Live updates: Deadly Los Angeles wildfires threaten new communities as biggest blaze expands – CNN
• Firefighters are racing against the clock in their dayslong battle against deadly wildfires in Los Angeles, with gusting winds overnight and early next week expected to threaten the progress they’ve made fighting the flames across the region.
• The coastal Palisades Fire is at least 11% contained but now moving inland toward Brentwood and other communities near the Getty Center and UCLA. More than 100,000 residents remain under evacuation orders, as the Eaton Fire in Altadena and other blazes in the county continue to burn.
• Officials have confirmed at least 16 deaths in this week’s fires, but say it’s not yet safe to assess the true total. Here’s what we know about the victims so far.
• The ATF will take the lead on a new investigative task force probing the origin of the Palisades Fire, officials announced Saturday. A CNN review of LA’s emergency response suggests a devastating combination of factors pushed the county’s resources beyond its limits.
• How to help: For ways to assist Los Angeles County residents, visit CNN Impact Your World.
Our live coverage of the Los Angeles fires has moved here.
A day after the devastating fire began sweeping through Altadena, California, Steve Crowder reached out to the town council chairperson.
Crowder knows what the city is facing.
He is Mayor of Paradise, California, where 95% of the town was destroyed in the Camp Fire six years ago and more than 80 people were killed.
Crowder lost his house, his business and his cars but not his hope.
He called Victoria Knapp to let her know she is not alone. He offered support and guidance to get through the myriad of problems he knows the community will face.
Elected to the Paradise city council two days before the Camp Fire, Crowder recalled surveying the town and thinking “It looked like a nuclear bomb went off. How the hell do you ever come back from this?”
He told Knapp, “Trust me, there will be light at the end of the tunnel, you will get there and if you keep that in mind it will make a whole lot of difference.”
Paradise’s population was about 26,000 the day of the fire. Today it is 11,000 and growing.
“We are by no means rebuilt, but we are way ahead of where everyone predicted. We knew it would be a 20-year rebuild.”
The Altadena fire is also personal for Crowder. His stepdaughter and her husband lost their home in the fire.
“She’s a strong girl,” he said, noting when his neighbors in Paradise heard about her house, 175 people reached out, with many offering help.
For Giorgi and Leonardo Antinori, the most devastating part of losing their home to the Palisades fire wasn’t just the displacement and material damage — it was losing the cremains of their late daughter, who had died as a baby more than a decade ago.
“Her ashes were in our home, and they’re gone,” said Giorgi, speaking to CNN Saturday night. “Every memory, every piece of physical evidence of her life is just gone, and that hurts.”
The couple and their second daughter, aged 2, had lived in the Palisades Bowl, a mobile home community that housed “a lot of singles, young families and older residents who were priced out of Santa Monica and Venice, or who have just lived there since the ‘70s,” Giorgi said. “It was very, very modest.”
They evacuated on the first morning of the fires, and “by 5 o’clock, everything was up in flames,” she said. By the next morning, “our park was gone.”
Making things worse, they didn’t have home insurance — though fires are common in Los Angeles, they had never reached that far into the Palisades before, typically staying contained in the canyons, the couple said.
“The prices of insurance just got so high, and we were still trying to recover from the last four years of everything changing after Covid,” Giorgi said. They’d planned to pick up insurance after recovering economically — never thinking “in a hundred million years … that our house would go up in flames.”
Thankfully, many friends and loved ones have reached out offering the family a place to stay — but it’ll still be a long road to rebuilding. “I never realized how loved we were by our community, and it’s just been overwhelming to see people help us,” Giorgi said.
Los Angeles police are cracking down on looters in mandatory evacuation areas, with seven arrests made in just the last two days, according to Capt. Mike Lorenz of the Los Angeles Police Department.
“Looting is an issue, the number of arrests is continuously growing,” he said, speaking Saturday evening at a Palisades community meeting.
“We are catching looters within the zone, but we’re securing the area better and better every single day,” he added. “We even made arrests of two individuals who were actually posing as firefighters coming in and out of houses.”
Some residents who had to flee had hired private security guards to protect whatever was left of their homes against looting, even if they were mostly burned down, Lorenz said. Those guards are now being vetted and closely watched by the LAPD.
A curfew remains in place in all mandatory evacuation zones, meant to protect property and prevent burglaries or looting, authorities say. Curfew violators will be subject to arrest for a misdemeanor offense under LA County code and conviction may result in a fine up to $1,000 or jail time.
Malibu has lost a third of its eastern edge to the Palisades fire, said Mayor Doug Stewart — a devastating blow to a city still reeling from other recent fires.
“This is the third fire in three months for us … the Franklin Fire, Broad Fire, and now the Palisades Fire,” Stewart said on Saturday night, speaking at a Palisades community meeting. “This is the most destructive, and it has hit us hard.”
“Malibu has lost approximately one-third of its eastern edge of the city,” he said. “Those of you who have driven down our pristine highway (Pacific Coast Highway) know the beautiful homes that were along the area from Topanga to almost to Duke’s (Duke’s Malibu, an iconic seafood restaurant). They’re gone.”
“Big Rock, a community of many wonderful people, is gone,” he added.
Malibu had a long road of recovery and rebuilding to go, he said — but “we’re not out of the fire front fight yet … we still have an active fire and we have high winds tonight.”
This post has been updated with additional information.
Winds could pick back up in the coming days after a brief reprieve — posing a potential threat as firefighters work to contain four major fires still burning across Los Angeles — but it could also offer an unexpected boon by changing the direction of the blaze, said Cal Fire Battalion Chief Brent Pascua.
Speaking to CNN Saturday night, Pascua said fire crews had worked “24/7, all night” to reinforce the firelines they’d created — which are boundaries created by clearing away fuels like vegetation, and digging down to the soil level, to help prevent fires and embers from spreading.
“Today was a very productive day. We used all our aircraft, our air tankers, our helicopters, in conjunction with our hand crews, hose lays,” he said.
There is a risk the next few days bring Santa Ana winds, which are hot, dry gusts that flow down the sides of mountains toward the California coast — and could jeopardize those firelines.
However, Pascua said, it could also change the direction of the fires. The Palisades fire has been moving east in the past day, pushing toward Interstate 405 — but Santa Ana winds can blow to the west. So if the winds do arrive, “it’s actually going to move (the fire) away from the freeway and head back towards the coast … it will blow this fire pretty much back onto itself,” he said.
That’s what happened in the Encino area on Saturday — shifting wind directions pushed the fire back “where there’s already (land) burned and there’s no fuel to burn,” helping crews contain the fire edge, he said.
Firefighters are making promising progress on the Palisades fire, with operations chief Kristian Litz describing “minimal activity” in some parts as crews stop the spread of the fire’s boundary and cool off hotspots.
In the Topanga Canyon and Silvia Park area, “that edge of that fire has not moved, it looks really good,” he said, speaking at a Palisades community meeting Saturday evening.
The fire moved further east on Friday, and “we did have some activity there,” he said — but “we’ve built a robust plan … as the situation changes for us, as it cools throughout the night, as the activity goes down, they’re going to attack it from both sides.”
Crews are using aircraft including helicopters and airplanes, with engines and crews on the ground that have been working nonstop — to the point their vehicles are coated in the bright pink of retardant being sprayed everywhere.
Toward Mandeville Canyon — where the blaze shifted on Friday, forcing expanded evacuation orders and warnings — “the fire is down,” said Litz. “Winds in our favor in that area, so it looks really good. We have to continue to work hard in that area to secure it.”
In Pacific Palisades, the boundary of the fire hasn’t moved in several days, but crews are still hard at work going through damaged structures and making sure there aren’t lingering hotspots or further fire damage.
