New fast-moving fire emerges as death toll from raging LA wildfires climbs to 10: Updates
Editor's Note: This page is a summary of news on the LA fires for Thursday, Jan. 9. For the latest updates on the Los Angeles wildfires in California, please read USA TODAY'S live updates for Friday, Jan. 10.
PASADENA, Calif. ? Firefighters on Thursday battled multiple deadly wildfires that ravaged communities across Los Angeles County, destroying more than 10,000 homes, businesses, vehicles, and other structures.
The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner said it has received notification of 10 fire-related deaths. The department said all cases are pending identification and legal next of kin notification.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the death toll would likely change when it's safe for human remains detection teams to conduct house-to-house searches.
"The obvious question is, 'Do you think it's going to grow?' I am praying it doesn't but based on the devastation that is clear – it looks like a bomb, an atomic bomb – dropped in these areas, I don't expect good news," Luna said at a Thursday evening news briefing.
In total, five fires were active in Los Angeles County, scorching more than 45 square miles across the region, according to Cal Fire. The Palisades Fire in the coastal Pacific Palisades community and the Eaton Fire, located east in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, remained the largest blazes with 0% containment.
Officials said at a Thursday briefing over 5,000 structures were burned in the Eaton Fire. In the Palisades Fire, Cal Fire said an aerial survey estimated that 5,316 structures may have been destroyed, which includes residential and commercial buildings along with smaller structures such as RVs and sheds.
Authorities said earlier Thursday that almost 180,000 people have been ordered to evacuate, and another 200,000 face evacuation warnings. Luna added that 20 people have been arrested for looting and that he planned to impose a curfew as soon as Thursday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in areas impacted by the fires.
On Thursday, the Kenneth fire ignited in the Woodland Hills neighborhood in northern Los Angeles, which borders the Santa Monica Mountains. The blaze, which spread 960 acres within hours, initially prompted immediate mandatory evacuation orders before all evacuation orders and warnings issued were lifted by 8 p.m. local time, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Extreme Santa Ana winds have hindered firefighting operations and spread the fires that began breaking out earlier this week. Officials said the winds had eased somewhat Thursday, but the National Weather Service said critical fire weather could last through Friday.
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Fire updates:
? Firefighters finally made some headway on the Palisades Fire, which erupted Tuesday morning and rapidly spread over 31 square miles. By Thursday night, Cal Fire said it had reached 6% containment.
?The Eaton Fire near Pasadena had grown to more than 21 square miles Thursday. The fire was 0% contained and its cause was under investigation, Cal Fire said.
? The Hurst Fire in the Sylmar area of northern Los Angeles burned 771 acres and was 37% contained, Cal Fire said.
? The Kenneth Fire near Calabasas scorched about 1,000 acres and was 35% percent contained by 11 p.m. local time, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.
? The Lidia Fire near unincorporated Acton grew to 394 acres and was about 75% contained as of 10 p.m. local time, Cal Fire said.
Latest wind forecast: Los Angeles experts warns of more fire danger from Santa Ana winds
Air quality check: How many bad air days has your county had?
Drone collides with firefighting aircraft over Palisades Fire
A firefighting aircraft was grounded on Thursday after it was struck by a drone while flying over the Palisades Fire, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The firefighting aircraft landed safely and the incident is being investigated by the FAA,.
The FAA has implemented several temporary flight restrictions in the Los Angeles area to protect firefighting aircraft and the agency said that it has not authorized anyone unaffiliated with firefighting operations to fly drones in these restricted areas.
"It’s a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands," the FAA said. "The FAA treats these violations seriously and immediately considers swift enforcement action for these offenses."
Kenneth Fire emerges in West Hills area of California
VENTURA, Calif. — The Kenneth Fire was reported Thursday afternoon near the boundary between Ventura and Los Angeles counties, according to the Ventura County Office of Emergency Services. It impacted both counties.
