Fierce wildfires are raging in the Los Angeles area, fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds, sending residents fleeing from burning homes through flames, ferocious winds and towering clouds of smoke.
Thousands of firefighters were battling at least three separate blazes on Wednesday, from the Pacific Coast inland to Pasadena. One of the fires was the most destructive in the modern history of the city of Los Angeles.
Tens of thousands of people have been notified by authorities to evacuate their homes because of the multiple fires burning in the Los Angeles region. Officials say at least five people have died in the wildfires.
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Billy Crystal and Wife Lose Longtime Home in Palisades Fire
Billy Crystal and his wife Janice have lost their home of 45 years in the Palisades fire.
The couple released a statement confirming their home was among the hundreds burned in fires in and around Los Angeles.
“Janice and I lived in our home since 1979. We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can’t be taken away. We are heartbroken of course but with the love of our children and friends we will get through this,” the Crystals wrote in the statement.
Mandy Moore, Cary Elwes, and Paris Hilton are among the stars who have lost homes in the blazes. Many others are among the tens of thousands who have evacuated due to the flames, with some still awaiting word on the fate of their homes.
Evacuations Ordered Due to New Fire in the Hollywood Hills
Tens of thousands of people have been notified by authorities to evacuate their homes because of the multiple fires burning in the Los Angeles region.
The most recent mandatory evacuations orders came Wednesday evening related to the Sunset fire, a new fire in the Hollywood Hills. That order was in place for Laurel Canyon Boulevard on the west to Mulholland Drive, with others in nearby areas warned to be ready to leave.
Mandatory evacuation orders also remained in place near the Palisades fire west of Los Angeles, including parts of Santa Monica. People have also been told to leave their homes in the San Fernando Valley near the Hurst fire. Others were told to leave their residences in parts Altadena because of the Eaton fire.
Uber Offers Free Rides to Evacuation Centers
Uber is offering free rides up to $40 to active evacuation centers using the code WILDFIRE25, according to LA County Supervisor Lindsay Horvath.
Biden Formally Sign Off on Federal Disaster Declaration
The White House says the declaration allows for federal funding to be made available to impacted individuals in Los Angeles County for temporary housing and home repairs as well as low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs aimed at helping individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App.
Multiple States Sending Firefighters
Firefighters from multiple states have arrived or are on the way to help with the fires, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a media briefing Wednesday afternoon.
He said 60 teams were coming from Oregon, 45 from Washington state, 15 from Utah, 10 from New Mexico and “numerous” teams were coming from Arizona.
Mandy Moore and Paris Hilton Among Stars Who’ve Lost Homes
Wildfires that are burning in and around Los Angeles have burned several celebrities’ homes and forced stars, including Mark Hamill, Mandy Moore, and James Woods, to evacuate.
Moore, Cary Elwes, and Paris Hilton are among the stars who said Wednesday they had lost homes in the fires.
“Honestly, I’m in shock and feeling numb for all so many have lost, including my family,” Moore said on Instagram, posting a video of devastated streets in the Altadena neighborhood near Pasadena. “Our community is broken but we will be here to rebuild together. Sending love to all affected and on the front lines trying to get this under control,” the actor-singer wrote.
Hilton said a Malibu home where her young son took his first steps was among those lost to the flames.
“The devastation is unimaginable. To know so many are waking up today without the place they called home is truly heartbreaking,” she wrote.
Another Fire Has Broken Out in the Hollywood Hills, Officials Say
As officials were providing a media update about the fires around 5:50 p.m., Los Angeles city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley announced that a new blaze had broken out in the Hollywood Hills near Runyon Canyon.
She said all available resources were responding and excused herself to attend to that blaze.
All Los Angeles Unified School District Schools Will Be Closed Thursday
All schools will be closed Thursday in the Los Angeles Unified School District because of the fires, Alberto Carvalho, district superintendent, said during a media briefing.
Two elementary schools in the district have been destroyed by fire, he said.
In a statement on its website, the district said, “The confluence of factors—wind, fire, and smoke—have created dangerous, complex situations that present unsafe conditions for our school communities.”
