 1,000 structures.
There were a "high number of significant injuries to residents who did not evacuate, in addition to first responders who were on the fire lines," he said.
On Tuesday night, LAFD Capt. Erik Scott said a 25-year-old female firefighter suffered a serious head injury and was taken to a hospital. The circumstances of the injury were unknown. Several other people were treated for burn injuries in the area of the famed Duke's restaurant along Pacific Coast Highway, Scott said. It was also unclear how those injuries occurred, or how many people were affected.
Evacuation centers were established at the Westwood Recreation Center, 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Pasadena Convention Center at 300 E. Green St. in Pasadena, and at El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills.
Large animals can be taken to Pierce College at 6201 Winnetka Ave., or the Los Angeles Equestrian Center at 480 Riverside Drive in Burbank. Small animals can be taken to the Agoura Animal Care Center at 29525 Agoura Road in Agoura Hills and Pasadena Humane Society at 361 S. Raymond Ave in Pasadena.
Eaton Fire - 10,600 acres, 0% contained
As of 11 a.m. Thursday, the fire had engulfed 10,600 acres and was 0% contained. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Thursday morning the spread of the fire had been significantly slowed in most areas thanks to efforts of firefighters and diminishing winds.
The Eaton Fire that has already caused five deaths and destroyed or damaged more than 1,000 structures advanced on Mount Wilson today, threatening the observatory and broadcast infrastructure.
Five deaths have been attributed to the fire. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna on Thursday declined to give an update on possible fatalities, saying he was ``not satisfied with some of the information'' he was receiving. He said the sheriff's department was working with the county medical examiner, and investigators will eventually make a more thorough search of the Eaton Fire and other fire areas, noting that ``some of them look like a bomb was dropped on them.''
The county fire department reported Thursday that four firefighters have been injured fighting the blaze, though no specifics were released.
Marrone said earlier there were ``a number of significant injuries'' due to the fire, adding that many injuries that occurred in the various fires occurred among people who failed to heed evacuation orders.
The fire was reported at about 6:20 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive in the hills above Altadena, according to Cal Fire.
LACoFD also noted that 972 structures were destroyed in the fire, and another 84 were damaged, with nearly 40,000 structures being threatened.
Among the structures destroyed in the fire was the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center.
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation reported that the Eaton Canyon Nature Center, Farnsworth Park's Davies Community Center, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Altadena Golf Course Club House and adjacent buildings were destroyed.
Also destroyed in the blaze was The Bunny Museum in Altadena.
Sheriff's officials called for immediate evacuations of any people on the mountain, which is home to not only an observatory but a series of broadcast towers critical for local television and radio outlets.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said Wednesday that more than 32,500 residents were placed under evacuation orders in the nearby regions including Pasadena and Altadena.
An evacuation center was established at the Arcadia Community Center at 375 Campus Drive. Pasadena officials ordered evacuations for residents north of Orange Grove/Rosemead Boulevard, east of Lake Avenue and west of Michilinda Avenue. An evacuation center for those residents was established at the Pasadena Civic Center, 300 E. Green St.
An evacuation center was also established at El Camino Real Charter High School, 5440 Valley Circle Blvd. in Woodland Hills for people impacted by the various fires in the Southland.
As he did earlier with the Palisades Fire, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced late Tuesday that the state had secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover costs of battling the Eaton Fire.
Hurst Fire - 855 acres, 10% contained
A wind-driven fire in the Sylmar area rapidly expanded to 850 acres today with no reported containment.
The Hurst Fire -- one of four major fires burning in the Southland amid fierce Santa Ana winds -- was reported around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 5900 block of Yarnell Street, and within a half-hour it had burned more than 100 acres, Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said.
It rapidly grew in size to 850 acres by 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, with 0% containment.
As of 9:40 p.m., CalFire reports the Hurst Fire is 10% contained.
The governor's office estimated that more than 44,000 people in the area were under evacuation orders, with 40,000 structures threatened.
Woodley Fire - 30 acres, 100% contained
Adding to a string of vegetation fires prompted by extreme weather conditions, a brush fire was burning at Sepulveda Basin today.
The fire was initially reported at 75 acres just before 4 a.m. Wednesday, at the park located near the Ventura (101) and San Diego (405) freeways, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
As of 11 a.m., the fire had been revised to 30 acres, with 0% containment. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
CalFire reports as of 8:07 p.m., the Woodley Fire is 100% contained.
Lidia Fire - 348 acres, 60% contained
The Lidia Fire burned 348 acres of terrain in the Acton area, threatening structures and halting Metrolink service.
It erupted early Wednesday afternoon in the area of Soledad Canyon Road and Bootleggers Canyon. It initially burned about 50 acres of vegetation but had increased to about 80 acres as of 4:30 p.m. with 30% containment.
By 5:30 p.m., it was mapped at 347.7 acres by FIRIS.
CalFire reports that as of Noon on Thursday, the containment of the Lidia Fire is 60%.
Sunset Fire - 43 acres, 100% contained
The Sunset Fire started up at around 5:30 p.m. in the Hollywood Hills.
It has burned approximately 43 acres between Runyon Canyon and Wattles Park.
Thursday morning, Los Angeles city officials officials confirmed the fire was fully contained.
Kenneth Fire - 50 acres, 0% contained
A roughly 50-acre brush fire is burning in the West Hills/Hidden Hills area, in the general area of the Ventura (101) Freeway and Valley Circle Boulevard.
