California wildfires live updates: Winds intensify as L.A.-area death toll rises to 16

California Gov. Gavin Newsom discussed his “Marshall Plan” to rebuild Los Angeles after wildfires as the city prepares to host the World Cup, the super Bowl and the Olympics. 

L.A. County is offering maps for evacuated residents to check the status of their homes amid the fires.

so far, the websites have been created for the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire.

According to the key, red means a home was destroyed more than 50%, orange means it sustained major damage, yellow means there is minor damage, and black means it has no damage. If there is no color, the building has not yet been inspected.

Guitar Center, the country's largest musical instrument store chain, is offering one-time grants through its nonprofit Guitar Center Music Foundation to replace instruments and gear destroyed in the wildfires, the company announced yesterday.

L.A.-based musicians and music instruction programs that are part of a nonprofit group or public school are eligible to apply. Music programs must fall under one of four categories: in-school music classes in which the students make music, after-school music programs not run by schools, music programs that offer instruction to the local community, and music therapy programs in which participants make music.

Interested musicians must create profiles and apply through the foundation's online grant management platform. Guitar Center will process requests over the next month for up to $1,500 in replacement instruments and gear, according to the announcement. Interested musicians and program managers can learn more and apply here.

Even as some internet users and pundits try to politicize the massive wildfires and the destruction they’ve caused, California and Texas are showcasing solidarity online.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced yesterday that he was deploying firefighters, engines and other equipment to help with the blazes in California, adding that “Texas stands with our fellow Americans.”

Newsom responded on social media today with a thank-you post: “Red, blue, republican, democrat -- in moments like this we come together.”

The matter of erroneous evacuation alert messages sent to Los Angeles-area residents last week has been fixed, and new messages should be taken at face value, Rep. Brad sherman, D-Calif., said last night.

The L.A. County Office of Emergency Management said it has implemented improvements, including sending out alerts through the California Governor's Office of Emergency services, which handles statewide cellphone notifications.

On Friday, the office said it was probing the source of the false alerts.

speaking at a Palisades Fire community meeting organized by Cal Fire, sherman urged critics to put the blame game on pause, as the fires still pose a threat.

“We’ll find out later whose fault it is,” he said. “The key thing is they’ve solved the problem. Now if you get a notice on your phone, it’s for real.”

A pair of false alerts went out to cellphones of many L.A.-area residents who had opted in, as the fires continued to threaten lives and homes late in the week.

L.A. County Emergency Management Director Kevin McGowan said at a news conference Friday that “this is not human-driven. There is no one sitting at a desk right now initiating emergency alerts.”

California has mobilized more than 15,000 personnel for wildfire relief efforts, including firefighters, National Guard, highway patrol and transportation teams, according to the governor’s office.

The state has also been deploying more than 1,900 pieces of firefighting equipment. Aside from its engines, more than 80 aircraft are being used to combat the fires.

Preside Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris received wildfire updates this afternoon in a virtual briefing, a White House official said. The briefing discussed efforts to combat the fire, as well as an update on how federal resources were providing assistance, the official said.

Top officials attended the meeting, including Homeland security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and White House chief of staff Jeff Zients.

More than 24,000 people have registered for FEMA assistance, the official said.

Oregon's state fire rebutted a false claim that firefighters headed to Los Angeles were turned away or delayed over a failure to meet California's strict emissions regulations.

Fifteen Oregon strike teams sent to southern California first stopped in sacramento on Wednesday, the office of the state Fire Marshal said in a statement.

Cal Fire performed a routine safety check and posted about the process on its social media accounts, the Oregon office said.

After having spent the night in sacramento, the Oregon firefighters continued south and arrived on schedule in the Los Angeles area Thursday, it said. "No engine was turned away," it said.

"They all completed the safety check," it added.

The rumor spread after a man who said he's the brother of an Oregon firefighter said on social media that fire trucks from the state were held up over emissions testing and most likely wouldn't pass muster. That was repeated by a few social media accounts and publications, at least one of which has been known to spread false information.

A curfew for areas affected by the Palisades Fire is in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., Los Angeles County sheriff Robert Luna said at a news conference.

