California wildfires live updates: Some residents allowed to return home as crews make progress on L.A. area fires

The PGA Tour said today that next month’s Genesis Invitational 2025, a tournament hosted by Tiger Woods, will be played at an alternate location following the Palisades Fire.

The tournament was to take place at the Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades beginning Feb. 10.

“The PGA TOUR’s focus continues to be on the safety and well-being of those affected by the unprecedented natural disaster in Greater Los Angeles,” the golf organization said in a statement.

“In collaboration with Genesis, The Riviera Country Club and TGR Live, and out of respect for the unfolding situation, we have determined that The Genesis Invitational 2025 will be played at an alternate location the week of Feb. 10-16,” it said.

“A venue update and additional tournament information will be provided in the coming days,” the PGA said.

Popstar Taylor Swift shared a list of organizations that she said she has donated to help communities rebuild in the wake of the wildfires, encouraging her nearly 300 million Instagram followers to consider donating as well.

"The fires in California have devastated so many families and it's heartbreaking to see these stories unfold," Swift wrote in an Instagram story. "So much suffering, loss, and destruction."

She listed a number of organizations including the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, MusiCares, and the Pasadena Educational Foundation Eaton Fire Respond Fund.

Swift described her list as some of the groups that are helping as people "embark on some of the most challenging times of their lives."

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department announced today that residents will be allowed to return to certain zones impacted by the Palisades Fire.

They include:

• Zone TOP-U001: North of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and South of Mulholland Drive
• Zone TOP-U002: North of Old Topanga Canyon Road and South of Summit to Summit Motorway
• Zone DRY-U026-A: North of Mulholland Highway and South of Stokes Canyon Road
• Zone RRC-U027-A: North of Red Rock Road and South of Calabasas Peak Motorway

Dr. Irwin Redlender, the founding director of the Center for Disaster Preparedness, joins Chris Jansing to discuss the mental health impact of the wildfires on kids living in California.

Federal officials are warning the public of fraudulent charitable donations that claim to assist victims and their families.

The FBI issued a public service announcement to warn of scammers that "exploit mass casualty events and disasters, such as the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans and the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, to commit fraud."

"Scammers may pose as disaster relief agencies to collect personal information, conduct charitable fraud schemes, or commit fraud against disaster assistance programs," the public service announcement stated. "Scammers may also impersonate official entities, celebrities, influencers, or other individuals."

Last year, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 4,500 complaints reporting approximately $96 million in losses to fraudulent charities, crowdfunding accounts and disaster relief campaigns.

People are encouraged to do their own research before donating and not send payments or personal information to unknown individuals.

Actor Bruce Willis personally thanked some Los Angeles police officers for their fire response in a new video his wife, Emma Heming Willis, posted to Instagram today.

In the video, posted in black and white and to the tune of Led Zeppelin's "Going to California," Willis is seen shaking hands with an officer and thanking him. They later pose for a picture together.

"Spotting a first responder, Bruce never missed a chance to show his gratitude with a heartfelt handshake and a 'thank you for your service,'" Heming Willis said in the caption. "Yesterday was no different."

State Farm will not advertise during this year's Super Bowl "as originally planned," a State Farm spokesperson confirmed to NBC News.

"State Farm, State Farm agents, and our employees are all focused on helping customers impacted by the Southern California wildfires in the midst of this tragedy," the company said in a statement. "Our focus is firmly on providing support to the people of Los Angeles."

The company has faced criticism over the last week for its decision in March 2024 not to renew homeowners coverage for more than 70,000 California residents, NBC affiliate KNTV reported.

"Our No. 1 priority right now is the safety of our customers, agents and employees impacted by the fires and assisting our customers in the midst of this tragedy," the company said when pressed about its response to the wildfires.

As of Wednesday, the company reported receiving over 7,400 home and auto claims, but expects the number to rise as residents return to their homes and assess damage.

During last year's Super Bowl, State Farm aired a 60-second commercial starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a State Farm agent, which featured a house on fire. The company had not yet announced any details about the planned advertisement for this year's Super Bowl.

People who need individual assistance from FEMA have until March 10 to submit their application, Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said.

“You have until March 10 to apply for individual FEMA assistance and 18 months to complete the paperwork,” Horvath said at a news conference. "Please apply ASAP so you are in their system."

The Santa Ana winds that have been fanning the wildfires have subsided, providing a window of opportunity before they return next week.

"Firefighters are used to operating in windows to try and knock out as much as they possibly can. They’re going to try to do that before, obviously, early next week," said NBC News' Steve Patterson, who is reporting from Altadena.

The Palisades Fire is 22% contained, which is up 2% from yesterday. The Eaton Fire is 45% contained, up from 35% yesterday, Patterson said.

The Palisades Fire, which has burned more than 23,700 acres, is 22% contained, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said at a morning news conference.

