Live updates: Los Angeles wildfires, Palisades and Eaton fires, Auto fire in Ventura continue to burn – CNN
Live Updates
• While Wednesday’s critical fire weather conditions have passed, firefighters battling the Los Angeles wildfires are still contending with “extreme hazards and the potential for fire growth,” a Cal Fire official said. Mayor Karen Bass warned “we are not out of the woods yet.”
• The fire department pre-deployed necessary resources and followed protocol, the LA fire chief said today. Her response comes a day after the Los Angeles Times says the department failed to properly position 1,100 firefighters as winds picked up in the Palisades Fire. Mayor Karen Bass said she stood by the department, adding, “The buck always stops with me.”
• A CNN analysis of the most recent data shows the Los Angeles Fire Department is less staffed than almost any other major city. Experts have said no fire department would have been able to take on the combination of factors that resulted in the blazes.
• The Eaton and Palisades fires are now the most destructive and second-most destructive wildfires, respectively, in Southern California history. The fires over the past week were larger and hotter than they would have in a world without planet-warming fossil fuel pollution, a UCLA analysis suggests.
• For ways to help Los Angeles County residents, visit CNN Impact Your World.
As weather conditions improve and firefighters make progress in containing the Los Angeles wildfires, they’re still contending with dangerous conditions as they work to extinguish the flames.
“We are not out of the woods yet,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Wednesday as Cal Fire warned of “extreme hazards and the potential for fire growth.”
The Palisades Fire — the largest of three major fires ravaging Los Angeles County – is still just 21% contained, burning across 23,713 acres, according to Cal Fire. The Eaton Fire – the most destructive fire in Southern California history – is only 45% contained. Meanwhile, at least 25 people have died and thousands of structures have been incinerated by the blazes.
Firefighters returning to base camps after battling the wildfires “have emerged bruised, battered, beaten,” LAFD Assistant Chief Joe Everett said.
Here are the latest developments:
With conditions improving across Southern California Thursday through the weekend, the National Weather Service in Los Angeles is looking ahead to the potential of another Santa Ana Wind Event that may begin early next week.
The weather service warns that another round of Santa Ana Winds are set to begin later Monday and into Tuesday.
The current preliminary forecast calls for a 60% chance of a red flag warning being issued Monday and a 70% chance of a warning issued on Tuesday. They warn that should this event pan out, wind gusts are most likely to be between 30-50 mph with isolated chances exceeding 50 mph.
Along with these winds will come dry air all week with the lowest relative humidities potentially reaching single digits on Monday and Tuesday.
An order has been issued prohibiting residents from removing or cleaning up fire debris at burned properties in Critical Fire Areas, including the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth, Creek, Hurst and Lidia Fires, until a hazardous materials inspection is completed, according to a social media post by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Wednesday.
The order “aims to protect public health and safety during the cleanup process,” and does not apply to the removal of personal property from residential sites, according to the post.
The Environmental Protection Agency has been called in to remove hazardous household waste from properties damaged in the wildfires, with about $100 million and 500 people allocated to the cleanup process.
As winds continue to weaken across Southern California, the bulk of the red flag warnings have expired across the region, according to the National Weather Service.
The total population under red flag warnings – which indicate increased risk of fire danger – has dropped from over 10 million people to just over 30,000 people.
The final red flag warnings will be in place for the western San Gabriel Mountains, the Santa Susana Mountains and the I-5 Corridor until 3 p.m. PT (6 p.m. ET) Thursday. Winds of 15-25 mph with isolated gusts up to 40 mph are possible in the warned area, which does not include the locations of the Palisades or Eaton fires.
By Friday, winds will continue to lighten, and cooler, more humid air will settle in the area. Although no rainfall is in the forecast, these more favorable conditions will be helpful for firefighters still working to increase containment.
The cool, humid air and lighter winds are expected to last through the end of the weekend, aiding firefighters as they attempt to make significant jumps in containment.
Below are the highest wind gusts reported Wednesday:
This post has been updated with additional information.
California was granted more federal funding to help with public infrastructure repairs following a week of devastating wildfires, the governor’s office announced Wednesday.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency grant will help with debris removal, as well as with rebuilding roads and bridges, public utilities, and other public works projects damaged by the fires, the announcement said.
The last time Shaw Zhao spoke to his 84-year-old father, Zhi Feng Zhao, was around noon on January 7, he told CNN.
Shaw primarily lives in Portland, Oregon, but his father lived alone in their shared home in Altadena, California – an area ravaged by the Eaton Fire.
Shaw, 54, was planning on flying to Altadena the next day for reasons unrelated to the fire, and his father called him on January 7 to confirm his flight time and ask what he wanted to eat the next day.
Around 8:30 p.m., a long-time Altadena neighbor informed Shaw about the fire. Shaw said he tried to get in touch with his father all night and the following morning but couldn’t.
He took his scheduled flight and landed at the Burbank airport at around 7 a.m.
When his Lyft driver Gilian “Ian” Villatoro picked him up, Shaw explained the situation.
“I could only imagine what it would feel like to have my father unaccounted for in the middle of all of that,” Ian told CNN. “I felt like he needed help and I just needed to help him. There was no way that I could just meet somebody in that situation and not offer help.”
Ian tried to drive Shaw to his Altadena home, but it was still blocked off because of the fire, Ian said. Though Ian tried many backroads for a few hours, they couldn’t get in. They ultimately gave up and Ian dropped him off at the Pasadena Convention Center, where evacuees were staying.
“I walked through thousands of beds twice. I couldn’t find him,” Shaw said. “My heart sank. I know something terrible could’ve happened.”
They kept in touch that night, as the situation hit close to home for Ian who unexpectedly lost his mother in October to a heart attack.
The next morning, Ian offered to drive Shaw in his SUV back up to Altadena to see if they could find a way to look at his home. The neighborhood was still blocked off when they arrived, but Shaw, Ian and Ian’s wife all decided to make the 3-mile trek through the rubble to try to find the house using Google Maps.
When they finally found Shaw’s home of 20 years, it was destroyed. They saw a coyote in the yard – what Ian described as a bad omen.
Ian later discovered Shaw’s father’s remains, sparing Shaw from having to see them up close.
“I cried very dry and my friends (Gilian and his wife) tried to hold me,” cried Shaw. “I feel so grateful for Gilian and his wife, they spent a day and a half helping me … you can see the generosity of people.”
