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At least 10 people have been killed by fast-moving wildfires that are continuing to tear across the Los Angeles County area.
Winds are set to calm between Friday and Saturday, although strong gusts were forecast in the evening. The winds are forecasted to return Sunday, and into next week, but officials pledge they will be ready for any future sparks.
The death toll from the current fires is expected to climb in the coming days, officials said.
Firefighters and other residents have also been injured in the life-threatening outbreak, which continued to force evacuation orders for around 153,000 residents.
There are five active large wildfires throughout Los Angeles County. The Palisades and Eaton fires are now some of the state’s most destructive in history. The Palisades and Eaton fires are both less than 10 percent contained.
Officials gave an update on the Eaton Fire early Friday afternoon.
“It looks like a war zone. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Kathryn Barger, a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, told reporters.
Kenneth Fire 50 percent contained
CalFire is reporting that the Kenneth Fire is now 50 percent contained.
Michelle Del Rey11 January 2025 02:15
Art collector says he lost dozens of art pieces in fire
Ron Rivlin, who lost his home in the Palisades Fire, said he built his home around his art. He owned 30 Andy Warhol pieces and 15 by Keith Haring. The paintings were lost during the fire.
He resisted evacuation until his daughter called him crying, he said, adding that he vowed to build an even better home in the future. He also lost art pieces by Damien Hirst and John Baldessari.
Michelle Del Rey11 January 2025 01:55
Actor James Wood says his home survived the fire
The actor made the announcement on X. He called the news a “miracle,” while pointing out that many homes in his neighborhood did not survive the blaze.
“In this hellish landscape ‘standing’ is relative,” he wrote.
Michelle Del Rey11 January 2025 01:26
Newsom has invited Trump to visit the Los Angeles County wildfire damage
California Governor Gavin Newsom has invited President-elect Donald Trump to visit the wildfire damage around Los Angeles.
In a letter to Trump, Newsom said that “in the spirit of this great country, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation from the sidelines.”
Trump has repeatedly attacked Newsom over the issue and called for him to resign, calling him “Gavin Newscum.”
Michelle Del Rey11 January 2025 01:08
Officials are encouraging people on social media not to come and help with fires
The Los Angeles Fire Department reportedly said it is aware of a social media Facebook post suggesting individuals can work in California as part of the clean-up crew.
“There is no truth to this social media post, and there is no need to call and inquire,” officials said.
Michelle Del Rey11 January 2025 00:58
Critical fire weather expected on Friday
Officials believe the Santa Ana Winds will continue to shift north but humidity will remain low, according to an update released by CalFire around 2pm on Friday.
On Saturday, typical mid-January conditions are likely to continue. Sunday and continuing through the middle of next week, weak to moderate Santa Ana winds are expected, the agency said. There is a chance of strong winds on Tuesday and there will continue to be a high likelihood of critical fire weather conditions through next week.
It’s estimated that more than 5,000 structures have been destroyed in the blaze.
Los Angeles Unified School District officials canceled classes for all schools on Friday. Residents are encouraged to avoid nonessential travel, CalFire said.
Michelle Del Rey11 January 2025 00:28
Drone footage shows the aftermath of the Palisades Fire
Drone footage released by USA Today shows rows of burnt homes and streets. The fire has spread to over 20,000 acres and threatens more than 11,000 structures. Three people have died in the blaze.
Michelle Del Rey10 January 2025 23:58
Super scooper plane hit by drone to be out of commission until Monday
LA County Fire Chief Anthony C Marrone made the announcement on Friday. The Canadian plane, named Quebec 1, sustained a large hole in its wing after the collision. Pilots didn’t know they’d hit the drone. Staff at Van Nuys Airport noticed the hole.
Los Angeles is currently only operating two super scoopers. The aircraft will be prioritized for repairs and will be up and running on Monday.
“Everyone should know … flying a drone in the fire traffic area is not only dangerous, but it’s illegal,” Marrone said, according to CNN. “Our federal partners behind the scenes are going to be implementing procedures to be able to follow drones in our two large fire areas, and they will be able to identify who the operator of that drone is.”
“The most important thing to know is that if you fly a drone at one of these brush fires, all aerial operations will be shut down, and we certainly don’t want to have that happen,” he added.
Michelle Del Rey10 January 2025 23:28