The death toll from the Eaton and Palisades fires has climbed to 16, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said Saturday.
Five of the deaths appear to be from the Palisades Fire and 11 deaths in the Eaton Fire, according to the office’s records.
Of the 16 cases reported by the medical examiner, 10 involve confirmed human remains.
The FBI said it is seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect after a civilian drone collided with a Canadian “Super Scooper” aircraft fighting the Palisades Fire on Thursday, forcing it to be grounded.
“These fire suppression efforts using aircraft is probably the most effective tool that our firefighters have against fighting these fires to help contain them,” Akil Davis, FBI assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles field office, told CNN on Saturday.
“When you take one plane out of commission like that, it’s going to impact the speed in which the fire grows, it’s going to cause loss of property, potentially loss of life, and it’s a danger to everybody all around.”
Akil Davis
The aircraft in question, called Quebec 1, sustained a three-by-six-inch hole in its wing from a privately-owned drone, some pieces of which authorities were able to recover, said Davis.
It is a violation of federal law to fly drones in areas where the Federal Aviation Administration instituted a temporary flight restriction in Southern California due to the wildfires, Davis added.
Highlighting the dangers in flying drone flights around wildfires, Davis said a hole such as the one sustained by Quebec 1 could have spread across the wing and “take the entire aircraft down.”
“… And now we’re dealing with a plane crash in the middle of a historic wildfire for Southern California,” Davis continued. “These drones are nothing to be played with.”
While it is challenging to identify the operator of a privately-owned drone, Davis said the FBI field office in Los Angeles is working with local and state partners to identify “private citizens that are violating the temporary flight restriction by operating drones in these areas.”
The agency has drone mitigation capability, said Davis, who wouldn’t elaborate further on what type of technology is being employed.
The FBI is asking anyone with information leading to the operator of the drone in question to contact them. Potential penalties for the offense can range from significant fines to prison time, or a combination of both, Davis said.
All of the fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades and in LA’s Westside communities were “fully operational” prior to the devastating wildfires, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said in a Saturday news release.
“No power was lost to LADWP pump stations during the fire, and water supply remained strong to the area,” reads the release.
But water pressure in the system was lost “due to unprecedented and extreme water demand to fight the wildfire without aerial support,” causing around 20% of hydrants in the area to lose suction pressure, according to the release.
The utility says it deployed potable water tankers to help support the firefighting effort.
The release adds that the agency was “required to take the Santa Ynez Reservoir out of service to meet safe drinking water regulations.” LADWP didn’t specify if this may have affected the water supply.
“To commission the support and resources to implement repairs to Santa Ynez, LADWP is subject to the city charter’s competitive bidding process which requires time,” the utility added.
Some context: On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom called for an independent investigation into why the Santa Ynez Reservoir was out of service and what caused some hydrants to lose water pressure in the midst of multiple devastating wildfires.
“The ongoing reports of the loss of water pressure to some local fire hydrants during the fires and the reported unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir are deeply troubling to me and to the community,” Newsom wrote in a letter, which he posted on X on Friday.
Some Eaton Fire evacuation orders have been lifted for California residents in the cities of Bradbury and Duarte, as well as parts of La Cañada Flintridge, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The community of Altadena, which was heavily impacted by the fire, remains off limits, according to the sheriff’s department.
Those returning home are being advised to be cautious of unstable structures, downed power lines and trees and other hazards on area roads. Residents should also avoid direct contact with ash, which may contain toxic substances, and are advised to wear sturdy shoes, gloves and masks, the sheriff’s department said.
“The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have a strong presence in the repopulated and evacuated areas for the next several days to ensure the protection of our residents and their property,” the agency said.
Firefighters battling the Palisades Fire are contending with treacherous terrain, thick brush and hot and dry conditions as they work to contain the blaze before winds pick up, Cal Fire Deputy Chief Brice Bennett told CNN’s Jessica Dean Saturday.
With winds capable of carrying embers miles away from the fire expected, “we need to have everyone ready to be able to evacuate if necessary, depending on where the winds blow the fire,” he added.
“We don’t know what Mother Nature is going to bring us, and she’s in charge,” Bennett said.
The Palisades Fire is now estimated to be at 23,654 acres in size and is 11% contained, according to Cal Fire.
This post has been updated with additional information.
Humans weren’t the only ones needed evacuating from wildfires in Southern California.
Hundreds of horses in the Eaton and Pacific Palisades fire zones in danger were taken to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, built for the 1984 Olympics.
Along with 408 horses brought to the center, there are a couple of cows, a few pigs, some sheep and two donkeys, in addition to the 437 horses already stabled at the facility. All through the terrifying first night of the fires and into the next day, horse trailers flooded into the center until they ran out of stalls.
The center is also flooded with help. General Manager Leigh Ann Claywell held back tears, calling it overwhelming.
“There’s so much (donated food) you could eat here for a month – we’re talking about the horses – enormous bags of apples and carrots,” she explained.
Volunteers have swarmed the stables to feed, water, walk and groom the horses.
Bechir Sylvain from Encino had just been evacuated but showed up because “It relieves a lot of stress,” for both the animals and their human helpers.
“I hate the fact that we are all going through this thing right now but it’s great to see how Los Angeles is coming together.”
The donkeys are a fan favorite of the volunteers. The owner did not have enough time to get them to safety, but spray-painted information on the animals and let them run. Someone delivered them to the center. They were reunited Saturday morning.
Many of the horses were showing stress Friday night, just like the humans. Owners and trainers said the center has rolled out the red carpet. One told CNN a private barn in the area wanted to charge $100 a night.
At the Equestrian Center, the four-legged evacuees are being housed for free.
“Their owners lost everything, we can’t make a can’t make a profit off of that,” Claywell said.
Firefighters from Mexico joined more than 14,000 personnel already on the ground in California on Saturday to fight the Palisades Fire impacting the Los Angeles area.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom shared an X post on Saturday with a video showing an airplane with a Mexican flag on the tarmac of Los Angeles International Airport.
“California is immensely grateful to our neighbors’ support in the fight against the wildfires in Los Angeles,” Newsom said on X.
Seventy firefighters from Mexico, including three information officers, were slated to arrive in California around 1 p.m. PT Saturday, a Cal Fire spokesperson told CNN.
Upon arrival, the firefighters were expected to be sent to the Noble Creek Operations Base pending specific assignments to the fires, the spokesperson said.
Newsom plans to double the number of the state’s National Guardsmen deployed to the Los Angeles fires to 1,680 service members, he announced earlier Saturday.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom launched a website Saturday aimed at addressing the online spread of wildfire-related misinformation and disinformation, according to a news release.
The site, CaliforniaFireFacts.com, serves to combat false information spread on the internet and “and by political leaders around the Southern California wildfires,” the release states.
“There is an astonishing amount of mis- and dis-information being spread online – much of it by so-called leaders and partisan media outlets who seek to divide this country for their own political gain. It breaks my heart that families in Los Angeles don’t just have to worry about the fires but also this malicious disinformation as well,” Newsom said in the release.
The destructive Palisades Fire, which broke out Tuesday morning in Pacific Palisades near Malibu, has been pushing inland towards Brentwood and the Bel-Air area, with a second front moving toward the San Fernando Valley, Encino and Sherman Oaks areas of Los Angeles.
The eastern flank of the fire began creeping closer to the 405 Freeway Friday, making a run toward the Mandeville Canyon area and Mulholland Drive and prompting expanded evacuation orders.
Neighborhoods just west of the 405 Freeway remain in the evacuation zone, which includes the Getty Center, a Los Angeles cultural institution.
Firefighters were attacking the flames with aircraft Saturday to stop the Palisades Fire from spreading into homes in Brentwood and Encino.
