Updated January 11, 2025 at 22:04 PM ET
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Forecasters warn that vast parts of Southern California are once again under wildfire risks as strong winds and dry conditions return this weekend through Wednesday.
Firefighters made some progress against ongoing fires overnight to Saturday morning, thanks to a brief reprieve from gusty winds. But wind speeds are picking up and could reach up to 50 mph, with some mountains and foothill areas seeing 75 mph winds over the next few days, according to the National Weather Service.
A red flag warning, indicating heightened wildfire conditions, has been issued for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The fire weather conditions, fueled by moderate to strong Santa Ana winds, are likely to continue through Wednesday, the NWS said.
As fires rage on, LA County officials announced Saturday that they have changed the county's alert and notification system to partner with the state's alert center while they investigate the root cause behind the false evacuation alerts sent to more than 10 million Angelenos earlier this week.
What to know
- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will lead an investigation into what caused the fires and if the fires are connected to one another.
- The University of California, Los Angeles, will hold remote classes for undergraduate and graduate courses through the end of next week, the chancellor announced. Employees who can work remotely are being asked to do so.
- Search and rescue efforts for missing persons related to the fires began Saturday morning. At least 11 people have died from the Palisades and Eaton fires, and five other cases are under investigation, according to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner's Office.
- More than 38,000 acres have been burned in total in the blazes and over 12,000 structures destroyed due to the wildfires, according to Cal Fire. A range of properties were destroyed, including homes, storefronts, sheds and cars. Local officials expect hundreds more ruined properties to be discovered in the coming days.
- Local water districts have issued several drinking water advisories. After the Eaton fire damaged reservoirs and pump stations, a "do not drink" order was issued for most of northern Pasadena. Residents should not use the tap water for drinking, cooking, hand washing or bathing until they've gotten a release from the water district, the city said on Saturday night. Meanwhile, a boil water notice and do not drink advisory has been issued for the Pacific Palisades and nearby communities "north of San Vicente Blvd."
Keep reading for more information, and check back for updates.
The fires
The massive Palisades and Eaton fires remain the biggest challenges for firefighters. Only limited progress has been made against these two behemoths, and there are fears that it could be reversed if weather conditions worsen.
As of Saturday, the Palisades fire, which has scorched over 22,000 acres across Santa Monica and Malibu, is currently 11% contained. Meanwhile, the Eaton fire, having burned through nearly 14,000 acres in Altadena and Pasadena, is 15% contained.
In contrast, significant progress has been made on smaller fires. The Lidia Fire near Acton is now 100% contained. The Hurst fire near Sylmar reached 76% containment. And the Kenneth fire, which erupted Thursday and burned over 1,000 acres, is 80% contained.
On Friday, a new small blaze erupted in Granada Hills in the San Fernando Valley region. Firefighters there were able to quickly control the Archer fire, which consumed about 19 acres.
While strong winds and dry conditions helped fuel the fires, the exact cause remains unclear. LA Sheriff Robert Luna said Saturday that the blazes were under an "active and fluid investigation." Meanwhile, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered an investigation into why local fire hydrants went dry earlier this week.
Communities affected
At least 153,000 Angelenos have had to evacuate their homes and about 166,000 people were under evacuation warnings as of Saturday, according to the LA County Sheriff's Department.
A curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. for areas under Palisades and Eaton fire evacuation zones will continue to be in effect until further notice, in response to concerns of burglaries and looting in evacuated areas.
This past week, the historic fires also disrupted school for more than 600,000 students in and around LA. Several school buildings were burned.
In the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, two elementary schools were lost and one high school was badly damaged. The Pasadena Unified School District also reported damage to five campuses in Altadena. Other districts are still assessing the destruction.
Images coming out of the region show the devastating effects of the climate calamity. But they also depict the community banding together in the face of tragedy.
At the Pan Pacific Park Recreation Center near central LA, donations overflowed so much that the center started to turn them away. In Huntington Beach, a small seafood restaurant also began housing donations for people affected by the fires. The owners told NPR a seemingly endless stream of volunteers have also appeared.
"We've seen such an outpouring of support," said Lauren Gruel, who runs Calico Fish House with her husband. "My husband and I put out a call to action on our social media, and it kind of just blew up in the best possible way. We're so thankful and grateful that people have trusted us to bring the items that they donated to where they need to go."
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