She said that “favorable weather conditions assisted firefighters in increasing the containment and extinguishment.”

Crowley said crews are “working as quickly as possible” so residents can begin to return to their communities.

“This will take time, so when we ask you to remain patient, know that we are working around the clock to get you back to your homes and to the community,” she said.

The number of people who have died in both of the major wildfires has increased by two — one person in the Eaton Fire and one in the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a morning news conference.

There are 31 active missing person cases, he said. Twenty-four of them are in the Eaton area and seven in the Palisades area. The sheriff said there was a total of 43 missing person cases, but 12 were found safe.

“Please be patient with us. We know that people want to get back into their neighborhood, but we’re talking about people who have passed,” he said.

To date, at least 27 deaths have been reported as a result of the wildfires.

The Hurst Fire, which ignited Jan. 7 in Sylmar, north of San Fernando, is 100% contained, the Angeles National Forest said in a post on X.

"Incident Commander Fuller declared the Hurst Fire 100% contained this morning," the post read. "Crews are working to complete suppression repair efforts and anticipate that work will be completed on Monday."

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order today that will fast-track temporary housing for people displaced by the wildfires.

“As thousands of Los Angeles residents have been faced with sudden displacement, the state is taking decisive action to help provide housing and assistance as quickly as possible,” Newsom said in a news release. “Today, we are expediting the creation of new temporary housing by removing roadblocks and strengthening protections against exploitation.”

The order directs state departments to support local governments as they come up with temporary housing plans, will make it easier to place mobile trailers and other temporary housing on properties while residents rebuild, and will “streamline construction and occupancy of accessory dwelling units on properties destroyed by the fires.”

Price gouging prohibitions on hotel, motel and rental housing in Los Angeles County will also be extended to March 8, the release states.

Containment of both the Eaton and the Palisades fires has increased, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said in a morning update.

The Eaton Fire is now 55% contained and the Palisades Fire is 22% contained. Other fires still burning include Hurst, which is 98% contained, and Auto, which is 85% contained, according to Cal Fire.

Officials said the growth of both major wildfires has either slowed or stopped, and reduced winds are helping firefighters begin to gain control of the infernos.

For one family, this means a sense of normalcy can slowly return.

"We're just so happy to give them normalcy because they were so so happy this morning," Cameron Dale told NBC's "TODAY" after she and her husband dropped their daughters off at school.

The family lost their home in the fire, and their children's school was reduced to rubble. They have been staying at a friend's house and their daughters were allowed to return to school at a different campus.

"It's really nice," Dale said, crying.

A galaxy of musical stars have donated guitars for a charity auction to raise money for victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.

The Julien’s Auctions MusiCares Charity Relief Auction on Feb. 2, the day of the Grammys, will offer for sale items from Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Dolly Parton, Olivia Rodrigo and dozens more.

The event is designed to raise money to "help music professionals recover from crises, including the unprecedented challenges posed by the recent wildfires in Greater Los Angeles," Julien's Auctions said.

Santa Ana winds have died down across the greater Los Angeles area, helping firefighters to bring almost 40,000 acres of ongoing wildfires under control. NBC News’ Steve Patterson reports.

A newly opened City Disaster Recovery Center in Los Angeles provided help and information to more than 360 households affected by the fires yesterday, the city said.

Its services include helping those who have lost vital documents such as birth certificates and drivers' licenses, as well as referrals to services including mental health counselling.

The center, at the UCLA Research Park at 10850 Pico Blvd, is open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. PT, seven days a week.

Separately, a support camp run by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks is offering free day camps for children aged 5 to 12 and for teenagers from 13 to 17 whose families have been affected by the fires.

New questions are being raised about whether the City of Los Angeles and its fire department did enough to prepare in the days ahead of the deadly Palisades Fire.

The fire department did not hold over its firefighters who’d worked the day before to increase staffing during the wind event that had been forecast.

Elected officials and others in city government were clearly very wary about leveling criticism this soon after what happened last week, while the Palisades Fire is still smoldering and high winds remain a threat. But they agree there are a number of decisions that will need to be scrutinized — among them, why it appears extra engines had not been positioned in the Palisades and why more firefighters hadn’t been ordered to stay on duty.

In anticipating the wind event that drove the Palisades and Eaton fires to destroy entire communities, the L.A. Fire Department began moving its equipment to areas where high winds — and brush-covered hills — could put the city in danger.

Read the full story from NBC Los Angeles here

MELBOURNE, Australia — American tennis player Taylor Fritz said Thursday he is donating the prize money he earned for his first-round victory at the Australian Open — about $82,000 — to relief funds to help people affected by the wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area.

“I mean, I feel like it’s really the least I can do,” said U.S. Open finalist Fritz, who was born in Rancho Santa Fe, California, and still is based in the state.