About 400 firefighters were expected to remain on scene overnight knocking down hot spots and providing structure protection. There were no immediate reports of structures damaged or destroyed, said Andrew Dowd, spokesman for Ventura County Fire.
The Ventura County Fire Department is in unified command on the incident with the Los Angeles County Fire and Sheriff's departments.
— Cheri Carlson, Ventura County Star
Los Angeles fuel pipelines shut down due to power outages
Pipeline operator Kinder Morgan Inc. said two of its fuel pipelines in the Los Angeles area have been shut down since Wednesday due to power outages amid the wildfires.
The company said its two pipelines, the 515-mile SFPP West pipeline and the 566-mile CALNEV pipeline, were not directly impacted by the fires. The CALNEV pipeline moves gasoline, diesel and jet fuel from Colton, California, to terminals in Barstow, California, and Las Vegas, according to Kinder Morgan's website.
In a later update, the Clark County Office of Emergency Management in Nevada said a "solution has been put in place which will power the Kinder Morgan fuel line into southern Nevada and fuel should start to flow into the valley in the next 12-24 hours."
"The public is encouraged to not panic buy at the pump," the Clark County Office of Emergency Management added.
Los Angeles County residents receive erroneous evacuation warning
LOS ANGELES ? Residents across Los Angeles County received an erroneous evacuation warning as fires continue to blaze across Southern California.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a post on X that the warning was intended to be for areas impacted by the Kenneth fire that sparked in the western San Fernando Valley Thursday afternoon.
Hahn called the incorrect warning a "technical error."
The Los Angeles City Emergency Management Department confirmed the error in a post on X and said evacuation orders haven’t changed. A correction was issued at 4:19 p.m. PST.
— James Powel
Los Angeles mayor: 'We are all hands on deck'
There were some breakthroughs on Thursday.
Firefighters gained the upper hand on The Sunset Fire that forced mandatory evacuations in Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills ? including iconic locations such as the TCL Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. All evacuations from that fire were rescinded, authorities said.
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said firefighters were in a "much better posture" to battle the wildfires Thursday.
"It is safe to say the Palisades Fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles," Crowley said.
Bass, speaking at a news briefing earlier Thursday, said "heroic" firefighters aided by air operations are making progress against the flames.
"Historic winds and extensive drought have created a perfect storm that has driven people from their homes, have taken people's homes and have taken people's lives," Bass said. "This is absolutely an unprecedented historic firestorm, but we are all hands on deck."
Wildfire reaches summit of Mount Wilson
One of the wildfires that are scorching much of Los Angeles County has reached the summit of Mount Wilson, home to critical communication infrastructure for Los Angeles area residents as well as the historic Mount Wilson Observatory.
The flames from the Eaton Fire began Tuesday morning. By Thursday the fire appeared to reach to the peak of the mountain holding the telecommunication station at around noon local time and can been seen engulfing the structure on KTLA 5 News' live video feed.
The 120-year-old astronomical observatory is located on an about 5,710-foot peak on Mount Wilson in the San Gabriel Mountains and once contained the world's largest telescope.
Mount Wilson, located at the peak of the San Gabriel Mountains, is home to communication towers and a telecommunication station that much of the Los Angeles area relies on for connection. This includes providing connections for television stations and radio stations as well as communication systems critical to first responders.
? Sam Woodward
What is containment? How is it measured?
Firefighters are still working to contain the largest of the wildfires setting Los Angeles County ablaze. The Palisades and Eaton fires are both still 0% contained on Thursday. But how is "containment" measured?
Containment is the percentage of the fire's total perimeter that has been surrounded by a boundary expected to stop it from spreading, according to CalFire. The boundary can be natural, such as a strip of land where vegetation has been removed or a river. Or it could be created by firefighters such as hose lines from firetrucks.
When a percentage of the perimeter is contained, the fire is still burning, and there is still potential for it to jump the boundary, CalFire said.