He said that means to "simply stay out of the areas if you are not a first responder or have emergency business there."

Luna also acknowledged those who are trying to get back to their homes but asked them not to out of concern for their safety.

"We are very empathetic and sensitive to those needs, but your safety comes first. A lot of these areas still look like they were hit by a bomb," he said, adding that in a lot of those areas, there are live wires, gas lines and other hazards.

Internet users are rallying to support incarcerated firefighters, who are paid lower than minimum wage in California, as they continue working to put out the most devastating blazes in the history of Los Angeles.

The Anti-Recidivism Coalition, a nonprofit group working to end mass incarceration in California, is running a fundraising campaign for incarcerated firefighters from Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp. Others say they are sending money directly to their commissary accounts while asking others online to match their donations.

Recent wildfires have brought renewed attention to the work of incarcerated firefighters, with public figures — from Kim Kardashian, who posted online urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to raise their wages, to political Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who spoke with incarcerated firefighters in a livestream — highlighting their plight online.

The mammoth Palisades Fire has burned 23,713 acres and remains at 11% containment, officials said at a news conference this afternoon.

Kristian Litz, Cal Fire's operations sections chief for the Palisades Fire, said crews continue to work on the fire's edge to create lines that prevent forward progression as winds tick up tonight and into the week.

In some areas, like Monte Nido and Topanga Oaks, Litz said, ground crews are doing defense work, like clearing brush, in case the fire does move. They're also working on securing the area of Mandeville, he said, where the blaze was threatening the canyon earlier this weekend.

"We always plan to keep the fire as small as we can, but we prepare for something bigger," Litz said.

Fire crews are using helicopters, drones and planes that drop water and retardant over the inferno. Aircrafts with infrared capabilities are also being used so ground crews know exactly where to go to fight the fire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that his country is offering help to combat the California wildfires.

Zelenskyy asked his team to "prepare for the possible participation of our rescuers in combating the wildfires in California," according to a transcript posted to the president's website.

"The situation there is extremely challenging, and Ukrainians can help Americans protect lives," he said. "This matter is being worked out, and through appropriate channels, we have offered our assistance to the American side. We already have 150 firefighters prepared."

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced today that he's sending 1,000 more National Guard service members to Los Angeles to "help keep the communities devastated by the fires safe."

The additional forces would make up a total of around 2,500 Guard members mobilized in response to the wildfires.

Firefighting aircraft doused flames from above all week, but they aren’t used every time a large wildfire breaks out.

That’s because high winds make flying the vehicles much more difficult, said Cal Fire, which says it has the largest civilian aviation fleet in the world, at more than 60 aircraft.

Cal Fire said in a video on social media that dropping fire retardant or water from the air becomes “very ineffective” once winds surpass 30 mph, as it ends up more as a mist than as a steady rain. In such cases, air crews must first wait for the winds to die down.

sen. Adam schiff, D-Calif., has called for an independent commission to review the state’s response to the wildfires.

schiff, who says the most urgent task at the moment is to put out the fires, said today that he supports Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call for an independent review of issues such as a lack of water for firefighters in some areas, as well as water pressure issues in Altadena.

“I support that independent review. I think we should go further and, frankly, do an independent commission review of all of this. What went right in our response? What went wrong in it? I’m deeply concerned about these erroneous alerts that have gone out,” schiff said on ABC’s “This Week.”

“If people can’t trust when they’re told 'you need to get out' that they do need to get out, then it not only severely impacts the whole effort, but people ignore the alerts, endangering themselves and endangering the firefighters that have to step between the fires and these civilians,” he added.

The National Weather service echoed warnings issued by local officials this morning: Winds will pick up again tonight and continue through Wednesday.

The high winds — up to 70 mph — will make firefighting challenging as several blazes are not yet fully contained.

Los Angeles County supervisor Janice Hahn, who also chairs the city’s Metro Board of Directors, announced sunday that L.A. Metro will continue to offer free fares systemwide as long as fires and severe winds continue to pose a threat to the region.

Fares have been suspended since Wednesday, when many Angelenos were facing severe winds that caused power outages alongside devastating fires.