Shaw described his father, who was born in China, as a smart and talented person. Throughout Shaw’s entire education and career, he felt like he followed life lessons that his father taught him.
While some cars in Malibu were completely destroyed or covered in ash and soot, one bright blue retro Volkswagen van miraculously survived the wildfires.
The vehicle stood out among a sea of destruction as it sustained minimal damage, including burnt headlights and paint. The van’s owner, Megan Krystle Weinraub, said the situation is fitting because her and her friends always refer to it as “the magic bus.”
I just can’t believe that … my bus is the only thing that survived on the street that I walked by with my dog like every single day.
— Megan Krystle Weinraub, to CNN’s Erin Burnett
“I’m speechless to see all the houses burnt, and I can’t believe that Azul the bus — that’s what we named it — survived,” she said.
When Weinraub found out that she had to evacuate the area, she left immediately with her dog and thought the van was a “goner,” she said. After she found out the van was still intact, Weinraub and her friends exclaimed “wow, it is magic,” she said.
Several celebrities that call Los Angeles home are giving back to the fire-ravaged city.
Jamie Lee Curtis, Beyoncé, Paris Hilton and Leonardo DiCaprio have each donated between $100,000 and $2.5 million to fire relief and rebuilding efforts in Los Angeles County as it is devastated by ongoing wildfires.
Here’s what the celebrities have said about their contributions:
Along with the celebrities, major entertainment studios including Disney, Comcast, Netflix, Amazon, Sony and Warner Bros. Discovery have each donated between $5 million and $15 million to relief efforts.
Additionally, a coalition of major Los Angeles arts organizations and philanthropists have launched the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund with $12 million “for artists and arts workers in all disciplines who have lost residences, studios, or livelihoods or have otherwise been impacted by the devastating Los Angeles fires.”
Damage inspections for impact from the Palisades Fire are 30% completed, officials said, but there’s no confirmed dates for reopening closed areas where the teams are working.
“We are in constant communication with relevant agencies to assess when repopulation will be feasible,” said Cmdr. Christine Coles of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at a Wednesday news conference.
Over 100 sheriff’s department personnel, including search and rescue units and National Guard members, are “actively assisting with a range of critical operations,” Coles said, including looter suppression, evacuations, road closures, humanitarian relief and security patrols.
Robert Harris, deputy chief of the LA County Fire Department, said 75 mph winds are anticipated but have “not materialized at this point.”
This may change, so we are still at heightened risk at this time. I’d like to take this opportunity also to remind all of our residents that public safety power shut offs may still persist due to higher wind.
— Robert Harris, deputy chief LA County Fire Dept.
Daniel Gomez, who works as a mail carrier at the US Postal Service, said he has been delivering mail and packages to residents as much as he can after a post office in Altadena burned down during the Eaton Fire.
Altadena post office operations have been relocated to the Pasadena Post Office “until further notice,” according to a Thursday news release from USPS.
While Altadena post office staff are now working in Pasadena’s main post office, it’s “getting overwhelmed pretty quickly,” Gomez told CNN on Wednesday.
“We’re trying to clear up space to wherever we can, delivering to whatever blocks and houses that are still standing.”
Daniel Gomez, USPS mail carrier
When asked how he got through areas closed off to the public, Gomez said police and National Guard personnel blocking several spots would “just let me through,” after he explained he was trying to drop off packages.
Gomez, holding a package with “NA” written on it, said he would mark “No Access” on packages for homes he wasn’t able to deliver to.
“Hopefully they can come back to the main office in Pasadena and pick up their packages there because I’ve been hearing from a lot of people that they aren’t even allowed to enter their own homes,” Gomez said.
More than 150 leads have been generated from submitted tips as part of the investigation into the wildfires, said Jose Medina, acting special agent in charge of the ATF Los Angeles Field Division.
Some of the leads came from homeowners, witnesses and submitted videos to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Los Angeles police and fire departments, Cal Fire and the US Forest Service, Medina said.
“We have investigators scouring video from state-owned cameras that were in place in the area, from residents in the area and social media posts.
— Jose Medina, ATF
When asked whether authorities believe the cause of the Palisades Fire was a rekindling of the fire that was in that same area less than a week before, Medina said: “We’re not leading towards anything right now.”
“We’re taking everything in, evaluating all the evidence we receive, but it’s too early on in the investigation to make any determination,” he continued.
While there has been no fire growth over the past 24 hours and containment continues to rise, “extreme hazards and the potential for fire growth” are still at play, said Jim Hudson, Cal Fire incident commander, at a Wednesday news conference.
Hudson said a wildfire is deemed contained when officials are “100% sure and confident” there’s no future growth or ability to cross the control line.
At least 5,100 Cal Fire personnel has been assigned to designated areas, said Hudson, until “we are confirmed that this red flag event has moved through and that we’re able to render the areas safe around the perimeter, have solid confidence in our control line.”
There has been “tremendous success” in containing the wildfires in Los Angeles County, officials said Wednesday, while also cautioning residents to stay vigilant during the current weather pattern.
“We’ve had tremendous success in extinguishing the overall fire, as you also heard from our weather expert, we’re still in a weather pattern right now. So, we ask you to stay vigilant,” Los Angeles Fire Department Assistant Chief Joe Everett said at a Wednesday news conference.
Everett emphasized the dangers of smoldering hot spots, which can burn down into the root systems of trees and bushes where fire can linger, and toxins from the “byproducts of fire.”
He added that firefighters have faced difficult conditions while battling the Palisades Fire.
“We’re in day eight of this event. I’ve had an opportunity to see some of these firefighters come back to base camp. They’ve been on this from day one. These firefighters nonetheless have emerged bruised, battered, beaten. I really find that a true testament of the relentless battle that they’ve just endured.”
LAFD Assistant Chief Joe Everett
While Santa Ana winds are expected to calm down this week, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass warned that the winds could pick up again next week.
“We are not out of the woods yet,” Bass said during a Wednesday news conference.
She thanked firefighters for continuing to quickly fight fires as they’ve popped up around the county. This week’s Red Flag Warning is expected to expire this evening.
Actor Sean Penn described the city’s disaster relief centers as “so essential” in Los Angeles wildfire aid efforts.