Fire weather conditions are expected to continue into next week in Southern California, as firefighters work to combat ongoing blazes, according to the National Weather Service.
“Very dangerous fire weather continues across portions of southern California where ongoing fires continue,” read a Saturday afternoon post on X from the Storm Prediction Center.
The agency said in an update the region will see forecast sustained winds of 20 mph, with gusts reaching more than 40 mph, with dry relative humidity.
“This may lead to the spread of ongoing fires as well as the development of new ones,” the update said.
CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said Saturday strong Santa Ana winds, combined with embers on the ground from the ongoing fires, may exacerbate the risk of fires.
Strong winds may require firefighting planes to temporarily be grounded, he explained.
Los Angeles County has extended a smoke advisory to January 12 at 10 p.m. local time due to the ongoing wildfires.
Smoke from the fires has caused “unhealthy air quality” across the county, according to a Saturday news release.
The smoke is expected to have the strongest effect in northwest coastal Los Angeles County, including the Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Pasadena and areas near the fires.
Anish Mahajan, chief deputy director of Los Angeles Public Health and chief medical officer of the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, previously told CNN people should stay indoors as much as possible and wear an N-95 or P100 mask if they do go out to minimize the risks of wildfire smoke exposure.
CNN’s Stephanie Elam contributed reporting.
Randall “Randy” Miod, 55, died in the place he loved most in the world: his home.
That’s according to his mother, Carol Smith, who explained that Miod lived in his Malibu beach house for decades before this week’s fires in Los Angeles.
Detectives found human remains in Miod’s home, Smith said, and Miod was the only roommate who didn’t evacuate from the fires.
“(His home) was his prized possession. That’s the one and only house he ever owned,” Smith said. “He just felt so blessed to be able to live in Malibu. That was his dream come true because he’d been surfing since he was a teenager.”
About 30 years ago, Miod rented a studio apartment attached to the Malibu house, a red barn-style home built in 1924. After 13 years, the owner offered to sell the house to Miod for a discounted price – an opportunity Miod jumped on.
“He was just kind of a magnet for people. And people just loved him and he loved people. He was a very kind person,” Smith said. “There was always a party, wherever Randy went, there was a party.”
Miod was determined to protect his beloved house and didn’t want to abandon the home when the fires started, Smith said.
When they talked on the phone Tuesday, Miod told Smith he had a garden hose ready to go. Smith believed he didn’t know how big the flames were going to get.
“He’d been through so many of these fires and made it through unscathed. I think he thought he could do it again,” she said.
Officials have confirmed at least 11 people have died in the fires.
Read more about what we know about the victims.
There will be additional public safety power shut-offs before “life-threatening” winds grip the Los Angeles County starting on Saturday night, said L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone at a Saturday news conference.
“Please understand that the inevitable public safety power shut-offs that will be implemented prior to this life-threatening Santa Ana wind event are crucial to preventing new fire starts, and that they help save lives.”
Weather conditions from moderate to “locally strong” Santa Ana winds will affect Los Angeles County starting from Saturday evening through Wednesday, Marrone said.
“The Los Angeles County Fire Department will be prepared,” Marrone said. “These winds, combined with low humidities and low fuel moisture, will keep the fire threat in Los Angeles County high.”
More than 7,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed by the Eaton Fire, according to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone.
The wildfire has consumed more than 14,117 acres in the Altadena area and is 15% contained, Marrone said at a Saturday news conference.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger promised to “eliminate unnecessary red tape” that could slow down wildfire recovery efforts at a Saturday afternoon news conference.
“We must remove any new costly requirements not related to health and safety that would otherwise make it cost-prohibitive for residents to rebuild,” she said.
“My priority is to ensure that government becomes a facilitator, not an obstacle,” Barger said.
Barger also said that she would prioritize creating “one-stop service centers, where all relevant departments are available in one place in real time to answer your questions, provide guidance and support your rebuilding efforts.”
The supervisor said she wrote a letter to President-Elect Donald Trump, inviting him “to engage in wildfire recovery efforts and to visit the county to see the impact firsthand that it has.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Saturday he will double the number of National Guardsmen deployed to the Los Angeles wildfires.
A total of 1,680 service members will be on the ground “to help fight the Los Angeles fires and keep our communities safe,” the governor said in a post on X.
“We are grateful for their continued bravery and commitment to be of service to others,” he added.
The state National Guard said in a statement Saturday that in addition to 200 military personnel who are on the ground directly fighting fires, hundreds of military police are providing support, including protecting against looting.
Several types of military aircraft have also been involved in the response.
“The firefight from the air is uniquely difficult in such a small air space, increasing winds, and the recent increase in civilian drones,” a California State Guard spokesperson wrote. “The aerial attack on fire is compared to combat in terms of the most risky mission we voluntarily take.”
This post has been updated with details from a National Guard statement.
CNN’s Sarah Dewberry contributed to this post.
A former child star from Australia died when the Los Angeles wildfires ripped through his family’s Malibu estate in California earlier this week, according to his mother.
Rory Callum Sykes was at the family’s 17-acre Mount Malibu TV Studios estate, where he had his own cottage, when it burned down on Wednesday, his mother Shelley Sykes wrote on X Thursday.
Shelley Sykes described her son, who appeared on the 1998 British TV series “Kiddy Kapers,” as “beautiful” and “wonderful” and said she was “totally heart broken” by his death.
She said she had tried to put out the wildfire cinders on her property’s roof using a hose but couldn’t because the water wasn’t working.
“He said, ‘mom leave me’ and no mom can leave their kid. And I’ve got a broken arm, I couldn’t lift him, I couldn’t move him,” Sykes told Australia’s 10 News First.
Her son, 32, was born blind with cerebral palsy on July 29, 1992, and had become famous for his speeches on overcoming disability. He was the co-founder of Happy Charity, which according to its site offers, “Hope, Happiness & Health to those that are Hurting.”
Read more about Sykes and his legacy.
The University of California Los Angeles announced Saturday it will hold remote classes for undergraduate and graduate students until January 17, citing the “immense challenges” posed by the ongoing fires.
“Our community’s safety and wellness is our top priority,” read an email sent to students.
Students will receive additional instructions from their teachers and employees should also work remotely if possible, according to the email.
“We ask for continued flexibility and understanding as we all work through these difficult times,” the email said.
Some context: The school, located in LA’s Westwood neighborhood, is one of the state’s largest universities, serving more than 46,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
New evacuation warnings have extended to an area close to the school, and a campus alert warned students — while it is not under an evacuation order — they should be ready to leave if necessary.
CNN’s Norma Galeana contributed reporting.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Saturday acknowledged the public criticism she has faced from Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, but said the two remain united in fighting the wildfires gripping the region, and that there will be time in the future to examine any shortcomings in the city’s response.
“Let me be clear about something, the fire chief and I are focused on fighting these fires and saving lives, and any differences that we might have will be worked out in private,” Bass said at a news conference Saturday. “But right now, our first and most important obligation to Angelenos is to get through this crisis.”
Bass said that once the fires are out, there will be time for officials to evaluate their emergency response, promising a “full accounting of what worked — and especially, what did not.”
But the mayor noted it will also be time to focus on recovery efforts.
Bass acknowledged some of the anger and confusion among LA residents as deadly wildfires rack the region.
“For all Angelenos: We are hurting … still in shock, and angry. And I am, too,” Bass said.
Key context: Crowley said Friday that city officials failed her department by slashing its budget by $17 million — a decision that she said is now negatively affecting the agency’s ability to battle the raging wildfires in the county.
A source later told CNN that Bass had held a meeting with Crowley on Friday afternoon, but the mayor’s office denied a published report that she had fired the fire chief.
Crowley was present at today’s news conference where Bass made the remarks about moving forward.