The mother of Randy “Craw Daddy” Miod is mourning her son after his body was found in his home — dubbed the “Crab shack” — which was destroyed in the Palisades Fire.

Carol smith said Miod, a well-known Malibu resident, “lived and died in the place he loved the most.” she said he had been through “so many fires” in the 30 years he resided there and most likely didn’t believe this fire would be much different.

“He will be remembered for his kindness, his loving spirit, his generosity, his laughter, the encouragement he gave others, for working hard and playing hard,” smith said in a written statement. “I don’t think he ever realized how much everyone loved and respected him, for just being Randy, ‘the craw.’”

Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., whose district includes Altadena and some areas of Pasadena, led a congressional delegation yesterday to tour the destruction of the Eaton Fire.

On CBs' "Face the Nation" this morning, Chu said she’s planning to invite House speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and President-elect Donald Trump to tour the area as well.

“We are planning to invite speaker Johnson, as well as President Trump, to come to this area and to witness the devastation for themselves," Chu said. "We have already been in touch with Republican Congress members, and they have expressed that they are very open to coming and seeing what is going on."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has also personally invited Trump to tour the aftermath of the fires.

Casey Colvin rushed back to his home Tuesday to try to get his two rescue dogs to safety as the Palisades Fire spread rapidly around his Pacific Palisades neighborhood.

A firefighter saw his distress and was able to get back to Colvin's home to retrieve one of the of two pups, Tika Tika Tika. Unfortunately, his second dog, Oreo, had seemingly run off and was missing for days.

But this morning, Colvin told NBC News, Oreo had been spotted on his street. An NBC News crew was with Colvin when he saw Oreo at his neighbor's home, and the furry friend ran over as soon as he heard his owner's voice.

"Oh, my God, you're alive, you're alive," Colvin screamed with joy as he hugged Oreo.

Los Angeles police arrested three people for curfew violations in Pacific Palisades overnight, including a man who they say was impersonating a firefighter, the police department said today.

The initial call was generated when an unidentified person contacted the L.A. Fire Department. The person said three men were driving around in vehicle and going through burned-out homes. 

The driver was wearing a Los Angeles Fire Department jacket, police said. The man was questioned and could not produce an ID. The fire station he claimed to be connected to had no record of him, officials said. 

All three men were arrested. The investigation is ongoing, police said.

Two people were arrested for curfew violations yesterday in the Palisades Fire evacuation zone near the Brentwood home of Vice President Kamala Harris.

The people arrested were not on the vice president's property, according to two law enforcement officers close to the matter. Her residence is guarded by the U.s. secret service.

The people arrested appear not to have known where they were, NBC Los Angeles reported, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the incident.

The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will get a virtual briefing on the California wildfires today.

Homeland security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, FEMA Region 9 Regional Administrator Bob Fenton, U.s. Forest service Chief Randy Moore, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, homeland security adviser Liz sherwood-Randall and deputy homeland security adviser for resilience and response Caitlin Durkovich will join the briefing.

Emergency workers returning to parts of Malibu and the Pacific Palisades today are coming across scenes of utter ruin. Burned-out shells of vehicles and charred storefronts tell only some of the story, as the neighborhoods will face massive rebuilding efforts.

Residents who are not being ordered to evacuate are facing urgent warnings not to drink the tap water in their neighborhoods.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has issued "do not drink" notices for the ZIP codes 90272 and 90402, which are in the area around the Palisades Fire. Fire-related contaminants, including benzene and other volatile organic compounds, may have entered the water system.

"It is possible that disease-causing organisms or other contaminants could be present," the department said. "These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches."

The department warned against taking hot showers or cooking with tap water. staff are distributing free bottled water at the Westwood Recreation Center and Brentwood Country Club for affected residents to drink and cook with.

Victims of the wildfires may successfully request federal assistance even if they have home insurance, FEMA said on social media sunday.

“We can’t provide money for disaster-related expenses covered by insurance, but if your damage isn’t fully covered, we may be able to help,” the agency wrote.

FEMA may contribute up to $43,600 for housing assistance and $43,600 for other needs, according to its guide for survivors with insurance. These applicants must send FEMA a copy of documents that show what their insurance covers.