A fire is "controlled" when there is no more threat of it jumping a containment line.
Los Angeles region's air quality already among the worst in the U.S.
As flames, smoke and ash filled the Los Angeles skies for the third day, local experts told USA TODAY Thursday it was unclear how long it will take after the fires are extinguished for air quality to improve.
“As long as these fires are burning, there’s just a ton of smoke in the air right now,” said Sarah Rees, deputy executive officer for planning and rules at the South Coast Air Quality Management District, a local regulatory agency. “It's going to continue to cause these hazardous air quality conditions.”
The air quality district has issued advisories through at least Thursday evening because of smoke and windblown dust from burned areas. The advisories extend far beyond the areas directly engulfed in flames.
The greater Los Angeles region, with a population of over 18 million people, already has some of the worst air quality in the nation. Read more here.
– Eduardo Cuevas
NFL moves Rams-Vikings game to Arizona due to fires
The NFL announced Thursday evening that in "the interest of public safety," Monday night's wild-card game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings, which was scheduled to be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, will be moved to Arizona due to the devastating wildfires.
"The decision was made in consultation with public officials, the participating clubs, and the NFLPA," the league said in a statement.
The Rams had signaled to their fans earlier Thursday continued plans to play at SoFi, but those intentions were superseded by ongoing safety and logistical issues in Southern California, including the outbreak of another fire near the team's practice facility in Woodland Hills, California. Proximity to that blaze prompted the Rams to send their players home early.
The game will now be played at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, in Glendale, Arizona.
– Nate Davis
Several celebrities lose homes to LA blazes
Hollywood stars are mourning the loss of their homes as infernos devastate Los Angeles, reducing thousands of structures to ash.
As Milo Ventimiglia and his wife Jarah Mariano expect the arrival of their first child, the two have tragically lost their home to the Los Angeles wildfires.
On Thursday, Jhené Aiko revealed she lost her home to the same fate. "praying for everyone this morning," Aiko wrote on Instagram. "Those who lost their home. those who lost their life's work, those who lost their life. praying for my city."
In a follow-up slide, Aiko revealed her and her children's "home is gone" and "burned to the ground with all of our things inside."
Beyonce?'s mother, Tina Knowles, shared a video on Instagram that she took over the weekend at her "tiny little bungalow on the water in Malibu," which has been destroyed.
"It was my favorite place, my sanctuary, my sacred Happy Place," she wrote. "Now it is gone !!"
– Brendan Morrow
Can firefighters use ocean water amid water shortage?
A lack of water is impeding firefighters' efforts to fight the flames. The department's three water tanks, which hold about a million gallons each, ran out Wednesday morning, Janisse Qui?ones, chief engineer for the Los Angeles Fire Department of Water and Power, told reporters at a press conference that day.
"We've depleted all our resources," California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom told CNN's Anderson Cooper Wednesday as fire hydrants across the region ran dry. "Those hydrants are typical for two or three fires, maybe one fire. And then you have something at this scale."
Some firefighters were seen scooping water from the Pacific Ocean in a firefighting plane, according to KTLA 5 News, but it's not that easy.
Ocean water, unless it goes through a desalination process, can be environmentally damaging and cause corrosion to firefighting equipment. Read more.
– Sam Woodward
How many people have died in the LA fires?
Authorities previously had reported at least five confirmed deaths. Luna said Thursday it was too early to provide any true death toll but that he expected the total to rise.
One of the fatalities from the Eaton Fire near Pasadena was identified Wednesday when his family found his body on the side of the road by their home – with a garden hose still in his hand, KTLA-TV reported. His sister told the station she had fled, but her brother was determined to try and save the home that had been in the family for more than 50 years.
Santa Ana winds fuel fires
One of the nation's most notorious wind events has helped fuel the destructive wildfires. The Santa Ana winds, which occur most often in the fall and winter, push dry air from over the inland deserts of California and the Southwest toward the coast, the National Weather Service said. As high-pressure systems move east to west over the Santa Ana Mountain range, wind is forced down where it’s compressed and warms up.