I am just so immediately impressed with the center, it’s so essential, getting word out – the access – to this kind of information and navigation center for people.
— Sean Penn, at Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ news conference Wednesday afternoon
Penn has told CNN he’s been on the ground since day one with the relief organization CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) in order to help with immediate needs of residents — particularly cash assistance.
“We’ve worked very closely with the City of Los Angeles and LAFD during the COVID response, and we’re looking forward to continued partnership as we move forward with this fire disaster,” he added.
“I know PhDs who don’t know the first step of how to get themselves help for their losses,” he said, noting the importance of “the simple thing of coming to a place like this for those who can, and offering to maybe help a neighbor to get to this place for someone who can’t.”
Last month, 35-year fire veteran Freddy Escobar warned how understaffing within the Los Angeles Fire Department could impact residents. Now he’s watching as the city battles a devastating disaster.
Watch his emotional interview:
CNN’s Kyung Lah speaks with firefighter in California who have been sounding the alarm about staffing shortages as the state grapples with a major fire disaster. #lafires #cnn #cnnnews #losangeles
Donations of in-person goods are at capacity in Los Angeles County, including at many charities across the county, the county said in a post on X.
The county expressed gratitude for “overwhelming outpouring of generosity from the public,” but said the physical donations are “well beyond what many charitable organizations can process at this time.”
“LA County is working with our public and private partners to triage the flow of generous and well-intended support, and to develop systems to identify the most urgently needed items and get them to the people who need them in the most effective way we can,” the county said on its website.
A portal is being developed to help start a new fire relief fund to help direct donations to where they are needed, they said. In the meantime, the county recommends making a monetary donation to a reputable charity like the ones listed on Emergency Network Los Angeles.
As health officials urge people in areas impacted by ash from the wildfires to wear proper respiratory masks to help protect against potential health problems, county officials are offering them for free at public libraries.
N-95 masks are available at all Los Angeles Public Library locations, and residents can also go to the county’s local assistance and disaster recovery centers for masks, the county’s health department told CNN.
“These masks are specifically designed to reduce the exposure to harmful fine particles found in the ash and smoke, which can penetrate deep into your lungs and cause serious health problems.
Dr. Anish Mahajan, chief deputy director for Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Health
Los Angeles County also has masks available at seven of its library locations.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a Windblown Dust and Ash advisory due to the high winds expected, effective until 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The advisory impacts most of the 17 million residents, the agency told CNN, and ash remains “a higher concern at the moment.”
This post has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Amanda Musa contributed to this report.
While the wildfires in Los Angeles County have not grown in the last few days, the real issue is smoldering hot spots that can burn down into the root systems of trees and bushes where fire can linger.
Firefighting is in a critical period as dangerous winds fueling an extreme fire threat are expected to last until roughly mid-afternoon in parts of Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
If the wind picks back up, it could carry an ember and potentially spark another fire.
Residents who evacuated are eager to return, but officials cautioned on Wednesday that significant safety and infrastructure issues remain, along with toxic ash.
A week after wind-whipped wildfires began their deadly rampage through Southern California, details on acreage burned, structures destroyed and people killed are routinely updated on a state website devoted to tracking the devastation. But one category regarding each fire remains unchanged: The cause.
Amid speculation, rumors and media reports regarding how the fires may have begun, the official determination for each blaze is “under investigation.” Fire experts and arson investigators interviewed by CNN said it could take weeks, months or even longer before they know precisely how the fires ignited.
Figuring out what caused a fire, experts say, is a painstaking, time-intensive process.
Read more about piecing the puzzle together and the challenges investigators face.
The leaders of federal and local law enforcement agencies have created a joint task force to investigate and prosecute crimes related to the deadly wildfires in Los Angeles County, according to the Justice Department.
The Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force will focus on “investigating and prosecuting criminal actors seeking to exploit the wildfire crisis,” the Justice Department said in a Wednesday news release.
It will include representatives of the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, the city’s police department, among other agencies, the release said.
The task force will focus on crimes of looting, burglary and impersonation offenses, arson, illegal drone activity and financial fraud targeting “both disaster victims and those wishing to make charitable donations,” the agency said.
“We will not permit victims to be re-victimized,” US Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “As the rebuilding process begins and donations and relief funds come in, we must ensure that those seeking to take advantage through criminal activity are held fully accountable.”
Crews have been “making good progress” in fighting the deadly Eaton fire – bringing the 14,000 acre blaze to 45% containment, authorities said Wednesday.
“Crews have been making good progress,” Will Powers, fire inspector at the Santa Rosa Fire Department, told CNN. “Over the last couple of days, the weather has been very favorable.”
But dangerous winds may pick up and reignite the most destructive wildfire in Southern California history, Powers said. Already, the fire has burned nearly 7,000 structures, according to CalFire. It has also killed 17 people, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office.
The wind threat is set to last until roughly mid-afternoon in parts of Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Winds should ease even further by 6 p.m. PT – a reprieve for those fighting and enduring the inferno.
The winds could pose a safety hazard for crews fighting remaining hotspots in the backcountry mountains, Powers said. Because of how rugged and inaccessible the terrain is, they’ve been using aircrafts to get into some of the canyons.
Overall, crews have been “making a lot of good positive direction, getting a lot of that hand line in there, strengthening those lines,” Powers added. If winds were to cause fire growth, “we have those contingency lines in there and crews ready to respond,” he said.
As for what comes next, Powers said he hopes to soon get residents safely back to their homes after the wind threat lifts.
The strongest Santa Ana winds will finally ease late Wednesday for most of Southern California, but relief won’t last long.
The wind direction will finally change Friday and usher in more moist air that will raise the relative humidity level in the region, and along with weaker winds, will tamp down the fire threat through the weekend.
But that pattern flip won’t last forever. Another batch of Santa Ana winds could develop sometime Tuesday or Wednesday next week, the National Weather Service in Los Angeles cautioned Wednesday. There’s about a 40% chance these concerning winds develop again, but the exact timing or intensity is unclear, according to the NWS.
“Widespread critical fire weather conditions, downed trees/power lines, continued smoke and poor air quality, and power outages are possible if the dry and windy conditions are realized,” the Climate Prediction Center warned.
The fire threat will remain high for the foreseeable future with each new batch of Santa Ana winds, which are very common in the winter in Southern California, until the region gets meaningful rain.