As firefighters continue to battle blazes in Los Angeles that have leveled entire neighborhoods, winds are expected to intensify through Wednesday evening, potentially further complicating efforts.

Gusty winds and persistently dry weather are increasing extreme fire threats in the region, officials said at a press conference sunday.

A red flag warning is in effect in the region as northeast wind gusts surpassed 50 mph on sunday, Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said. The warning will remain in place until 6 p.m. local time Wednesday as strong santa Ana winds are also expected to pick up in coming days.

Read the full story here.

At least 16 people have been reported missing amid the burning fires in Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County sheriff Robert G. Luna.

"We have 12 in Eaton and four in Palisades," Luna said during a news briefing this morning. "If there's any good news, there's no juveniles missing within those numbers."

Luna also said the sheriff's office got "dozens and dozens more" missing person reports this morning, but they need to reconcile those numbers before reporting them.

Luna advised anyone who believes a family member is missing to report it to the sheriff's department.

Last night, Los Angeles officials arrested a man who was dressed like a firefighter but was allegedly caught burglarizing a home.

It was the 29th arrest made so far as some seek to capitalize on the tragedy of the wildfires, Los Angeles County sheriff Robert Luna said this morning. He added that his department has been in touch with both the Los Angeles district attorney’s and U.s. attorney’s offices, which are "eager to prosecute anybody who is taking advantage of our residents."

Luna warned that would include "whether it is a burglary or it is some kind of white collar crime and a scam or anything that you may be thinking about doing."

Officials urged people both in the area and around the country to be cautious about what organizations they are donating to in order to ensure they are reputable charity efforts.

The number of people in Los Angeles County under mandatory evacuation orders is down as of today, with 105,000 residents ordered evacuated from their homes.

Los Angeles sheriff Robert Luna described it as "some good news" but warned that the situation remains fluid, as more heavy winds are forecast in the coming days. Just a few days ago, there were almost 180,000 people under evacuation orders.

Additionally, there are still 87,000 residents in evacuation warning zones who may be told to leave at a moment’s notice.

"I just want to remind everybody, if you are asked to leave and you're in an evacuation order area, your life is in danger," Luna urged.

Gov. Gavin Newsom elaborated on the executive order he signed to help people in the Los Angeles area affected by wildfires rebuild their homes, telling “Meet the Press” that he’s worried about the time it will take to rebuild.

“And so we want to fast track by eliminating any [California Environmental Quality Act] requirements. I’ve got Coastal Act changes that we’re making,” Newsom said. “I want to make sure when someone rebuilds that they have their old property tax assessments and that they’re not increased.”

He added that he wants to finish inspections of property so people can get their insurance claims, which will then enable the state to remove debris and clean up the area. He added that the executive order will be “mindful” of potential abuses by developers.

“California leads the nation in environmental stewardship. I’m not gonna give that up,” he said. “But one thing I won’t give in to is delay. Delay is denial for people.”

Though residents are eager to return to their homes, officials warn that the wreckage remains dangerous for civilians and requests for police escorts are overwhelming Los Angeles' already strained resources.

Los Angeles sheriff Robert Luna spoke about the frustrations of those who are at barricades trying to go back to their neighborhoods, warning that the debris left behind resembles "war zones." Officials said they are working on a solution that would allow residents to view their homes online to assess damage instead of returning in person.

"There are downed power poles, electric wires," Luna said. "There are still some smoldering fires. It is not safe."

The city's officers initially worked with citizens to provide police escorts for people to go back to recover medications and pets, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said. That came to an end as "the numbers became overwhelming" for the department.

"Today, we need to suspend that practice effective immediately — we have search operations now beginning," McDonnell said. "We will have cadaver dog deployment, and that will result in crime scene preservation efforts and then the recovery of remains, working closely with the L.A. County coroner."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” saturday that the Los Angeles-area wildfires will be one of the worst natural disasters in U.s. history and called for an independent investigation into the local water supply.

“I think it will be in terms of just the costs associated with it, in terms of the scale and scope,” Newsom said when asked whether the disaster would be among the nation’s worst ever.