An area of high pressure over the Great Basin, the high plateau east of the Sierra Nevada, combined with a storm in northwestern Mexico to create the conditions for strong winds over Southern California starting on Tuesday, AccuWeather meteorologist Gwen Fieweger said. Read more here.
? N'dea Yancey-Bragg
Destruction in California: What caused the LA fires to spread so rapidly?
Fire departments across the state heed call
Newsom said numerous strike teams from fire departments across the state, including those from San Francisco, Sacramento, Oakland, Stockton, Alameda, Marin and Amador counties will be part of the effort to help fight the fires in Southern California.
“California has deployed 1,400+ firefighting personnel & hundreds of prepositioned assets to combat these unprecedented fires in LA,” Newsom said in a post on X. “Emergency officials, firefighters, and first responders are all hands on deck through the night to do everything possible to protect lives.”
? Terry Collins
Biden: Feds will cover full wildfire response costs for 180 days
President Joe Biden announced Thursday that the federal government will cover for 180 days the total cost of wildfire response measures necessary to protect lives in Southern California, including debris removal, shelter and first responders’ salaries.
“We’re going to make sure you get every resource you need,” he said during a White House briefing on the wildfire response.
At the end of the briefing, a reporter asked Biden whether he believed California would get the assistance it needs from the incoming administration.
“I’m not in a position to answer that question,” he said. “I pray to God they will.”
– Michael Collins
Power out for hundreds of thousands
Power was restored to some Southern California homes and businesses on Thursday, but many remained in the dark.
Over 184,000 Southern California Edison utility customers were affected by public safety power shutoffs Thursday. The outages were mostly in four counties: Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernadino and Ventura.
In its latest update Thursday morning, the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power said about 95,000 customers were without power. The estimated restoration time was 24 to 48 hours but the utility warned customers "within or near fire-impacted areas" that it could take even longer to get power back due to equipment damage or inaccessibility to the area.
Pasadena Water and Power issued a Do-Not-Drink Water order for Pasadena and evacuated areas of the Eaton Fire, noting that the water system may have been impacted by "debris and elevated turbidity." The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power also advised people in the Pacific Palisades, north of San Vicente Boulevard, to only use bottled or boiled water for drinking and cooking.
The Los Angeles Unified School District announced all of its campuses will be closed Thursday and Friday. According to federal data, it is the second-largest school district in the nation with nearly 436,000 students enrolled in 2021.
Pentagon aiding firefighting effort
The Pentagon, at Biden’s direction, is rushing firefighting equipment and personnel to battle the wildfires in California, including aircraft to help suppress the blazes. The California National Guard is providing two Modular Airborne Firefighting System units, Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary, told reporters. The Nevada National Guard is providing two additional systems. The units can be installed in C-130 airplanes, converting the workhorse cargo plane into an airtanker.
The Navy is also deploying 10 helicopters with buckets to drop water on the fires.
“Many U.S. military installations in the area have personnel and equipment that can also be surged to fight this awful blaze,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in Germany at a meeting of allies supporting Ukraine.
On the ground, the California National Guard has activated two ground firefighting teams and four military police companies to assist local law enforcement and emergency response, Maj. Jennifer Staton, a Pentagon spokesperson, said in a statement.
? Tom Vanden Brook
Celebrities 'heartbroken' over burning homes
The blazes have destroyed or damaged an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 homes, businesses, vehicles and other structures, according to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone. Film star Billy Crystal said the Pacific Palisades home where he and his wife, Janice, lived since 1979 had been destroyed: "We are heartbroken of course, but with the love of children and friends we will get through this."
Media personality Paris Hilton said she was "heartbroken beyond words" after watching her beachfront house in Malibu "burn to the ground on live TV."