LAFD statement: A Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson later released a statement echoing Bass’ remarks, saying the mayor and chief’s “foremost priorities continue to be fighting the current wildfires and safeguarding Angelenos.” The statement reiterated that Crowley had not been dismissed by Bass and remains at the helm of LAFD.
This post has been updated with a statement from the Los Angeles Fire Department.
CNN’s Sarah Dewberry contributed to this post.
The Palisades Fire — the largest of four major fires ravaging Los Angeles County — is still just 11% contained, burning across 22,660 acres, according to CalFire.
Much of the firefighting effort against that blaze has shifted toward protecting communities near Brentwood, Encino and West LA, as flames move inland from the coast toward Interstate 405, one of the region’s busiest freeways.
Here’s the latest on the size and containment of the major fires:
Firefighters in Altadena, California, reunited a woman with her wedding ring that she thought she lost when her home was destroyed in the Eaton Fire.
Victoria DeSantis said she and her 18-year-old daughter were home Tuesday watching the Eaton Fire on TV when she put on her wedding band and her mother’s wedding rings because she did not want to lose them in case they had to evacuate.
But DeSantis later took the rings off and placed them on a table by the front door to go outside to water the yard.
She and her daughter later went to bed, and at 3:30 a.m., they woke up to an alarm telling them to evacuate.
“My daughter and I are just frantically running with flashlights in her mouth, trying to see and grab bags and do all this stuff,” DeSantis told CNN.
It wasn’t until later at her friend’s house that DeSantis realized she had left the three rings at her home.
“I can’t believe I left them. I purposely had them on and took them off, and I can’t believe I left my rings,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis said they returned to their Altadena home on Thursday to see what they could find.
Once at the house, she and her best friend Nick Cacarnakis began digging in the rubble when he came across her mother’s rings, which had melted together.
But they didn’t find her wedding band.
Wanting to check on friends who lived up the block, DeSantis drove up the street, where three Cal Fire firefighters approached them to see if they needed anything.
DeSantis asked them if they’d help search for her wedding ring and was surprised when they said they would.
Once they got back to her house, DeSantis told them the last place where she left her ring, and the firefighters began digging, even using an air vent as a sifter.
“They were digging, and one of them says, ‘It’s not gold, but I found this,’ and it was my wedding band,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis said she couldn’t believe they found the ring.
It was like finding a “a needle in a haystack,” she said.
She added that the only payment the firefighters wanted were hugs, which DeSantis said she was glad to give.
“It was an amazing moment,” Cacarnakis said.
Health officials are “very worried” about the air quality in Los Angeles County, as particles from wildfire smoke pose several short- and long-term health risks, according to Dr. Anish Mahajan, chief medical officer of the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
People are already experiencing small particles infiltrating their nasal passages, causing itchy eyes and sore throats, Mahajan said. But the toxins from wildfire smoke can cause more serious problems — especially for children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with respiratory, heart or immune system issues.
“Those folks may have worse symptoms like shortness of breath, wheezing, cough, and those are a very big concern,” Mahajan told CNN’s Erin Burnett on Saturday.
There are “several long-term risks to people’s health across the board.”
Dr. Anish Mahajan
The best way to avoid those health risks is to stay indoors as much as possible, he added, but if people do go outside, they should wear an N-95 or P100 mask to filter out the particles.
But ash and toxic chemicals can still get into the body through other means, such as water, Mahajan said, which is why Los Angeles County residents are under several water advisories due to the fires. These include boil water notices due to a depressurized water and sewage system, elevating the risk of bacteria, Mahajan said.
There’s an even “greater problem” of these toxins finding their way into not only drinking water, but the water residents use to bathe, brush their teeth and other activities, Mahajan said.
“Instead, you should be using an alternative source. These are the steps we are asking folks to take here in Los Angeles to avoid the health risks of this wildfire smoke and ash,” he said.
Firefighters are rushing to shore up containment lines around the wildfires raging across Los Angeles County ahead of another wind event that threatens to further fan the flames.
While crews have reported some progress, there’s “a very significant concern” the wildfires will continue to grow, Cal Fire Battalion Chief David Acuna told CNN Saturday.
The Palisades Fire — which destroyed thousands of homes and other structures when it broke out in the Pacific Palisades near Malibu — has been spreading east and threatening more communities. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass encouraged residents to continue following evacuation orders.
Here are the latest updates:
• Palisades Fire: The wildfire has grown to 22,660 acres and is at 11% containment as it pushes inland through Brentwood, up into the Bel-Air area, with a second front moving toward the Valley, Encino, and Sherman Oaks areas of Los Angeles. Heavier firefighting resources are being moved to the fire’s eastern flank, in Mandeville Canyon, authorities said.
• The forecast: Heightened fire weather conditions will return Saturday after a brief lull Friday night, with gusty offshore winds expected along the coast of Southern California. The area will start to see the single-digit wind speed numbers jump up to the 20 or 30 mph range through the overnight hours and continuing into Sunday, according to CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar.
• Crews make progress: The Eaton Fire burning near Altadena is now 15% contained at 14,117 acres, while the Kenneth Fire is now 80% contained at 1,052 acres and the Hurst Fire is 76% contained at 799 acres, according to Cal Fire.
• More help on the way: Local crews battling the flames will be joined by firefighters from other parts of California, as well as from seven other states, Canada and Mexico, according to Cal Fire. Texas is also sending more than 135 firefighters, and other personnel, as well as fire engines, ambulances and equipment, Gov. Greg Abbott announced.
• Some victims identified: Authorities have confirmed at least 11 deaths from the wildfires, but say it’s not yet safe to assess the true total because of hazards in the burn areas. The victims have been identified as Annette Rossilli, Erliene Kelley, Victor Shaw, Rodney Nickerson, and Anthony and Justin Mitchell.
• ATF investigating cause of wildfire: A new investigative task force is being created, with the ATF taking the lead to determine the origin and cause of the Palisades Fire, authorities said.
• Warnings about scams: California Attorney General Rob Bonta urged people to use caution around scams in the aftermath of the fire, including those involving fake charities or people posing as contractors or insurance adjusters.
• Requests for aid mount: FEMA — the federal agency that provides emergency assistance — has received over 16,000 applications for individual assistance after the wildfires, FEMA regional administrator Bob Fenton said at a Saturday news conference.
An amputee and his son with cerebral palsy were among the 11 deaths in the fires raging around Los Angeles. The father was found at his son’s bedside.
One victim told a relative that he did not want to evacuate. He died trying to fight the blaze that consumed his home of more than 50 years.
Another victim, an 85-year-old woman, refused to leave her home as the fast-moving Palisades Fire approached, preferring instead to stay behind with her beloved pets.
Five of the 11 deaths appear related to the Palisades Fire near the Southern California coast, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. Another six deaths have been attributed to the Eaton Fire, which raged east of Los Angeles.
The complete death toll won’t be clear until it’s safe for investigators to enter neighborhoods where there are downed power lines, gas leaks and other hazards, according to authorities.
Read more about what we know about the victims of the devastating fires.
As Santa Ana winds propelled a series of raging wildfires that wiped out homes and businesses across once-picturesque swaths of Southern California – killing at least 11 people – tens of thousands have been forced from their homes this week in a haze of uncertainty: What to pack? How long will they be gone? What will they return to?
A vintage green-leather Rolex watch case. An Alekos Fassianos painting. A hard drive and albums with family photos. These are some of the cherished items they took.
Read what California evacuees grabbed and what they were forced to leave behind.
At least 11 people have died as several major wildfires continue to rage in Los Angeles County. Authorities say more bodies will likely be uncovered.