January is Southern California’s second-wettest month, but Los Angeles and some surrounding cities have been bone dry since the year began.
A California family believed they had lost their home in the Palisades Fire after their security cameras captured flames erupting in their backyard on January 7.
A week later, they were able to piece together more of the footage to see firefighters scrambling to save their property.
Zibby Owens, who was in New York when the wildfires started, watched through her home security camera as flames shot up near the pool in the backyard of her Pacific Palisades home.
After seeing that footage, Owens was certain her home was gone, she told CNN.
“Our home is probably gone, the last thing we got word of were some sprinkler alarms and a heat warning at our front door and that’s it. I can’t imagine it’s okay,” Owens wrote on Instagram last week.
Here is what Owens saw when looking at her security footage:
The cameras had been offline since the power went out in the area, and the family had not been able to get a status check on their home.
On Tuesday, the Owens scrolled back through the footage to see if they could find more moments from the fire.
What they saw was three heroic firefighters jumping quickly into action to do what they could to save their property.
Watch that moment here:
At first, heavy winds, smoke and flames are captured by multiple cameras.
Then, a firetruck pulls up and firefighters approach the home, entering through the side yard.
One grabs a hose and quickly begins spraying portions of the home and the backyard. They continue to do what they can to battle the blaze by putting a fire out in the storage shed on the side of the house.
“That was all you. You three saved our home. And doing so, saved our neighbors’ homes too, which all remain intact,” Owens said in a post on Instagram. “Our home remains because you protected it. Because of your bravery and quick thinking.”
“I don’t know where you are today or what your life has been like since Tuesday. Have you slept? Are you okay? Can you breathe? Your families must be so worried about you,” Owens added.
Owens said she and her family feel guilty their home still stands amid the devastation surrounding the area. “Our home miraculously survived. But my soul feels crushed,” she said.
She remains determined to find the firefighters who saved her home and share her appreciation for their heroic efforts.
“If you ever see this, and this is you, please tell us so we can properly thank you. Or, at least, try,” Owens said.
Video credit: Zibby Owens
So far, more than $100 million has been raised for California wildfire victims on GoFundMe. However, some of those fundraising efforts could end up limiting the money available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
FEMA can provide financial assistance for those who lost homes, vehicles or possessions in a natural disaster. But it can only make funds available to cover costs not covered by other sources, such as insurance or donations like those that come through GoFundMe.
Read more on how GoFundMe help could limit FEMA assistance for fire victims here.
Mayor Karen Bass stood by the Los Angeles Fire Department’s decisions regarding prepositioning resources ahead of the deadly fires that destroyed thousands of structures across acres of the city.
“The buck always stops with me,” Bass told reporters who asked about LA Times reporting that LAFD commanders declined to assign 1,000 available firefighters and other resources for emergency deployment as fire warnings picked up in the Pacific Palisades
The Los Angeles Fire Department pre-deployed the necessary resources, followed protocol and surged staff where it could to respond to the wildfires, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said Wednesday during a news conference.
Her response comes after the Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday, the fire department failed to pre-position about 1,000 available firefighters and dozens of fire engines on January 7 as winds picked up, ahead of the Palisades Fire. The report, citing interviews with current and former LAFD officials and internal LAFD records, claimed the LAFD staffed only five of more than 40 water-carrying engines that were available and did not order firefighters to remain on duty for a second shift, which would have doubled the number of staff on hand, before the fire spun out of control.
Crowley said Wednesday that the department “pre-deployed the resources on top of what we normally would do. They went to work. We immediately, then utilized all available on duty, special duty people that aren’t normally in the field. They surged.”
“We have the system that’s built. We followed the system. We surged where we could surge,” she added.
When asked whether more could have been done to save neighborhoods and lives, Crowley said, “I would think, fundamentally, as we surged exactly how we did, our firefighters pushed in, they did everything that they could, and it’s a ‘what-if.’”
Students at two Pacific Palisades elementary schools destroyed by fire are getting back to class Wednesday in new locations.
Children from Palisades Charter Elementary School are meeting at Brentwood Elementary Science Magnet five miles away, while students at Marquez Charter Elementary are being moved 10 miles to Nora Sterry Elementary.
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho greeted students at the Brentwood school, saying they’re doing their best to get them back into a routine.
“We have a fundamental responsibility to normalize conditions,” said Carvalho.
But one student from Palisades Charter told CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS it is hard to think about the school he left behind.
All the memories I had there were just burned to ashes.
Fifth grader Arjun Puthenpurayan
The Pasadena Unified School District remains closed through Friday.
See the extensive damage to Marquez Elementary here:
Video credit: Los Angeles Unified School District
Charges have been filed in two additional arson cases unrelated to the Palisades and Eaton fires, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
However, these incidents did occur within the area facing dangerously high winds this week.
“We charged an individual who set a fire in the city of Industry,” Hochman said in a Wednesday news conference. “He set bushes on fire. He set a pallet on fire. He set the back of a tractor trailer on fire. Those fires were quickly put out.”
Another person has been charged with starting a fire underneath the I-605 freeway in Irwindale, Hochman said. That fire was also quickly put out, he added.
On Monday, Hochman’s office charged 10 people – nine of them for looting and one for arson “not connected with the origination” of the Palisades and Eaton fires.
The individuals charged are facing between six and 22 years in prison, according to Hochman.
“These are very significant punishments,” Hochman said Wednesday. “Justice will be significant if you want to take advantage of this tragedy.”
The air quality index (AQI) for much of the Los Angeles basin showed good to moderate air quality on Wednesday morning, according to AirNow.gov. However, those values could be deceiving.
“Wind-blown ash particles may be too large to be picked up by our regular instruments and will not influence the AQI measures that we pointed folks to look at for air quality,” Nichole Quick, chief medical adviser for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, explained in a Wednesday news conference.
If ash is spotted in the air or settled on nearby surroundings, it’s “critical to wear appropriate respiratory precautions” including N95 and P100 masks, Quick urged.
The AQI describes air quality with one of six levels ranging from good to hazardous and is based on the measurement of pollutants in the atmosphere. Pollutants that worsen air quality are typically so small they can’t be seen by the human eye without a microscope. Sensors aren’t built to measure the large, visible bits of ash and debris in the air and settling on surfaces in Southern California.