“Obviously ‘SoCal’ has been my home forever. I still spend a lot of time in LA, but I lived in LA for quite a while. I have friends impacted; family not so much. I had some family have to evacuate. The house that my brothers grew up in burnt down. Obviously, they’re not living there anymore,” Fritz said after reaching the third round at Melbourne Park with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-0 victory over qualifier Cristian Garín of Chile.

“A lot of people are affected by it,” added Fritz, the runner-up to Jannik Sinner at the U.S. Open in September and seeded No. 4 in Australia. “I feel like if you’re in a place to help, then you should.”

A couple whose Altadena home burned to the ground is still shocked at how fast the flames from the Eaton Fire moved.

Dennis and Cheryl McMurray had come home from dinner on Jan. 7 and were preparing for bed when Cheryl’s cousin called.

“She wanted to know how close we were to a fire and we were like, ‘What fire?’” Cheryl McMurray said.

Dennis McMurray said he went outside and “saw an orange glow up in the horizon” about 2½ miles away.

The couple started gathering important belongings and got out in time as flames “came down the slope,” he recalled. As they left, everything was black, the winds were howling and they could barely see through the smoke, Dennis McMurray said.

The 100-year-old house had been in the family since 1972, when Cheryl’s parents bought it, and had been a hub for big moments and memories, she said.

“The rebuild is going to be a family affair,” Dennis McMurray said.

As the wildfires in Southern California continue to burn, streaks of bright pink fire retardant have become a familiar sight.

The powdered substance being sprayed over the wildfires is called Phos-Chek. It can be dropped from the air or applied via trucks on the ground. It’s primarily made up of water, ammonium phosphate — an ingredient commonly found in fertilizer — and pink coloring, though it’s thickened with gum to improve accuracy for aerial drops.

When used in fire retardant, ammonium phosphate can change the way the cellulose in plants reacts to heat. Ordinarily, plants exposed to a fire’s heat begin to decompose and become fuel, but Phos-Chek acts as a coating, creating a barrier that consumes the heat energy. The reaction produces a nonflammable carbon material, thereby slowing a blaze to buy firefighters time.

Read the full story here.

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services said yesterday it was working to prevent a secondary emergency following the wildfires: The risk of contaminated water.

"Eventually wet weather will arrive in burn scars and can push toxic material left behind into waterways. The Cal OES Watershed and Debris Flow Task Force is on the ground in Los Angeles ready to prevent that contamination," the agency said in a message on X.

This includes erecting barriers and fences to protect waterways and what the agency described as the biggest debris removal project in state history.

The Los Angeles Times’ Noah Goldberg to discuss the latest developments on the destruction caused by wildfires in Southern California.

A much-needed drop in high winds across Southern California has been welcomed by forecasters and firefighters this morning — but the Santa Ana winds could return next week, bringing yet more dangerous fire conditions.

The National Weather Service said that the chance for moderate winds, with gusts of up to 50 mph, will rise to 50% on Monday and 60% on Tuesday, with a 10% chance of strong winds up to 70 mph on both days. Humidity will remain below 20% all week.

This means a 60% chance of a red flag warning, meaning high fire risk, on Monday and 70% on Tuesday.

They lost almost everything in the wildfires in Southern California, but thanks to the community and a spirit of giving, small businesses are starting to recover. NBC News' Jacob Soboroff reports.

The scenes of destruction in Los Angeles have brought a sense of déjà vu for Steve Crowder. Six years ago, similar images of fires ravaging his community of Paradise, California, were plastered across televisions and social media.  

“It is Paradise revisited,” said Crowder, the mayor of Paradise. “Sitting here watching the news, these fires in L.A. have hit me the hardest.”

Now, his town could give an indication of what the road to recovery may look like for those in the Los Angeles area joining the growing list of towns and cities devastated by wildfires.

For those communities, recovery has been measured in years, not months. It has required billions of dollars in federal assistance, though federal money doesn’t address every need after a disaster. And putting that money to use comes with unexpected challenges that have gone far deeper than the surface-level destruction.

“My message to any of these towns is, don’t let anybody tell you you can’t come back, because we are proof you can come back. There is light at the end of the tunnel,” Crowder said. “The first time you walk through your town you’re going to think, ‘Oh, there’s no way we can come back from this.’ Well, there is, even though it looks like you’re walking through where a nuclear bomb went off.”

Read the full story here.

• A long road to rebuilding — and fights over government funding — await L.A. fire victims
• What is the pink powder sprayed over the California wildfires?
• Electrical tower a focus as Eaton Fire’s potential origin after video clues emerge
• From Baptist churches to Buddhist temples, religious groups volunteer for fire victims
• Startups race to build bigger, better drones to fight bigger, hotter wildfires
• Super Scooper planes that fight wildfires are ‘rugged, reliable’ — and rare
• Los Angeles wildfires cast a shadow over 2028 Olympics