3 Arrested for Looting
Three people have been arrested for looting in fire-affected areas, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a media briefing Wednesday afternoon.
“That is 100 percent unacceptable,” he said.
Los Angeles County Has Lost Several Facilities to Fire, Officials Say
Los Angeles County has lost several facilities to fire, including the Eaton Canyon nature center and a senior center, LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said at a media briefing Wednesday afternoon.
She also said a sheriff’s station had been evacuated because of fire. It wasn’t clear if it had been damaged.
100,000 People Have Received Notices to Evacuate Due to Eaton Fire, Officials Say
Authorities gave an update Wednesday afternoon on the Eaton fire near Pasadena that exploded in high winds Tuesday, causing at least five deaths.
Here’s a few facts and figures they shared:
1. The Eaton fire has consumed over 16.5 square miles and is so far uncontained.
2. Between 200 and 500 structures have been damaged or destroyed.
3. About 100,000 people have received notices to evacuate.
4. At least five school campuses in Altadena have suffered substantial fire damage.
5. Embers carried by winds in the 70-mph range started dozens of fires Tuesday night, igniting block after block as they flew through the air.
6. 750 firefighters are working to halt the blaze, with more on the way.
7. More than 250 pets have been taken in by the Pasadena Humane Society in the past 24 hours.
Weather Conditions Conducive to Fires to Continue Through Friday, Forecasters Say
The National Weather Service says gusty winds and very dry conditions would continue to fuel fires in the Los Angeles area.
Forecasters predicted wind gusts of 35-55 mph, which could rise higher in the mountains and foothills. Meteorologists said Los Angeles and Ventura counties would have weather conducive to fire through Friday, meaning low relative humidity, strong winds, unstable air and drought.
But winds have dissipated enough for aircraft to assist in fighting the fires, Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustine said.
“Tonight we have very mild wind conditions where we can get aircraft and a ton of additional resources getting their hands around this fire,” Augustin said. “That’s what gives me confidence that we’re going to get a handle on this fire.”
The fire chief warned that it was still an active fire with risk of spread over the next day.
Eaton Fire Has Damaged Between 200 and 500 Structures, Officials Say
The Eaton fire burning north of Pasadena, California, has damaged or destroyed between 200 and 500 structures, Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
The fire has burned over 16.5 square miles and is so far uncontained, Augustin said. He said wind gusts reached over 70 mph Tuesday night.
Augustin said the water system was stretched and was further hampered by power outages.
“But I’ll be clear,” he added, no matter how much water was available, “we were not stopping that fire last night. Those erratic wind gusts were throwing embers for multiple miles ahead of the fire.”
Voting Window for Academy Awards Nominations Extended
The organization that puts on the Oscars has extended the voting window for Academy Awards nominations and delayed next week’s planned nominations announcement.
Bill Kramer, the CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, shared the postponements to the film academy members in a letter obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Nominations and the voting window have both been extended by two days. Oscar nominations will now be revealed on Sunday, Jan. 19. Voting closes on Jan. 14.
“We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California,” Kramer wrote. “So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you.”
5 Died in Wildfires in Los Angeles Area, Officials Say
The death toll from the wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area has risen to five, according to Nicole Nishida, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Officials had reported earlier that two people had died. Officials say they have no other details on the deaths.
Evacuation Orders Issued for Some Densely Populated Areas of Santa Monica
Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued for some densely populated Santa Monica neighborhoods just north of the city’s famous pier.
City officials say people in the affected zones should leave now, including those in evacuation warning areas who may need additional time to get out. Police were being deployed to help with evacuations, the city wrote on its website.
The city says its Big Blue Bus is offering free transport every hour to evacuation centers.
Palisades Fire Destroys Will Rogers’s Historic Home
The Palisades fire has destroyed the historic ranch house that belonged to Hollywood legend Will Rogers.
California State Parks said in a statement that Rogers’ historic ranch house was among multiple structures destroyed by the devastating fire at both Will Rogers State Historic Park and Topanga State Park. The historic Topanga Ranch Motel, built by William Randolph Hearst in 1929, also burned down.