The Environmental Protection Agency has been tasked with reducing the “immediate threat” of hazards from properties impacted by the wildfires in California. The order comes after California Governor Gavin Newsom requested the federal government remove all household hazardous waste, FEMA Region IX Administrator Robert Fenton, Jr. announced Wednesday.
FEMA has allocated $100 million to begin the cleanup process, Fenton said, noting that the EPA will stand up 40 teams with approximately 500 personnel over the next few days.
The teams will be tasked with removing everyday products like paints, cleaners, solvents, oils, batteries, pesticides, larger asbestos debris, pressurized fuel cylinders, and lithium-ion batteries. The EPA will work in close coordination with the state, county, city and local communities across the fire areas, including the incident commands of the Palisades and Eaton fires.
“This will be the first step in getting survivors back to their homes and communities, removing those hazards from that area, so that then we can get into greater debris clearing and ultimately rebuilding,” Fenton said.
Angelenos were urged to abide by evacuation notices and warnings, even as progress has been made battling the multiple fires burning across the region.
“As we know, we are still not quite out of the woods, and so I would just encourage and implore upon all Angelinos, please take the warning seriously and the evacuation notices seriously,” Mayor Karen Bass said Wednesday. “If you are in an area where there is a warning, get prepared now. Get packed. Take everything you need with you– your medications and your pets if that is possible.”
Firefighters are looking forward to a reprieve from the dangerous winds fueling an extreme fire threat, which is set to expire mid-afternoon in portions of Ventura and Los Angeles counties, and should ease even further by Thursday evening.
Displaced Los Angeles County residents can now seek housing refuge with FEMA’s transitional shelter assistance program, according to FEMA Administrator Robert Fenton, Jr.
The shelter was activated Tuesday night following an order by California Governor Gavin Newsom, Fenton said during a Wednesday morning news conference.
“I’m happy to announce, as of today, this program is now open,” Fenton said. The program allows “fire survivors to stay at participating hotels to help fill the housing gap until they can identify a short-or-longer-term housing solution.”
Through this program, FEMA pays for the cost of the hotel room, taxes and non-refundable pet fees, Fenton said. FEMA does not cover the cost of services like laundry and parking, he added.
The program may also be available for individuals with insurance who are in the process of figuring out what their policy covers, Fenton said.
“FEMA is reaching out to fire survivors that have registered with us that would be eligible for this program,” Fenton noted. “You don’t need to request this type of assistance. If you’re eligible, FEMA will notify you via phone, text or email.”
FEMA has received up to 53,000 registrations for its Individual Assistance Program, with almost $12 million provided, Fenton added.
As the effort to fundraise and rebuild begins amid the devastation caused by the Los Angeles County fires, scammers are already targeting those who want to help, LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Wednesday.
People should do their research before donating to an organization and only donate to reputable sources that will actually get the money to people in need, he advised.
“Over and over, we are seeing scams involving charities, where people who want to donate either money or services to the recovery effort are being targeted by these scammers,” Hochman said during a news conference.
“Do not donate cash. Do not even donate Bitcoin, because it’s very hard to track,” he added.
People should also be on the lookout for insurance scams, Hochman said.
“There are scammers out there who are going to try and make you promises that they can give you certain benefits from insurance that are completely false,” he said.
For the scammers, Hochman warned the consequences “will be swift and they will be significant.”
A non-profit group of humanitarian disaster response volunteers has been deployed to assist victims of the wildfires in Los Angeles.
“We’re also introducing a team of volunteers from an NGO known as Team Rubicon, to assist the public at various checkpoints,” LA Police Chief Jim McDonnell said Wednesday. “These humanitarian aid workers will be available at checkpoints to direct residents to resources and answer questions and are available to inform and support our community.”
The group was co-founded by Jake Wood, a former Marine, after he led dozens of veterans on a mission to Haiti after the massive 2010 earthquake.
Wildfire victims should not have to worry about government hassle when rebuilding their homes and businesses, said the Los Angeles County supervisor representing the area around the Eaton Fire.
“Impacted residents who cannot afford for government to build up services slowly, I make you this promise: Our board is united. We are going to make it as easy as possible for you to rebuild,” Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said.
Barger visited a disaster recovery center in Pasadena Tuesday and said residents she spoke to planned to stay in the community.
“It gave me hope that we are on the road to rebuilding,” Barger said. “People weren’t saying if I rebuild, it’s when I rebuild.”
Search and rescue teams have completed approximately 78% of the needed searches in Altadena – an estimated 5,516 properties, LA County Sheriff Robert G. Luna said Wednesday.
“I’m hoping, with luck, maybe by the end of today, maybe tomorrow, that will be done,” Luna said, noting the same search and rescue operations started in the Palisades area on Tuesday.
No further fatalities had been confirmed in the search area since Tuesday, the sheriff said.
At least 25 deaths have been connected to the fires, 16 from the Eaton Fire and nine from Palisades Fire, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.
This post has been updated with additional information.
Residents who evacuated their homes in the Los Angeles County area due to the wildfires are eager to go home, but significant safety barriers remain, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said Wednesday during a news conference.
“We understand your desire to return to your community, however, significant safety and infrastructure issues remain, including downed power lines, broken gas lines, hazardous materials and unsafe water,” Crowley said.
Officials are working diligently to address the safety challenges, she noted, but the fire risk remains.
“The combination of low humidity and strong winds has further dried out the brush, increasing the risk of fire,” Crowley said. “The danger has not yet passed, so please, please prioritize your safety.”
Winds in the areas of Los Angeles hard hit by wildfires were not as gusty as forecasters feared Tuesday, but local fire chiefs say residents should not take that as a sign that the danger is over.
“The anticipated 70 mph winds have yet to materialize. However, this could change, and we are still at risk,” said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone.
Even without the same kind of stunning spread of flames and embers that were seen last week, the city fire chief said there is still plenty of fuel that could burn.
“The combination of low humidity and strong winds has further dried out the brush, increasing the risk of fire,” said Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley. “The danger has not yet passed, so please, please prioritize your safety.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joins other city and county officials as they provide an update on their response to the wildfires and wind event affecting the Los Angeles area.
The expected speakers for Wednesday’s briefing include the following:
The Eaton Fire burning in Altadena, California, has been nearly half contained since it began on January 7.
The fire is 45% contained after scorching 14,117 acres, according to the latest data from Cal Fire on Wednesday.