His remarks came after firefighters said some fire hydrants ran dry in the first several hours as they were battling flames across greater Los Angeles on Wednesday.

“Was it just overwhelm? That you had so much that was used, we drew it down? Was it pipes? Was it electricity? Was it a combination of pipes, electricities and pumps? Was that drawdown impossible because you lost seven-plus thousand structures right here anyway, and every single structure we lost had a pipe that was leaking, and we would’ve lost that water pressure anyway?” Newsom asked.

Read the full story here.

Kim Kardashian is advocating for incarcerated firefighters who are battling the southern California blazes to receive higher pay.

Activists have long complained that California relies too heavily on inmate firefighters, who receive $1 an hour while fighting a fire compared to a professional firefighter, who can earn $40,000 or more in their first year.

The reality-TV star and entrepreneur noted that incarcerated firefighters are part of the response for all five fires impacting Los Angeles, risking their lives "to prove to the community that they have changed and are now first responders."

"I am urging @cagovernor to do what no Governor has done in 4 decades, and raise the incarcerated firefighter pay to a rate the honors a human being risking their life to save our lives and homes," Kardashian wrote in an Instagram story yesterday.

Officials said last week that one of the two planes Canada offered in the firefighting effort was damaged after being hit with a drone, hampering efforts to tame the fires using aerial drops.

Photos shared with NBC News show a significant hole in the wing of the super scooper plane. Parts from the drone it collided with were also recovered from the plane.

Akil Davis, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s L.A. field office, said yesterday that drone incidents were into the "double digits," according to NBC Los Angeles.

The FAA is investigating the collision, which could result in both a criminal case and a civil penalty up to $75,000 for interfering with wildfire response.

Over 65,000 utility customers are still without power in California this morning as the Los Angeles fires continue to burn, according to Poweroutage.Us.

A local official said during a news conference saturday that some power shutoffs were essential for safety.

southern California Edison said that as of yesterday afternoon, more than 45,400 customers in its jurisdiction are without power, per its website. It has restored power to 500,000 since the start of the windstorm that has been affecting Los Angeles.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom blasted President-elect Donald Trump’s response to the California wildfires in an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” recorded saturday, saying, “Mis- and disinformation I don’t think advantages or aids any of us.”

Newsom appeared to be referring to Trump’s posts on Truth social blasting Newsom, President Joe Biden and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass since the fires broke out Tuesday.

In one post, the president-elect baselessly claimed Newsom had blocked a measure that would have allowed water to flow from Northern California to southern California.

“Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” Trump wrote, using an insulting nickname for Newsom.

Read the full story here.

Progress is being made on the fight against the Eaton Fire, which decimated the city of Altadena last last week and remains the second largest of the fires currently raging.

Containment on the Eaton Fire grew from 15% to 27% this morning, according to the Angeles National Forest branch of the U.s. Forest service. The Eaton flames currently span more than 14,000 acres and have either damaged or destroyed more than 7,000 structures.

The Hurst Fire's nearly 800-acre blaze is now 89% contained, according to Cal Fire.

The Kenneth Fire that burned through 1,052 acres of Los Angeles and Ventura counties is now 100% contained, according to the National Interagency Fire Center

The fire started burning Thursday evening in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles, near Calabasas, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

As of saturday night, the Lidia Fire, Archer Fire, Woodley Fire and sunset Fire were 100% contained and no longer considered active, according to Cal Fire. Between them, the fires scorched 487 acres. 

In an interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press," California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would sign an executive order aimed at speeding up disaster relief efforts for victims of the wildfires.

"We’ve come up with some timelines so we can get, within the next few weeks, all that done so people can get their insurance claims. We can then start the big contracts to remove the debris, to address all the hazmat issues," Newsom said.

"I’m worried about issues of rebuilding as it relates to scarcity, as it relates to property taxes. Meaning scarcity of resources, materials, personnel. I’m worried about time to getting these projects done. And so we want to fast-track by eliminating any CEQA requirements," Newsom added, referring to the California Environmental Quality Act, a law that requires agencies to study the environmental impacts of development projects.

He also spoke about wanting to make sure that "when someone rebuilds that they have their old property tax assessments and that they’re not increased. so all of that’s been done in the executive order we just announced."