Rogers’ ranch, built on land he bought in the 1920s, occupied some 359 acres in what is now Pacific Palisades. It included a 31-room ranch house, a stable, golf course and riding trails. His wife donated it to California State Parks in 1944.
Pentagon to Send Helicopters to Help California Fight Fires
The Pentagon will send 10 Navy helicopters to help fight fires burning in California, said Sabrina Singh, spokesperson for the department.
The order has yet to be finalized, but officials expect it will be an active duty unit with Navy Sea Hawks based in Southern California that can be equipped to carry water.
Singh also said Wednesday that the military is prepared to make four additional modular air firefighting systems available to the California National Guard. Those would likely come from other National Guard units in the country.
Iconic Reel Inn Fish Market Off Pacific Coast Highway Burns
The Reel Inn, an iconic Malibu seafood shack and fish market known for its Pacific Coast Highway location and kitschy vibe, has burned.
Owner Teddy Leonard says she and her husband Andy watched it burn on TV Tuesday evening from their home a few miles away. A short time later they began packing up their belongings, evacuating and heading to a short-term rental home in Santa Monica.
On Wednesday, Leonard was hopeful her home may have survived the flames. She said restaurant employees have been texting, hoping to rebuild, but it may be a challenge.
“Part of the charm for our little fish shack was my husband’s, you know, collecting of old surfboards, going back to the 1930s that were hanging in the rafters,” Leonard said.
The Reel Inn opened in 1986, but several other restaurants have operated in the same location since the 1940s.
“My husband and I, we keep looking at each other and going, ‘We have each other. We have these beautiful grandchildren and children and life,’” Leonard said.
Over 1.5 Million People in Southern California Without Power
More than 1.5 million customers were without power in Southern California on Wednesday afternoon as wildfires tore through several Los Angeles county neighborhoods, according to tracking site PowerOutage.us.
Well over half of the roughly 334,000 customers in Ventura County were without power, along with more than 957,000 customers in Los Angeles County.
Power companies often shut off power as a public safety measure when extreme winds, like the ones pummeling Southern California, are forecasted.
Biden Being in LA Didn’t Affect Wildfire Fighting Efforts: White House
White House national security spokesperson John Kirbyy, who held a virtual briefing for reporters, said it was “it was important for the president while he was there to make it clear to the people of Southern California how diligently our government and our administration is going to support their firefighting efforts, but also their recovery efforts.”
President Joe Biden was in the Los Angeles area for an event Tuesday that the White House later postponed because of the fires. He is currently flying back to Washington.
Evacuation Centers Open for People and Animals
Three evacuation centers for people and 12 for animals have been established so far for people fleeing the wildfires burning in the Pacific Palisades, Altadena and other Los Angeles neighborhoods.
But with at least 70,000 people in evacuation zones, some shelter resources are scarce.
When EJ Soto and her family arrived at the Pasadena Convention Center after fleeing their Altadena home early Wednesday morning, the facility had already run out of cots.
“I had one hour of sleep, so it’s been a really, bad, really bad day,” Soto said.
Another evacuation shelter, El Camino Real Charter High School, wrote on its Facebook page that it was accepting donations of food and water for evacuees.
The Pasadena Humane Society wrote on Facebook that it had taken in more than 100 animals overnight and was taking in more, but kennel space was filling up. The organization was directing some evacuees to a partner shelter and is looking for volunteers to foster large dogs for a week or more.
Both the Los Angeles County Emergency Management Office and the American Red Cross are posting updated lists of evacuation sites on their websites.
Biden and Mayor Bass Discuss the Wildfires
The White House says the president and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass discussed the latest updates by phone as Biden flew back to Washington aboard Air Force One.
Preliminary Damage and Losses Are in the Billions, AccuWeather Says
AccuWeather estimates $52 billion to $57 billion in preliminary damage and economic loss has occurred from the raging Los Angeles area wildfires.
The company said the estimate comes from an advisory that will soon be released.
Biden Attends Briefing on California Wildfires
“It’s going to take time,” President Joe Biden warned when talking about the recovery from the wildfires during a briefing at a Santa Monica fire station on Wednesday.
Newsom, who stood next to Biden, thanked him for his support.
“It’s impossible for me to express the level of appreciation,” he said.