The “upper reaches” of the Eaton Fire could potentially encounter an increase in the dangerous winds fueling a “particularly dangerous situation” (PDS) fire threat in the region, but it is not guaranteed, the National Weather Service said Wednesday.
Authorities have so far confirmed at least 16 people have died and 4,627 structures, including homes, have been destroyed.
Southern Californians must endure another 8 hours of dangerous winds that, along with bone-dry vegetation, is fueling a “particularly dangerous situation” (PDS) fire threat in the region until Wednesday afternoon.
A highest-level PDS red flag warning is in effect for portions of Ventura and Los Angeles counties from now until 3 p.m. PST Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Winds will ease further by 6 p.m. PST and red flag warnings will then expire for much of Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
Some red flag warnings will continue into Thursday afternoon outside of active fire zones for the Santa Susana Mountains, the western San Gabriel Mountains and part of the Interstate-5 corridor, with much less severe conditions than in recent days.
Fortunately, Wednesday’s strongest winds should also be outside of where crews are fighting to contain the Palisades and Eaton fires.
“The good news is that the winds through the Santa Monica (mountains) will be focused on the western third of the range far away from the Palisades Fire,” the NWS said Wednesday, adding that the “upper reaches” of the Eaton Fire could potentially encounter an increase in winds but that’s not guaranteed.
Winds will also blow more from the east than previous days, directing the strongest winds into more of southern Ventura County and away from the ongoing fires.
Gusts up to 60 mph are possible in some mountain areas while the strongest gusts elsewhere – especially the Santa Clarita Valley – will generally be 50 mph or less into Wednesday evening.
As strong Santa Ana winds sweep across Los Angeles County through Wednesday evening, the South Coast Air Quality Management District in Southern California warned dust and ash from the burning wildfires may impact air quality in the region.
“Strong winds are expected to continue dispersing ash and dust from burn scars in the Palisades, Eaton, and other impacted areas. Air quality may reach levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse in some regions,” the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a Windblown Dust and Ash advisory issued Tuesday.
Children, older adults, those who are pregnant, and people with heart or lung conditions are at most risk, but small particles in the dust and ash may cause irritation or aggravate pre-existing health conditions in anyone, the health departments says.
For safety, officials advise residents to stay inside with windows and doors closed and use an air purifier or run air conditioners on recirculate mode, if possible. If people must go outside, they should wear an N95 or P100 mask and goggles.
Masks are available at public libraries, recreation centers and senior centers, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said at a news conference this week.
Los Angeles County residents can properly protect themselves from breathing in wildfire ash by picking up free N95 masks at city and county libraries this week, officials say.
People in areas impacted by ash from the deadly wildfires should wear proper respiratory masks to help protect against potential health problems, a city health official said Tuesday.
Where you can find free masks:
The city of Los Angeles has distributed “hundreds” of N95 masks, according to Mayor Karen Bass. Masks are also being given out at recreation centers, senior centers and local nonprofits.
Respiratory masks like N95 or P100 masks are the only types of masks that can properly protect someone from breathing in the ash, according to Dr. Anish Mahajan, chief deputy director for Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Health.
“These masks are specifically designed to reduce the exposure to harmful fine particles found in the ash and smoke, which can penetrate deep into your lungs and cause serious health problems,” Mahajan said Tuesday during a news conference.
Other face coverings, like cloth masks, medical masks or bandanas, will not provide adequate protection against ash and fine particles, he added.
Firefighters are working against strong winds as they try to contain the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires.
Here are the latest developments:
More than a week into the Los Angeles wildfire disaster, some evacuees are finding it hard to keep up the energy to deal with the search for a new normal.
“At this point in this journey, we are exhausted. I think all the firefighters are exhausted,” said actress Ashley Scott, who had to leave when her home was affected by the Palisades Fire.
“We feel frazzled,” she told CNN’s Kasie Hunt. “We haven’t regulated.”
Still, Scott said the outpouring of help from neighbors and people across the country is encouraging.
“What’s really showing up for us is people really supporting one another and opening their homes for giving their food,” Scott said.
“There’s beauty in the disaster.”
Correction: An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated the location of Ashley Scott’s home.
The Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires have now burnt across the Los Angeles County area for days, charring more than 60 square miles of land and claiming the lives of at least 25 people.
But conditions are expected to ease going into the weekend, according to CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar.
Wind gusts will drop into the single digits on Wednesday night and into Thursday “making it extremely helpful for the firefighters to really be able to get the rest of those containment numbers back up to 100%, which is exactly what they want to hear,” said.
“The good news is there is light at the end of the tunnel. When we get closer to the weekend we are going to see much more favorable conditions,” she said.
Red flag warnings will continue throughout Wednesday until 6 p.m. local time, with winds expected to gust between 60 and 70 mph. While the “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red flag warning will continue to cover the Eaton Fire, the National Weather Service said, while “winds in the Palisades fire area are expected to remain on the lower side of wind forecast.”
The PDS red flag warning covers the following areas:
“Oh my God. I just can’t,” Paul Yonet said.
It’s the first time Paul and his 91-year-old father, Howard Yonet, have seen what’s left of the home they’ve lived in for decades.
National Guard roadblocks are keeping them out, but CNN was able to grab video for them and a few mementos buried amongst the ashes.
”That was my mom’s horse,” Paul said, holding the broken blue ash-covered horse figurine. “That was Danielle’s horse that she used to decorate the pots. Oh my God. Her angels.”
“She passed away in June, so we’re recovering from that and how this happened,” Howard said.
“I would have saved all this stuff if I had taken the evacuation seriously,” Paul added.
When the evacuation orders came last week, Paul and Howard stayed thinking the wildfire would never reach their haven. They raced to safety after trying to defend their home with garden hoses.
”We were watering the house and plants that were adjacent to the house. We thought that would do it and then suddenly it was a wall of flames and heat and embers, my jacket was catching on fire,” Howard explained. “Paul was smart enough to put important papers in the car and the dogs. And we were the last ones out in the Palisades.”
Howard’s other son, Henri Yonet, went back to the neighborhood early the next morning to see the fires for himself. CNN showed him the video of his childhood home.
With the widespread devastation in the community he grew up in, Henri’s not sure how they’ll come back again.
“You have people who have lost everything and are absolutely not going to be able to afford having to live somewhere else on a pension,” Henri said.