Some residents returned to areas the fire had swept through, leaving brick chimneys looming over charred rubble and burnt-out vehicles. Oliver Allnatt, 36, wore ski goggles and a filtering face mask as he took pictures of the ruins.
"I had just come from my family home where my mother lives that was burned to a crisp," Allnatt said. "And then I came up to my home and same thing. It's completely dust. ... I mean, it's something out of a movie."
Escaping the LA fires: Heart-pounding stories of fleeing families
Abandoning homes is painful for residents who have no choice. Karen Maezen Miller, who’s been tending a 109-year-old Japanese garden in Sierra Madre for almost three decades, fled with her husband as flames danced in the rearview mirror. Miller, a Zen Buddhist priest and teacher, did not know the fate of her home. As they drove, they realized the power of the windstorm that had shaken the area for hours with 100 mph gusts, tossing debris everywhere.
"I didn't even want to look because it moved so fast. I just wanted my husband to drive, drive, drive," said Miller. "You're trying to flee a fire but you couldn’t drive on the road." Read more here.
? Trevor Hughes, N'dea Yancey-Bragg, Elizabeth Weise, Terry Collins
Evacuation orders lifted: Hollywood Hills fire endangered iconic Los Angeles landmarks
Firefighters gain ground with Sunset Fire
Fire activity has decreased and evacuation orders were lifted for the Sunset Fire, a brush fire that erupted Wednesday night in the iconic Hollywood Hills. The fire had been growing quickly, adding strain to firefighting efforts in Southern California.
The Los Angeles Fire Department issued an evacuation order shortly after 6 p.m. local time Wednesday for portions of the celebrity-populated neighborhood in central Los Angeles. As of 9:45 p.m. local time, the blaze consumed at least 60 acres and was 0% contained, according to Cal Fire.
"Fire activity has DECREASED," The Los Angeles County Sheriff's West Hollywood Station said on X early Thursday. "The fire has been updated to be 60 to 100 acres but is now mostly burning within the perimeter LAFD worked quickly to develop."
Officials said Thursday the last evacuation orders had been lifted. Read more here.
? Josh Peter
Escaping the LA fires: Heart-pounding stories of fleeing the flames
Los Angeles area wildfires may cost billions
The devastating fires have torched hundreds of homes, businesses and other structures across the county and an early estimate has put the potential damage at nearly $10 billion.
Even before the additional homes and apartments were destroyed, the largest of the wildfires ? the Palisades Fire ? was quickly pushing its way upward on the list of most destructive fires in the state's history with at least 1,000 destroyed structures.
The acreage burned still paled in comparison to the hundreds of thousands of acres burned in the largest wildfires in the state's history, but that fact was offset by the real estate prices in the areas burning in Southern California, said Char Miller, professor of environmental analysis and history at Pomona College in Claremont, California, and author of Burn Scars, a history of fire suppression in the U.S. published last September.
An independent research team at the financial services company J.P. Morgan said it expected the insured losses from the Palisades fire to approach $10 billion, and most of the economic losses would be in homeowners insurance.
? Dinah Voyles Pulver
How to help communities impacted by wildfires
As several fast-growing wildfires continued to threaten communities, some organizations are taking donations to help victims of the fires.
The crowdfunding platform GoFundMe published a page of verified fundraisers to support those affected by the fires.
GlobalGiving's California Wildfire Relief Fund is taking donations that the organization says will go directly toward supporting wildfire relief and recovery efforts in the state.
The California Community Foundation's Wildfire Recovery Fund aims to offer relief to marginalized communities hardest hit by the devastating fires.
The California Fire Foundation provides aid to firefighters battling the blazes, as well as their loved ones and the communities they support.
? Anthony Robledo
Contributing: USA TODAY Network; Reuters
(This story was updated to correct an inaccuracy.)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Los Angeles fires updates: Death toll climbs as menacing blaze emerges