Kristin Crowley, the Los Angeles fire chief, said her team knew there was a “significant threat” from the Pacific Palisades fire as soon as it started because of the “high, high, high winds.”
Crowley said she’d never seen anything like the wind conditions in her 25 years of experience.
Trump Blames Newsom for the Wildfires
President-elect Donald Trump weighed in on the unfolding fire devastation in southern California, blaming Gov. Gavin Newsom for the spread of the wildfires.
Trump noted in a Jan. 8 social media post that the state’s environmental policies prevent “millions of gallons of water” from excess rain and snowmelt from flowing into the drier areas of California, “including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way.”
State and federal regulations require California to direct some of that runoff into the ocean to protect the habitat of the endangered delta smelt fish. Trump attributed those regulations to Newsom.
“On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!” Trump wrote.
The president-elect said he would press Newsom to change the policy.
The Eaton Fire Could Become Historic
The Eaton Fire stands to become the largest wildfire to burn in California during the month of January in the past 41 years.
The fire, which ignited on Tuesday north of Pasadena, has now burned more than 16 1/2 square miles, according to state fire personnel.
Federal data shows just six wildfires have burned more than two square miles in the month of January in California since 1984.
The largest was the Viejas Fire, which burned 17.1 square miles in 2001 in the mountains east of San Diego.
More recently, the Colby Fire burned just over 3 square miles near Glendora, California in 2014.
Since 2014, wildfires of any size in January have been uncommon, with the exception of 2021 and this year, according to CalFire data.
Altadena Golf Course Destroyed
Johnny Eusebio, general manager of the Altadena Golf Course, said the course was lost to the fire.
A video posted on social media shows smoldering buildings surrounded by debris and flames and a tattered flag flapping in the wind.
Air Quality in Los Angeles Area Is at Hazardous Level
The air quality index for most of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Wednesday morning was well over 300, which is considered hazardous to the general public, according to AirNow.gov.
At that level, people are advised to stay indoors and reduce activity levels.
Newsom Deploys National Guard to Help Fight Blazes
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has called in the California National Guard to assist first responders in fighting the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires.
Announcing the move in a social media post, Newsom’s office said Wednesday that the California National Guard and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection share “a unique partnership unlike any other state—skilled, trained personnel with vast wildfire fighting experience.”
The state has also secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help suppress the Hurst fire threatening San Fernando and Newhall.
The grant, provided through FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, will allow agencies responding to the fire to apply for 75 percent reimbursement of eligible related costs.
Newsom declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, which remains in effect.
Fire Hydrants in Palisades Turn to Trickle
“We pushed the system to the extreme,” said Janisse Quiñones, CEO of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. “Four times the normal demand was seen for 15 hours straight, which lowered our water pressure.”
The utility was pushing water from its source into the system, but demand was so high that it wasn’t enough to fill three, one-million-gallon tanks that help maintain pressure for the hydrants in the hills of Palisades.
One tank ran out at 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, one at 8:30 pm and the third at 3 a.m. on Wednesday.
Officials are urging residents across the region to conserve water so there’s enough for firefighters to use.
“We’re fighting a wildfire with urban water systems, and that is really challenging,” Quiñones said.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Closed
Only essential workers will be allowed in, according to an emergency notice from NASA.
The fire is “very close to the lab,” but there’s been no fire damage yet, the center’s director, Laurie Leshin, wrote in a post on the social platform X.
However, there has been some wind damage, wrote Leshin.
She added that hundreds of NASA employees at the lab have had to evacuate from their homes.
The research lab near Pasadena, California, is known for building and sending robotic spacecraft to Mars and the outer solar system.
Biden to Be Briefed by Fire Crews in Santa Monica
The president had planned to travel from Los Angeles to Riverside County by plane on Tuesday to announce the creation of two new national monuments.
His trip was announced on Jan. 3 and he was already in the state when the fires broke out.
White House officials canceled the air traffic restrictions necessary for his travel and noted that he stayed put in his hotel Tuesday in order to minimize his impact on first responders and law enforcement.
He will head to Washington, D.C., later in the day.