Paul Rosenbluh was in Vancouver, Washington, finalizing a restaurant purchase when he learned that his existing eatery in Altadena, California, had been incinerated.

He and his wife, Monique King, had run Fox’s Restaurant, a “gem on the hill” of the Los Angeles-area community, since 2017. The diner was a local staple dating back to 1955, and Rosenbluh first laid eyes on its charred husk this week through a Facebook video that was sent to him after the Eaton Fire swept through the area.

“I don’t want to say [we’re] exchanging one restaurant for another, but that’s kind of how it’s going to transpire,” Rosenbluh recalled thinking on the 14-hour drive back to Altadena. “We literally just closed escrow on Tuesday when all this stuff started to go down.”

He’s one of many small-business owners across greater Los Angeles who are just beginning to reckon with the devastating wildfires that have raged across the region, turning decades of history and years of entrepreneurial effort to ashes within hours.

Read the full story here.

On Tuesday, when the fires first started, the White House made federal disaster assistance available to California to aid the state’s recovery efforts. The disaster has also prompted an outpouring of donations from around the world.

As the fires rage on and as Los Angeles looks ahead toward an eventual recovery, here are ways you can most effectively help the city’s recovery efforts, with a list of charities that have been vetted by NBC News.

The Los Angeles Fire Department has asked the public to stop dropping off donations at fire stations after an overwhelming influx of contributions across L.A. County.

While expressing appreciation for the community’s generosity, LAFD said in a Facebook post yesterday evening that handling the large volume of donations “impacts our critical operations.”

"We understand wanting to help, we are helpers too,” the department wrote. “We have worked with local council districts and non-profit organizations to accept your donations and ensure they are provided to those most in need.”

President-elect Donald Trump criticized the officials managing the L.A. wildfires early sunday, calling them “incompetent” and questioning why the blazes had not yet been put out.

"The fires are still raging in L.A.," he wrote on Truth social. "The incompetent pols have no idea how to put them out.”

Trump’s comments reignite his ongoing feud with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has accused Trump of politicizing the situation.

Prolonged drought, an exceptionally dry winter and powerful santa Ana winds have set up a dangerous triple whammy of extreme conditions that have fueled the wildfires, and firefighting efforts have faced challenging conditions with ongoing high winds.

On saturday, both Newsom and Los Angeles County supervisor Kathryn Barger invited Trump to survey the area.

Trump transition senior adviser Jason Miller said visiting Calfornia was "a top priority," but a date has not yet been set.

National Guard officers have been enforcing a curfew in evacuation order zones and evacuation warning zones from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. as the wildfires continue to rage. In some areas, barbed wire has been strung across roads ro prevent people from entering.

Canada, Texas and Mexico will join neighboring states in “providing critical support” fighting the L.A. wildfires, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

“These reinforcements are crucial not only for containment efforts but also to provide much-needed relief to the brave firefighters on the frontlines,” Cal Fire said on X saturday evening. The crews will join more than 14,000 personnel already deployed to fight the fires.

On saturday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom met with a delegation of firefighters from Mexico at Los Angeles International Airport.

In a post on X, Newsom said more than 70 firefighters and disaster relief workers from Mexico’s defense ministry and National Forestry Commission will form handcrews to help with the firefight.

Claims that fire hydrants in Pacific Palisades were broken before the city’s wildfires began are “misleading and false,” according to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

saturday’s statement follows reports that firefighters faced challenges due to running out of water or experiencing low pressure in fire hydrants, which hindered their efforts to combat the blazes.

“LADWP repaired every hydrant needing repairs as reported by LA Fire Department inspectors,” the statement said, adding that about 20% of hydrants in the area lost pressure “due to unprecedented and extreme water demand to fight the wildfire without aerial support.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom has called for an independent investigation into the loss of water pressure to local fire hydrants and the reported unavailability of water supplies from the santa Ynez Reservoir.

Almost 35,000 homes and businesses in Los Angeles are currently without electricity, according to Poweroutage.us, a website that monitors outages.