Cadaver dogs are aiding in the search for remains amid the destruction, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. Search and rescue teams with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are working alongside FEMA and other county agencies to assist with search efforts, Luna said during a news conference on Saturday.
Authorities have said they are unable to determine the full death toll from the fires until it’s safe for investigators to enter neighborhoods that are riddled with burned homes and scorched vehicles at every turn.
Cadaver dogs are trained to sniff out bodies and often find them faster than people. In 2023, dogs were used to search for bodies after the catastrophic Maui wildfires that killed more than 100 people. The disaster is regarded as one of the deadliest wildfires in recent US history.
What are cadaver dogs?
Human remains detection dogs are one of several types of working dogs trained to detect scents, similar to bomb or drug detection dogs.
There are three main types of cadaver dogs: those trained to work in open areas on land, those trained for disasters and collapsed buildings and those that work in water, according to Jason Purgason, the president and training director of Highland Canine Training.
Once a dog has been selected, the training process begins, which can take up to eight months, Purgason noted.
“We start with a process we call imprinting,” he explained. “And this is simply associating an odor with a reinforcement. So, the dog learns that they find the odor and good things happen,” like a reward of a treat or a toy. Then the dog learns to notify its owner that it has found the scent, often by sitting or giving another signal.
Lisa Briggs, a forensic criminologist who specializes in the use of human remains detection dogs, told CNN not all human remains detection dogs have the same skills. The dogs in Maui had to be specifically imprinted on burnt remains to search effectively.
“This disaster demonstrates why we need to conduct the science and have the specific proper training in order to be successful,” Briggs said.
Destroyed homes, cars and burned lots sit where once-immaculate homes and yards once stood in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Watch the video:
Video geolocated and filmed by Reuters shows side-by-side comparisons of various locations ravaged by wildfires in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. The Palisades Fire has burned more than 21,000 acres as of Saturday morning, January 11. #cnn #news #wildfires #pacificpalisades #losangeles #beforeandnow
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Saturday the state would deploy firefighting resources to help with wildfire response efforts in California.
The state is sending more than 135 firefighters, emergency management and medical personnel, as well as 45 fire engines, ambulances, command vehicles, and equipment, the governor said in a news release.
“Texans know all too well the devastation wildfires can cause to our communities, and our country is stronger when we come together in times of crisis,” Abbott said.
The governor directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management and the state’s A&M Forest Service to deploy the resources, which are being coordinated by the Emergency Management Assistance Compact state-to-state mutual aid system, the release said.
Apocalyptic scenes have emerged across Los Angeles County, where multiple wildfires have caused catastrophic damage and forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.
Whole neighborhoods have been devastated. As many as 10,000 structures have been destroyed between the Eaton Fire and the coastal Palisades Fire, which is now the most destructive fire in the county’s history.
See more photos here.
Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, has canceled all scheduled horse racing this weekend due to wildfires on the west side of Los Angeles.
“The air quality standards at the racetrack remain well within the limits established by the CHRB and HISA, and are forecast to remain so, but the impact of these devastating fires is growing throughout Los Angeles County,” Santa Anita Park said in a statement.
Training will continue as scheduled Saturday and Sunday, and Santa Anita Park will remain open for simulcast wagering. Information on rescheduling will be announced after discussions with stakeholders, the park said.
Santa Anita Park is being used for several relief efforts.
There is a charity drop-off and pick-up at the property’s south parking lot and Southern California Edison has set up a basecamp in the north parking lot as it works to restore power to affected areas.
Santa Anita Park said it is currently working to accommodate additional response organizations.
This video shows a long line of cars coming from the Brentwood area trying to get into the ashes of their homes in Pacific Palisades. They could be waiting for hours for police escort.
Tens of thousands of California residents will decide whether to permanently relocate or rebuild their homes after the most destructive fires in Los Angeles’ history.
Insurance companies may cover thousands of dollars in temporary housing and living expenses — unless homeowners are underinsured or not covered.
“The policy is generally going to cover the cost of additional living expenses while you are out of your home, to maintain what is kind of your usual standard of living,” said Karen Collins, the vice president of American Property Casualty Insurance Association’s property and environmental division.
For example, if someone’s insurance covers $100,000 for a property, the insurance company might cover another $20,000 — or 20% — in additional living expenses, Collins said.
Peter Vanek, president of PVRK, a Southern California-based real estate consulting company, said his home was destroyed by a battery fire in 2023. His insurance initially estimated $350,000 for the house. After Vanek provided evidence of what was lost, his insurance paid twice as much, including living expenses while he relocated, and the house was rebuilt.
To relocate or rebuild?
Insurance coverage plays an outsized role in the decision to move or invest resources into reconstruction. For some with insurance, it could boil down to having pictures of the property before the damages and updating insurers with home estimates.
“(Homeowners) might not have disposable income to cover the difference between whatever their insurance is going to cover and what their cost is to rebuild their home, replace all of their items,” Vanek said.
The current wildfires in Los Angeles County are the costliest and most destructive in its history. The insured losses could exceed $20 billion, according to a report by JPMorgan Chase.
Read more about the difficult choices facing California homeowners here.
With powerful winds set to return to Los Angeles County Saturday night, there’s “a very significant concern” the wildfires currently raging across the area will continue to grow, Cal Fire Battalion Chief David Acuna said.
Current wind conditions are allowing firefighters to use aircraft to perform water and fire retardant drops over wildfires to shore up containment lines, which are still “frail,” Acuna told CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield Saturday.
“But when the wind picks up and those embers start flying, that’s where our concern is,” he added.
The National Weather Service warned heightened fire weather conditions will return Saturday after a brief lull Friday night, with gusty offshore winds expected along the coast of Southern California Saturday.
Local crews battling the flames will be joined by firefighters from other parts of California, as well as from seven other US states, Canada and Mexico.
“Everyone is pitching in and getting there so that we can be as prepared as possible,” Acuna said.
All California families should feel safe to seek assistance at evacuation shelters without concern about their immigration status, state Attorney General Rob Bonta said during a news conference on Saturday.
More than 100,000 residents remain under evacuation orders as several infernos rage in Los Angeles County this weekend.
“I want to remind our immigrant communities that they are welcome at shelters regardless of immigration status,” Bonta said.
The attorney general’s office has put out guidance and “model policies to assist California shelters,” to ensure the rights of migrants and their families are protected, Bonta added.
The fires are taking place a matter of days before President-elect Donald Trump, who has vowed to carry out mass deportations across the country, takes office
CNN’s Julia Vargas Jones, reporting from near the Palisades Fire in Brentwood, described the smoke and destruction the blaze has wrought.
“We’ve watched as this hill turned to ash,” she reported, adding that she has observed four to five planes making drops of retardant to try to quell the fire from spreading in the surrounding hills.
Firefighters are working to contain it before it gets to a residential community, she said.
Aerial footage from KABC also showed a home engulfed in flames, as resources are being moved to the eastern flank of the Palisades Fire, in Mandeville Canyon.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned those seeking to take advantage of wildfire victims through price gouging that it is illegal and punishable with fines and jail time. “You cannot do it. It’s unlawful,” he said at a news conference Saturday morning.
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen before that emergencies like this, in addition to bringing out the best in so many, also bring out bad actors who seek to use the trauma, the chaos of moments like this, for their own gain,” Bonta said.
“They see an opportunity to prey and take advantage … of vulnerable and hurting families to make a quick buck,” he added. “It’s important for us to be prepared now.”
Bonta explained that during a state of emergency, as is currently in effect in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, price gouging is a crime punishable by up to a year in jail and $10,000 in fines.
California law prohibits a business from charging more than 10% more for a good or service than they did before the emergency, meaning prices should only be going up 10% or less.