Caltech Closes Its Pasadena Campus
Classes were canceled on Wednesday due to the fires and strong winds, the university said on its website.
Thousands Told to Leave
Officials have said about 30,000 residents are under evacuation orders. And more than 13,000 structures are under threat.
The evacuation orders affect areas including the Pacific Palisades neighborhood near the sea, areas north of Pasadena and part of the San Fernando Valley.
Other areas are under evacuation warnings that say people who need additional time to evacuate should get moving.
Over 1,000 Structures Destroyed by Wildfires, 2 Dead
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said two people were killed and many others hurt in the fires, which have destroyed more than 1,000 structures.
Vice President Harris’ Home in Los Angeles Affected
A spokesman for Vice President Kamala Harris says her neighborhood in Los Angeles was put under an evacuation order Tuesday night.
Ernesto Apreza said in a Wednesday post on the social platform X that no one was in the house at the time.
Sounds and Scene on the Ground
The smoke is thick and gray, and the headlights of vehicles in badly hit areas are glowing well after sunrise. There is the crackling of the flames and the rustling of palm trees in the strong wind, and the exclamations of emergency responders.
One firefighter stands on top of a truck and watches a home burn. There is a bin for recycling sitting outside the blazing home, abandoned.
Litter blows by. Every stray piece could become another flame.
Thousands of Southern California Edison Customers Face Power Shut-Offs
Southern California Edison shut off power to nearly 120,000 customers in six Southern California counties over safety concerns due to high winds and the risk of wildfires.
Another 440,000 customers could face similar shutoffs depending on weather conditions, the utility said Wednesday on its website.
Much of Pasadena Under Evacuation Orders, Fire Chief Says
Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin said much of the city of Pasadena is under evacuation orders as his department waits for winds to die down so he can get aircraft up to start dousing the flames from overhead.
Until that happens, it’s going to be difficult to get the blaze there under control, Augustin told KABC-TV, the ABC affiliate.
Fire departments from across California were sending in firefighters as crews in the Los Angeles area were stretched to their limit, he said.
He said there had been no loss of life and thanked public safety officers for “pulling people out from burning buildings” overnight.
Wildfires Lead to Several School Closures in Los Angeles Area
Pasadena, where the Eaton fire is burning, and neighboring Glendale canceled classes Wednesday.
Los Angeles Unified School District also closed several elementary schools in the evacuation area of the fire burning in Pacific Palisades.
Palisades Charter High School, which burned in the fire, was not back in session yet.
Eaton Fire Grows to Over 3 Square Miles
Fire crews assigned to the Eaton fire burning in Pasadena are working to keep the blaze north of the 210 Freeway, east of Angeles Crest Highway, west of Santa Anita Avenue and south of Mount Wilson, according to an incident action plan developed for Wednesday operations.
The fire rapidly grew to more than 3.13 square miles overnight amid dangerous fire weather conditions caused by strong winds and low levels of relative humidity.
Power Outages Affecting Thousands in Los Angeles County
More than 180,000 customers were without power in southern California, with the vast majority of them in Los Angeles County, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.
Statewide, over 320,000 customers were without power on Wednesday morning.
Full Incident Management Team Activated to Combat Wildfires
It’s only the third time in 30 years that has happened in January, said David Acuña, a battalion chief for Cal Fire. Such a team, of officials from various agencies, is only assembled during major, complex events.
“This is a rare event” to have incidents like this in January, Acuña said, adding that wildfires are so common during other months that fire officials no longer talk about “fire seasons.”
“We now talk about ‘fire years,’” said Acuña. “We had wildfires pop up in December and now we have these in early January.”
Where Are Fires Burning Now?
Palisades fire: West of Los Angeles, by the sea. It has burned about 4.5 square miles (11.6 square kilometers).
Eaton fire: Altadena area, north of Pasadena. It has burned about 1.6 square miles (4 square kilometers).
Hurst fire: In the San Fernando Valley. It has burned about 500 acres (202 hectares).
Tyler fire: In Coachella, near Joshua Tree National Park. It has burned about 15 acres (6 hectares).
All four fires are currently at 0 percent containment.
Epoch Times reporter Samantha Flom and The Associated Press contributed to this report.