The latest data shows around 18,400 southern California Edison customers remain without power, as well as about 16,100 Los Angeles Department of Water & Power customers, and about 100 with Pasadena Water and Power.

The two largest wildfires blazing in Los Angeles, the Eaton and Palisades fires, have not been further contained over the past 24 hours.

Cal Fire is showing the Palisades Fire, which has burned across 23,654 acres, is still 11% contained, the same as saturday morning.

The Eaton Fire in the Pasadena area also remains at 15% containment. It has burned across 14,117 acres, according to Cal Fire.

But the smaller Kenneth Fire, which started Thursday evening and burned through 1,052 acres in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles, near Calabasas, is now 80% contained, and the Hurst Fire, which started as a brush fire but has so far covered 799 acres, is at 76% containment. The Lidia fire is 100% contained.

A red flag warning has been issued for parts of southern California until Wednesday by the National Weather service.

strong, gusty northeast winds up to 45 mph are forecast for the Inland Empire, san Bernardino County mountains, santa Ana mountains and inland Orange County, as well as isolated gusts up to 55 mph on coastal slopes and canyons.

A red flag warning kicks in when meteorologists and forecasters believe conditions could lead to extreme fire within 24 hours. “If fire ignition occurs, conditions are favorable for very rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior,” according to the agency.

The most crucial periods will be saturday night into sunday morning and then late Monday going into early Tuesday, National Weather service meteorologist Rose schoenfeld told reporters.

Fire weather watch warnings, the stage before a red flag warning, are also in place from Monday through to Wednesday in the Riverside County Mountains, the san Diego County mountains, and the san Diego County valleys.

As flames threatened the upscale Mandeville Canyon and Encino areas of Los Angeles, firefighters took advantage of better weather to stop flames from expanding the Palisades Fire’s northern footprint today.

Cooler Pacific winds in the area earlier today blew inland from the south-southwest, giving firefighters temporary respite from warm, dry offshore winds that move from north to south and heat up air molecules under pressure as gusts descend from the mountains toward the sea.

“Winds are in our favor in that area, so it looks really good,” said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Operations Chief Christian Litz.

He explained that some of the northeastern contours of the fire near Mandeville Canyon were fortified with dozer lines amid the fire’s northern pause. “We watched as it was backing down,” Litz said during a community meeting streamed for public viewing tonight.

The area has been the subject of concern after evacuation warnings spread across the 405 freeway into parts of Bel Air and abutting the campus of UCLA in Westwood. The fire didn’t jump the freeway.

MsNBC’s Alex Witt, who grew up near where the Eaton Fire is burning and spent much of her childhood near the area scorched by the Palisades Fire, shared that her family lives somewhere between the two blazes and expressed gratitude for their safety.

Despite living and reporting in New York, Witt said she has always considered Los Angeles her home. Fighting back tears, she shared the deep anxiety and heartache of feeling helpless as her hometown burns.

Gov. Gavin Newsom today announced a tax deadline reprieve for residents and businesses in fire-affected Los Angeles County, a move that pushes back the state’s tax filing deadline for 2024 income to Oct. 15, 2025.

This applies to individuals and businesses with an April 15 deadline, as well as to filings and payments due Jan. 7 through Oct. 15, Newsom’s office said.

The governor’s move shadows an Internal Revenue service announcement with the same extension for federal returns and payments.

“You are not alone,” state Controller and Franchise Tax Board Chair Malia M. Cohen said in the governor’s statement. “I am committed to ensuring that Californians have the help they need during this incredibly difficult time through disaster relief resources that are available through FTB.”

The city of Malibu has lost about one-third of its eastern edge to the Palisades Fire, Mayor Doug stewart said.

“The beautiful homes that were along the area ... they’re gone. For the most part, they’re gone,” stewart said at a community meeting tonight.

stewart said a number of homes along the Pacific Coast Highway and the community of Big Rock are gone, and more homes from Big Rock to Carbon Mesa Road are “severely damaged or gone.”

The Palisades Fire began in the Pacific Palisades on Tuesday and has burned 23,654 acres in the area, with 11% containment.

It’s the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history and has wreaked havoc in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu, claiming more than 5,000 structures, according to a Los Angeles Fire Department update this morning.