If a business only began selling the item after the emergency declaration, they can’t charge more than 50% of the cost of the item, Bonta said.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta urged people to use caution around scams in the aftermath of the fire, including those involving fake charities.
“We see scam artists taking the opportunity to take advantage of the vulnerable, unsuspecting, well-meaning folks, folks in need, folks who are desperate,” Bonta said at a Saturday news conference.
Some scams have targeted elderly people and immigrants who may not speak English as a first language, he said. And some involve fraudulent organizations with names that sound “eerily legitimate” and are similar to the names of real charities.
Bonta highlighted a few distinct kinds of scams, including a “contractor scam,” when “someone pretending to be a contractor tries to pressure homeowners into putting down a deposit fee to quote, hold their spot and guarantee construction, construction that may never occur”; an insurance scam in which a scammer might pretend to be an insurance adjuster; or a scam where someone may pose as a government official or representative of a relief organization, demanding a fee for services that are actually free.
He recommended people follow a few guidelines to avoid scams:
1. Verify credentials of anyone claiming to be a contractor, adjuster, or charity.
2. Be skeptical of demands for upfront payments.
3. Confirm authenticity through official channels, such as the DOJ website, or the Attorney General’s website, which includes a registry for recognized charities.
4. Monitor your bank accounts to make sure that you’re not being taken advantage of and defrauded.
5. Report fraud immediately to local law enforcement or to the Attorney General’s office.
A new investigative task force is being created in response to the wildfires, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell announced Saturday.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will be taking over as the lead investigator on the task force, he said.
The ATF will be working to determine the origin and cause of the Palisades Fire, the agency’s Los Angeles office said in a tweet.
“Certified fire investigators have been on scene and will continue to work in conjunction with state and local investigators to determine the cause of this tragic event,” the agency said.
The same national response team that investigated the Maui wildfire is expected to join the investigation of the Palisades Fire, two people briefed on the matter told CNN. Their assistance was requested by Los Angeles fire officials.
The team can determine whether power line failures, arson, or other causes were involved in starting the blaze.
This post has been updated with additional information.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass encouraged residents to continue following evacuation orders as winds are expected to pick up again.
“The good news … is that the fires have been slowly being contained. I know that the Palisades area is one of the ones that is the most vulnerable for the winds to continue to spike up, and it’s anticipated that the winds will kick up again at the beginning of the week. So having National Guard there, having law enforcement there, is going to be very critical because not only do we have to protect ourselves from the fires, but we also have to make sure that no one goes up there and attempts to loot and attempts to do anything that is inappropriate in the areas,” she said during a Saturday news conference.
“I think people need to pay careful attention to what the instructions are — and please, please, please not try to wait out the fires,” she added.
Wind forecast: The area will start to see the single-digit wind speed numbers jump up to the 20 or 30 mph range through the overnight hours and continuing into Sunday, according to CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar.
The next round of strong winds will pick up Monday through Wednesday, peaking on Tuesday, where the area could see wind gusts back up around 50 to 60 mph.
FEMA — the federal agency that provides emergency assistance — has received over 16,000 applications for individual assistance after the wildfires, FEMA regional administrator Bob Fenton said at a Saturday morning news conference.
He added that residents in need of help can also apply for the agency’s Serious Needs Assistance program, which provides a “one-time payment that helps survivors with costs associated to disaster related needs, such as whether it’s water, food, infant formula, things you had to purchase as you evacuated.”
“I just want to continue to reiterate we are here for long term,” Fenton said. He said he has “the full weight of the federal government behind me to support any needs that the state or the county or the city have in response to these fires.”
Heavier firefighting resources are being moved to the eastern flank of the Palisades Fire, in Mandeville Canyon, where it is pushing through Brentwood, up into the Bel-Air area, with a second front moving towards the Valley, Encino, and Sherman Oaks areas of Los Angeles.
“We have been moving additional assets from the Palisades Fire into this area,” City of Los Angeles Fire Captain Adam VanGerpen told CNN. “We have about 3,700 firefighters who are on scene. We have at least 10 aircraft that are in the air, and they’re calling for additional air assets.”
VanGerpen also noted that fire crews are moving their structure protection groups into the area, adding that additional resources would work hard to protect the Getty Museum, which is inside the mandatory evacuation zone.
“Some of this area has not had a fire in 50 years. So, we have a lot of heavy vegetation that has not burned in a long time. And it’s also very steep, so our firefighters can’t get in there by foot. So, a lot of these have to be done by our air assets,” VanGerpen explained.
The fire captain also noted higher winds in the mountain areas. “We were hoping that there would not be as much wind, but we have seen a little bit of an increase,” he told CNN.
Victor Shaw, 66, has been identified as one of the people killed by the Eaton Fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles this week, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
The medical examiner listed Shaw’s cause of death as smoke inhalation and thermal injuries.
Shaw’s family had previously identified him in an interview with KTLA. His sister, Shari Shaw, told the news station he did not evacuate and wanted to try to fight the fire, which swept through the community starting Tuesday and damaged or destroyed an estimated 5,000 structures, according to local fire officials.
Loved ones told KTLA that Victor Shaw was found near their family home of nearly 55 years, with a garden hose still in hand, after the blaze swept through and flattened parts of the community.
Keep in mind: Authorities have confirmed at least 11 deaths in the ongoing wildfires across the LA area, but say it’s not yet safe to assess the true total because investigators can’t reach areas where active flames, downed power lines, gas leaks and other hazards pose a risk to their safety.
After millions of Los Angeles County residents mistakenly received wildfire evacuation alerts on Thursday, county officials say cell phone towers coming back online are to blame for more erroneous alerts sent out on Friday.
“We’ve made the preliminary determination that the (evacuation) alerts happened as cell towers came back online after they were knocked offline due to this disaster,” said Kevin McGowan, director of Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, during a Saturday morning news conference.
“The outdated alerts were cached in the system, and as they came back online, started being released to the public,” McGowan said.
“We are very grateful to our federal and state partners who are working with the cell phone providers to make sure that all of these outdated alerts are flushed from the cell phone towers so that this ceases,” McGowan added. The county is working with FEMA and the FCC to correct what McGowan called an “unacceptable” error.
“Some mobile carriers have confirmed that the issue is cleared on their systems,” LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said. County officials are waiting for confirmation from other mobile carriers, she added.
On Thursday, “an accurate, correctly-targeted alert” was sent around 4:00 p.m. local time, but “was erroneously sent out to nearly 10 million residents across the County,” emergency management officials said in a news release Friday evening.
The error was corrected, McGowan said Saturday. But, Los Angeles County has temporarily moved its alert system to the state’s emergency notification system for the time being.
Local emergency notifications will now be issued through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services alert system “until we have assurances that this problem will not be repeated,” LA County Emergency Management said in a news release Friday evening.
Families who are trying to get back to their homes and have lost their key documents are encouraged to go to the family assistance center for help, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.
“Please go there, engage our employees and I can assure you we will do everything we can to assist them in their critical needs,” Luna said in a Saturday morning news conference.
He urged residents to wait to go back to their homes until the areas are deemed safe.
“Any of us would be frustrated if you want to get back to your own home,” Luna said. “When we say you can’t do this, it is based on their safety and the safety of others trying to get in and out.”
“So be patient with us. As soon as we can safely get people back in, it will be a top priority for us,” Luna said.
While firefighters are making improvements in wildfire containment thanks to the lower wind speeds, that will change by tonight.
The area will start to see the single-digit wind speed numbers jump up to the 20 or 30 mph range through the overnight hours, and even continuing into Sunday.
The next round of strong winds will pick up Monday through Wednesday, peaking on Tuesday, where the area could see wind gusts back up around 50 to 60 miles per hour.