As firefighters continue their battle against the blazes in Los Angeles, many who have escaped the flames are starting the long road to recovery.
CNN has spoken with firefighters in California who have been sounding the alarm about staffing shortages as the state grapples with a major fire disaster.
Here’s what they had to say:
As many as 12,000 homes, businesses and other structures may have been destroyed in the wildfires raging in Los Angeles County, rendering entire communities ashen piles of rubble.
But here and there amid the Palisades and Eaton fires, in places not protected by the private fire crews of the wealthy, a home survived – an apparent miracle – raising questions about how one structure can make it through while others within shouting distance burn to the ground.
While it may be impossible ever to know for sure, several variables could be in play for those homes that survive, experts say: a smart, fire-resilient design; an owners’ preparation, like clearing away flammable vegetation; the sometimes-unknown intervention of firefighters; the wind and weather; or, frankly, luck.
One element is the design, construction and preparation of the building. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is increasingly encouraging homeowners to “harden” their homes, implementing features to help fireproof them.
This can include building or retrofitting key parts of a home – like roof, walls, windows, decks, garages, fences and gutters, among others – with more ember- and flame-resistant materials, like concrete and steel.
Architect Greg Chasen believes a number of these features helped save a home he designed and helped build just last year that survived the Palisades Fire: He posted on X a photo of the home, showing it almost untouched, standing pristinely next door to its neighbor, now a charred husk with a burned-out vehicle sitting on its frame in the driveway.
Read more about other elements that helped protect some homes and not others here.
The Los Angeles City Council adopted a number of resolutions on Tuesday to help residents recover from the damage of the wildfires and return to normalcy, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The measures passed include speeding up federal emergency funds, assessing the potential for mudslides, and protecting residents from evictions and price gouging, especially evacuees and pet owners, according to the LA Times.
One proposal would pause rent increases and bar evictions for a year for tenants experiencing hardship after the fires, but the motion was referred to committee.
“An early estimate has placed the damage to public property and infrastructure at approximately $360 million,” said the resolution regarding federal funds, adding these gaps in funding could affect essential services “such as public safety, libraries, parks, homeless services.”
Separately, the LA County Board of Supervisors ordered the creation of a fund to help residents or businesses who lost their livelihoods or homes on Tuesday.
The board voted to give the Chief Executive Officer a week to draft the parameters of the fund, which “which may include options to partner with philanthropy, receive private sector donations and provide relief and support to those impacted by the windstorm and critical fire events,” according to the meeting agenda.
“We know that the list of needs is deep and will run the gamut from childcare to housing assistance to wage reimbursement,” said Kathryn Barger, chair of the board, at the meeting. The fund “will give an opportunity for funders to support the tremendous needs throughout the county.”
The Los Angeles Fire Department did not pre-position about 1,000 available firefighters and dozens of fire engines on January 7 as winds picked up, ahead of the destructive Palisades Fire, the Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday, citing interviews with current and former LAFD officials and internal LAFD records.
The report claimed the LAFD staffed five of more than 40 water-carrying engines that were available last Tuesday, before the fires spun out of control. It also claimed fire officials did not order firefighters to remain on duty for a second shift, which would have doubled the number of staff on hand.
CNN reached out to the LAFD for comment on Tuesday.
In a statement to the LA Times, LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley defended their response and said officials had to be strategic with limited resources.
“The plan that they put together, I stand behind, because we have to manage everybody in the city,” Crowley told the LA Times.
She also claimed that budget cuts had slashed the LAFD’s mechanic positions — leaving some of the “ready reserve” engines out of service.
For context: Questions over LA’s preparedness for the firestorm have led to political finger-pointing.
LA Mayor Karen Bass has faced criticism for recent budget cuts at the LAFD, though she claimed the cuts “really did not affect what we’ve been going through.”
The National Weather Service (NWS) has reinstated the “Particularly Dangerous Situation” (PDS) red flag warnings for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura on Wednesday as gusty winds are expected.
The warnings had been dropped on Tuesday due to lower-than-expected winds.
While Wednesday’s winds are not expected to be as strong as last week, winds across higher elevations could exceed 50 miles per hour. Widespread lower elevations could also see wind gusts up to 50 mph which could cause any new fires to quickly spread out of control.
While the PDS red flag warning will continue to cover the Eaton Fire, the weather service said “winds in the Palisades fire area are expected to remain on the lower side of wind forecast”.
The PDS red flag warning covers the following areas:
The majority of the regular red flag warnings are set to expire across Southern California by 6 p.m. PT Wednesday.
Conditions are expected to begin to improve Thursday with winds expected to continue to decrease. The current forecast calls for gusts of 30 mph on Thursday and for the remainder of the red flag warnings to expire.
The preliminary forecast through the weekend is for cooler and more humid air to move over Southern California, which can help to alleviate some of the dry air that has been ongoing across the region.
While this weather is more favorable, the primary source of relief would come in the form of rounds of rainfall over the region. Unfortunately, rainfall is not in the forecast for the next seven days and doesn’t seem likely through the end of the month. Below average rainfall is expected through at least the first week of February, which is usually Southern California’s wettest month.
Intuit Dome, the home of the LA Clippers in Inglewood, California, will host FireAid, a benefit concert aimed at raising funds for rebuilding communities devastated by wildfires in Los Angeles, according to Live Nation, the live entertainment promoting company. The event is set for January 30.
Together with his wife Shelli, Irving Azoff, who represents a roster of iconic artists including The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac and Maroon 5, among others, is spearheading the initiative in collaboration with Live Nation and AEG Presents, which belongs to Anschutz Entertainment Group. Azoff’s son, Jeffrey, manages former One Direction’s Harry Styles, fueling speculation about potential hosts for the concert. Azoff is partly owner of MSG, the entertainment company operating the Madison Square Garden in New York.
Live Nation says the lineup for the concert, described as “an evening of music and solidarity,” will be announced soon.
Proceeds from the concert will go towards a nonprofit created for this event that will focus on rebuilding infrastructure, supporting displaced families, and advancing fire prevention technologies and strategies to ensure Southern California is better prepared for fire emergencies, the release says.
The announcement follows a pledge from The Recording Academy and nonprofit MusiCares, which committed $1 million to support music professionals impacted by the wildfires, according to a release.