As the Palisades Fire began intensifying Tuesday evening, Los Angeles real estate executive Keith Wasserman sent out a plea on social media: “Does anyone have access to private firefighters to protect our home in Pacific Palisades? Need to act fast here. All neighbors houses burning. Will pay any amount.”
The now-deleted post sparked an intense blowback by social media users who felt the wealthy shouldn’t be given special attention during an emergency.
“Whose home gets saved shouldn’t depend on their bank account,” one TikTok user commented.
As multiple wildfires, powered by high-speed winds, have destroyed thousands of homes in the Los Angeles area, some residents have gone to great lengths — and often great expense — to try to shield their homes from destruction. Some have paid thousands of dollars to get their properties sprayed with fire-retardant gels to stem the damage, while others have invested in personal fire hydrants to help fight fires near their property.
Despite the intense reaction to Wasserman’s social media post, most private firefighters aren’t hired by wealthy individuals, Mike Stutts, a firefighter in Somerset, California, told CNN. Instead, most work with home insurance companies that are trying to save expensive homes to avoid costly insurance payouts.
Tim Bauer, a senior vice president at fire damage restoration service Allied Disaster Defense, said after the first three days of fire in Pacific Palisades, he had a waiting list of at least 200 people, all desperate for the company’s services. Bauer said the company is spraying properties with the same fire retardant dropped by firefighting air tankers.
Read more about the Californians getting extra fire protection — for a price.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Friday made a surprise visit to a meal distribution center set up for people affected by the wildfires that have devastated Los Angeles.
Prince Harry and Meghan were spotted by a local news crew Fox 11 at the Pasadena Convention Center, which has been repurposed as a evacuation site.
The couple spoke to World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés and volunteers from the organization, as well as first responders and victims. WCK, which has been a longstanding partner of their Archewell Foundation, has been distributing free meals to emergency crews and people affected by the massive blazes.
The pair were also seen hugging Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, who later described the couple to Fox 11 as “great people” who had “really buoyed the spirits.”
Gordo said they had been at the center earlier in the day, when they quietly served food and were not recognized because they wore face masks.
Prince Harry and Meghan relocated to the United States in 2020, where they have since settled in Montecito, roughly 90 miles from Los Angeles, with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Read more about their efforts here.
The Palisades Fire that devastated coastal communities in Los Angeles this week is moving east, with students at University of California, Los Angeles, and staff at the renowned Getty Center among those awaiting updates from officials.
At last update, the Palisades Fire — which destroyed thousands of homes and other structures when it broke out in the Pacific Palisades community near Malibu — was 21,596 acres and 11% contained. Flames are now spreading east in the Mandeville Canyon area, approaching Interstate 405, one of LA’s busiest freeways.
Firefighters are racing to make progress and protect new communities from the blaze, ahead of more wind and dry conditions later this weekend and early next week.
Here are some key areas near the developing firefight:
UCLA: The school in LA’s Westwood neighborhood is one of the state’s largest universities with its more than 46,000 undergraduate and graduate students. New evacuation warnings have extended to an area close to the school, and a campus alert warned students that — while it is not under an evacuation order — they should be ready to go if called upon. The university has ordered all classes Monday to be conducted remotely.
Brentwood: Another tony area reaching into the hills inland from Pacific Palisades and extending to I-405, Brentwood is home to the Getty Center, a cultural institution in the city. The center has evacuated all of its staff except for a small team of emergency personnel, after the museum was included in an expanded evacuation order on Friday evening. Some residents in the nearby Bel Air community also face evacuation warnings.
West LA: The US Department of Veterans Affairs evacuated veteran residents at its West Los Angeles Medical Center on Friday night, as evacuation warnings grew closer to that area, as well.
Encino: The San Fernando Valley community of Encino borders the expanding firefight to the north, with a new evacuation order issued Friday night extending to the Encino Reservoir.
Travel around other valley communities will also be impacted, as multiple off-ramps on the I-405 freeway have been closed, according to the California Department of Transportation.
Correction: A previous version of this post incorrectly described the neighborhood where UCLA is located. The school is located in Westwood.
Containment of the Palisades and Eaton fires has increased Saturday morning, as the Palisades Fire is now 11% contained (previously 8%), while the Eaton Fire is now at 15% containment (previously 3%).
Some of the smaller wildfires also improved containment, with the Lidia Fire reaching full containment:
The Archer Fire remains at 0% containment.
The post has been updated for the Lidia Fire.
The Getty Center, a cultural institution in the city, is evacuating except for a small team of emergency personnel, after the museum was included in an expanded evacuation order on Friday evening.
“Getty is complying with the current evacuation order and is closed with only emergency staff on site,” the museum said in a statement to CNN.
The evacuation order, issued for the Palisades Fire, extends to Interstate 405 and the Encino Reservoir, bordering one of Los Angeles’ busiest freeways, as well as the museum.
The Palisades Fire began moving east late Friday, where fire crews are now fighting the blaze in the Mandeville Canyon area, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The museum holds masterpieces from Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Édouard Manet and other famous artists.
It previously announced it was closing until at least Sunday.
The museum’s sister location, the Getty Villa, also came under threat from the Palisades Fire this week. The Getty Villa, housing Greek and Roman artifacts, is located near Pacific Palisades — the affluent coastal neighborhood that has been mostly razed by the fire.
Years of prioritizing fire mitigation efforts, clearing nearby brush as well as installing an on-site water tank, proved crucial in keeping the $10 billion collection safe from harm.
“While trees and vegetation on the property have burned, Getty structures have been unaffected, and thankfully, both staff and the collections are safe,” president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust Katherine E. Fleming said in a statement Wednesday.
Many of the firefighters working around the clock on the raging wildfires in Los Angeles are incarcerated. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation told CNN that as of Friday, nearly 1,000 inmates have been working to stop the fires.
Depending on skill, these inmates earn between $5.80 and $10.24 per day during an emergency. Cal Fire also pays the crew members an additional $1 per hour. They work a 24-hour shift, and the least skilled crew member earns at least $26.90 per day.
Royal Ramey, worked as a firefighter while incarcerated and was pardoned by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2022, spoke with CNN’s Victor Blackwell about the program.
“Pretty much it is the same work,” Ramey said when asked whether the inmates perform the same work as regular firefighters. “We’re out there. We’re in the front lines. We’re utilizing tools. We’re going out and we’re out there cutting line and doing our thing.”
The state estimates the program saves about $100 million a year.
Ginger Black and her son Ali Pringle, who lost their home in Altadena, California, to the ongoing wildfire, talked to CNN’s Amara Walker about their regrets when it came time to evacuate.
Black said her son forced them to leave the home shortly after they began seeing flames but they weren’t prepared. “I know where our documents are, so I grabbed that … It’s total chaos in our house. But at the time, we just didn’t know where to start, so we just grabbed whatever we could,” she told CNN.
The family was able to return home a second time and “just grabbed a few things.” They got a call from a neighbor on Wednesday, telling them she had witnessed their house go up in flames.
Black said the family is discussing whether to return and rebuild. “We’re still kind of, like, numb of it all and taking things day by day,” she said.
Early Saturday morning, the containment of the Palisades Fire remains at 8 percent, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Brent Pascua told CNN This Morning. “Hopefully, we’ll see that number change this morning when the sun comes up and we get to see … the total amount of line that was put in overnight and the work that was done yesterday,” Pascua said.
Winds remain calm, good news for firefighters who now can use aircraft in the firefight. “Super scoopers are a great example of that, and they can get water right out of the ocean … Also, our aircraft that we are using, thanks to the winds being nice and calm, have a reservoir right next to the fire that they’ve been using. So, again, a very quick turnaround,” Pascua said.
Pascua said he expects progress to “keep moving in the right direction” as firefighters continue building containment, while staying “cautiously optimistic” about wind in the next couple of days. “We’re going to keep getting a handle on this fire, keeping it within its perimeter,” he said.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs evacuated veteran residents at its West Los Angeles Medical Center on Friday night, as evacuation warnings grew closer due to the Palisades fire moving east.
The fire began moving into the Mandeville Canyon area on Friday afternoon, prompting expanded evacuation orders that reached parts of the Interstate 405 and the Encino Reservoir — just blocks away from the VA center.
While the center is not yet under any evacuation warning or order, “out of an abundance of caution, the (VA) Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System has initiated the relocation of Veterans from the Community Living Center on the North Campus of our West Los Angeles Medical Center,” it said in a statement to CNN.
“This proactive measure is being taken to ensure the continued safety and well-being of our Veterans, staff, and visitors,” it said.
It added that it was working with healthcare partners to deploy necessary resources for all affected veterans. The statement did not say how many veterans were relocated or where to.
Pope Francis has said he is “saddened” by the loss of life and the widespread destruction caused by the Los Angeles wildfires, and sent his “heartfelt condolences” to those affected.
“His holiness Pope Francis assures you and the communities affected by this tragedy of his spiritual closeness,” Cardinal Parolin (Secretary of State) to the Archbishop of Los Angeles said in a statement published on Saturday on behalf of the Pope.
“Entrusting the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of almighty God, his holiness sends heartfelt condolences to those who mourn their loss,” the statement said.
The pope added that he prays for the relief efforts of the emergency services, and “imparts his blessing to all as a pledge of consolation and strength in the Lord.”
The University of California, Los Angeles asked students late Friday to be ready for a potential evacuation, as evacuation warnings for the Palisades fire were extended closer to the campus.
“This is NOT an evacuation alert. An evacuation warning has been issued to a zone adjacent to UCLA due to the Palisades fire. We are asking Bruins on campus to remain vigilant and be ready to evacuate, should the alert be extended to our campus,” the university said in a statement on its website.
The latest evacuation order Friday night extended to parts of Interstate 405 and the Encino Reservoir, bordering the I-405 freeway and the Getty Center — just a few minutes’ drive from the UCLA campus. An evacuation warning remains in place for the strip of land on the other side of the freeway, ending just above the university.
The university has more than 46,000 undergraduate and graduate students, and had ordered all classes Monday to be conducted remotely.
While fire departments have reported progress in combating a number of blazes in Los Angeles County, new evacuation orders and road closures late Friday demonstrated risks remain for residents and first responders.
The Palisades fire stretched further east Friday, with fire crews and aircraft focusing additional effort in the Mandeville Canyon area.
Here are the latest updates on the fires:
The damage: More than 10,000 structures were likely damaged or destroyed by just the Eaton and Palisades fires, according to Cal Fire. Those are preliminary figures that could rise, and include anything from a home to a shed; damage inspectors are still on the ground tallying the damage.
The forecast: The area remains under a red flag warning, though firefighters hope winds may ease Friday night allowing them to gain ground on some of the biggest fires.
However, Cal Fire warned, winds are expected to pick back up over the weekend, and there could be a Santa Ana wind event early next week — bringing hot, dry, powerful gusts that could fan the flames of any ongoing fires.
The Palisades Fire began moving east late Friday, where fire departments are now fighting the blaze in the Mandeville Canyon area, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
“The fire is in the Mandeville Canyon area, so it’s moving closer to the 405 freeway,” Capt. Adam VanGerpen told CNN.
“We just finished getting over our red flag conditions around 6 o’clock, but that just goes to show people that even though we’re not in these red flag extreme wind conditions, the fire can still change direction quickly. And right now it is moving fast towards the east.”
This shift east means crews are now pivoting in that direction, too. Ten aircraft have been diverted toward the Mandeville Canyon, and two additional strike teams have been sent there, said VanGerpen.
The Red Flag Warning for high winds expired earlier this evening, raising hopes that firefighters could make progress on some of the biggest fires. In the Mandeville Canyon, so far “there’s not very much wind up there,” VanGerpen said, adding that the fire in that area was being driven by topography instead of extreme winds.
The FBI Los Angeles Field Office responsible for multiple counties in Southern California has entered a so-called “Continuity of Operations” emergency contingency phase amid wildfires and heavy smoke in the area, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
US government agencies plan for protocols to ensure their continued operations in response to natural or manmade disasters.
The FBI’s 24-hour operations center has been relocated from the Westwood area of Los Angeles to Orange County amid heavy smoke as the bureau continues its round-the-clock pulse on criminal and national security threats in the region, the source said.
As flames continue to carve a destructive path in Southern California and fire officials work to determine how the fires began, a larger question looms: Could this level of devastation somehow have been minimized, or is this simply the new normal in an era of climate-related calamities?
A CNN review of government reports and interviews with more than a dozen experts suggests the ultimate answer is a mix of both. But, humans could have taken some steps to potentially lessen the impact of Mother Nature’s wrath, experts add.
Low water pressure, one major issue firefighters faced this week, is now being scrutinized by state and city officials.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling for an independent investigation into what caused some hydrants to lose water pressure in the midst of multiple devastating wildfires in Los Angeles this week.
Some other issues are at play, according to experts:
Read more about how these fires could have been prevented.
After millions of Los Angeles County residents received evacuation alerts by mistake, countless Angelenos received more erroneous warnings while the county tries to improve its alert system.
“There is a technical glitch, and we apologize for the confusion and anxiety that any of this has for anybody in the public,” said Bryan LaSota, emergency management coordinator for Los Angeles County’s Office of Emergency Management.
The errant warnings fueled panic and frustration in the nation’s most populous county, where several wildfires still rage out of control. But authorities say the county’s emergency alerts have also saved countless lives, giving residents time to flee before flames engulf their homes.
While authorities cite unspecified technical flaws for this week’s messaging problems, a larger issue remains.
Some residents get emergency alerts on their phones based on their proximity to cell phone towers in those affected areas – not based on where they live. In other words: If your home is at risk of burning down, but you’re at work on the other side of town, you might not get a cell phone alert saying your home is under an evacuation warning.
The two-day messaging debacle started Thursday, shortly after the Kenneth Fire broke out. Emergency officials tried to send an alert only to people in the Calabasas and Agoura Hills areas, LaSota told CNN.
“The first technical glitch is that it went out county-wide, instead of to the affected area,” he said.
So, residents throughout the county of almost 10 million people received an urgent message on their cell phones.
After the error was discovered “We had to cancel that one,” LaSota said.
But the problems continued Friday when residents were startled by pre-dawn alerts.
No one should have received such warnings before dawn Friday, LaSota said.
“Due to an error in the technology … people are receiving them today, even though they were sent yesterday,” he said.
LaSota and other emergency officials said a detailed investigation is underway to try to determine the cause.
Friday evening, Los Angeles County said it was temporarily moving to the state’s emergency notification system.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass had a meeting Friday afternoon with Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, a source familiar with the meeting said.
It comes after Crowley said earlier today that city officials failed her department by slashing its budget by $17 million — a decision that she said is now negatively affecting the agency’s ability to battle the raging wildfires in the county.
Over 100 fire apparatus are out of service, the fire chief said. The budget cuts eliminated civilian positions such as mechanics which has and “will continue to severely impact our ability to repair apparatus,” Crowley told CNN’s Jake Tapper.
“We can no longer sustain where we are. We do not have enough firefighters,” Crowley said.
Both Bass and Crowley were absent this evening from a news conference about the wildfires. The city had said that Bass along with city and county officials would be speaking at the event that was ultimately only addressed by police department officials.
The mayor’s office however did send a brief statement denying a published report that she’d fired Crowley. “This is false,” it said.
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