“The entire Grammy family is shocked and deeply saddened by the situation unfolding in Los Angeles,” Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares said in a statement. “The music community is being so severely impacted, but we will come together as an industry to support one another.”
As firefighters battle several blazes across metro Los Angeles, high wind conditions across the region in the hours ahead remain a challenge.
Forecasters expected winds to uptick from Tuesday night through Wednesday. More than 6 million people are under a critical fire threat Wednesday across several counties in Southern California, including cities outside of Los Angeles County such as Anaheim, Riverside, San Bernardino and Oxnard.
Northeast winds at 20 to 30 mph are forecast with gusts of 50 mph possible, the National Weather Service cautioned.
Here are the latest developments:
Death toll climbs: The fires have killed at least 25 people — nine in the Palisades Fire and 16 in the Eaton Fire.
Air quality remains low: People in areas impacted by ash from the wildfires should wear proper respiratory masks to help protect against potential health problems, a city health official said. A windblown dust and ash advisory covering close to 17 million residents is in effect through 7 p.m. Wednesday.
State combats predatory real estate offers: Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order preventing “aggressive and unsolicited cash offers” under market value to wildfire victims in 15 zip codes in the Los Angeles area, saying, “We will not allow greedy developers to rip off these working-class communities at a time when they need more support than ever before.”
Temporary relocation of schools: Two schools in the Palisades that burned down will resume classes on temporary campuses, as the Los Angeles Unified School District works to “return to normalcy,” the district said. Last week, the superintendent said at least a third of all students in the district — the second-largest school district nationwide and the largest in California — are being impacted in some way by the fires.
Impacts of climate change: The fires over the past week were larger and burned hotter than they would have in a world without planet-warming fossil fuel pollution, a UCLA analysis suggests. The report is clear in saying the fires likely still would have occurred in a world without climate pollution, but it concludes they would have been “somewhat smaller and less intense.”
CNN’s Josh Campbell reports on the controversy surrounding some private firefighters being hired by some neighborhoods and insurance companies to step in for a Los Angeles Fire Department stretched thin.
Longtime Altadena resident Kimberly Winiecki, 77, has been identified as a victim of the Eaton Fire, her close friend Jeannette McMahon told CNN.
McMahon last saw Winiecki on January 6, the day before the Eaton Fire broke out, she said.
“We were good friends. On Monday night we had dinner, well, what we didn’t know was going to be our farewell dinner,” McMahon said.
McMahon told CNN she tried to help Winiecki evacuate when the fire broke out.
“The winds picked up on Tuesday and then around 8 p.m. I could see the fire from my home, so I texted Kim and said, ‘Kim, I need to come pick you up,” McMahon said. “She responded and said ‘I’m fine. I’m calm.’”
McMahon said she was unable to get in touch with Winiecki after that day but eventually spoke with Winiecki’s brother who informed her officials had contacted him to notify him of Winiecki’s death.
“She was a very intelligent woman, just so sensitive and expressive. She was a writer and a delight to be with. It was such a joy to be around her,” McMahon said about her friend.
For the last 20 years, McMahon said she and Winiecki met at least twice a week.
“I had many parties; dinner parties and gatherings and Kim was a part of them. She didn’t like being in pictures, but she used to love taking photos of our gatherings and table settings and sending the photos to her sister. I’ll miss her insightfulness and wittiness.”
Republicans in Congress will consider “culpability” when approving any disaster aid for Democratic-led California, said House Speaker Mike Johnson Tuesday, as deadly wildfires ravage Los Angeles County for a second week.
“We’re all Americans, and the Americans there, that are affected, desperately need and deserve help,” Johnson said during a news conference, but noted “concerns” over how California is governed, at the state and local levels.
“To the extent that there is complicity involved in the scope of the disaster, then we think that’s something that needs to be carefully regarded.”
Any wildfire aid package should have conditions, the speaker told reporters, including CNN’s Manu Raju, on Monday.
“If Gavin Newsom and local leaders made decisions that made this disaster exponentially worse — which it appears there were — should there be some consequence of that? Should there be some kind of safeguard on the funding?” Johnson told reporters. People in other states should not have to pay for “bad decisions” made in California, Johnson said.
While Johnson did not elaborate on potential conditions, he said Republicans do not intend to leave Americans behind.
“We may need to think carefully about safeguards,” Johnson added, pointing to the conditions on flood insurance included in the Hurricane Katrina aid package for his home state of Louisiana two decades ago.
The widespread destruction caused by the Eaton and the Palisades fires have led Cal Fire to rank them as the first and second-most destructive fires in Southern California, respectively.
The Eaton Fire has taken the position of the most destructive and deadly fire in Southern California history, according to CalFire. The fire has burned over 14,000 acres and 7,000 structures, according to the agency’s count. It has killed 17 people, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office.
The Palisades Fire ranks as the second-most destructive fire in Southern California history, with more than 23,000 acres and 5,000 structures burned. The county medical examiner’s office has confirmed the Palisades Fire has killed at least eight people.
The previous record for the most deadly and destructive fire in Southern California was the Cedar Fire in October 2003. This fire burned nearly 3,000 structures and killed 15 people in San Diego County.
A CNN analysis of the most recent data available from the 10 largest US cities and other comparable departments shows the Los Angeles Fire Department is less staffed than almost any other major city.
Less than a month before the fires swept across Los Angeles County, a group of longtime firefighters gathered at City Hall to plead for more resources, according to the report by CNN Investigates.
“I’m going to say what people can’t say,” said Freddy Escobar, president of the city’s fire union and a veteran firefighter. “If we cut one position, if we close one station … the residents of Los Angeles are going to pay the ultimate sacrifice, and someone will die.”
Experts have said no fire department in the world would have been able to take on such a perfect storm of conditions that resulted in LA’s devastating blazes – which have burned more than 40,000 acres, destroyed more than 12,000 structures and caused at least 24 deaths.
But images of residents in some neighborhoods trying to save homes with garden hoses and no firefighters in sight have sparked a new debate over whether city officials should have planned better and invested more in the LAFD, and what should be done to become better positioned for the next emergency.
Despite being located in one of the most fire-prone areas in the country, the LAFD has less than one firefighter for every 1,000 residents, the data shows.
That compares to cities such as Chicago, Dallas and Houston, where staffing is closer to two firefighters for the same number of residents. Of the largest cities, only San Diego has fewer firefighters per capita.
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