California wildfire live updates: Los Angeles area on alert as high winds fan the flames

Urban search-and-rescue crews have completed searches at “a large majority” of the structures in the Eaton Fire, a fire official said today.

The completed searches are “a great move that just moves us one step closer to the next process,” Jed Gaines, operations section chief on the fire, said at a community meeting. Three search-and-rescue teams were working on the front range of the fire zone in the Altadena area today, he said.

The Eaton Fire, which broke out on Jan. 7 during extreme santa Ana winds, has burned 14,117 acres and was 45% contained this afternoon, officials said.

Damage inspections to verify how many homes and other structures have been destroyed continued today, and that task is around 45% done, according to an update on the blaze from an interagency fire information center.

so far, 4,627 structures have been verified as destroyed, although estimates indicate that more than 7,000 structures have been destroyed, it said.

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio announced today that he will give $1 million to wildfire recovery efforts in the crisis in the Los Angeles area.

DiCaprio said he is partnering with the conservation group Re:wild, an organization he called uniquely positioned to respond to environmental disasters.

In its first stages, the money will go to the L.A. Fire Department Foundation, World Central Kitchen, the soCal Fire Fund and others, DiCaprio announced on Instagram.

The devastation from the fires has prompted donations from other Hollywood figures, as well, including Eva Longoria and Jamie Lee Curtis, who pledged to donate $1 million each. Beyoncé's BeyGood Foundation donated $2.5 million.

Winds have peaked this week for most of the Los Angeles area, and while santa Ana winds will return next week, they will not be as fierce as when the fires broke out, the National Weather service said today.

“Good news: We are expecting a much-needed break from the fire weather concerns to close this week,” the agency said on X.

“Bad News: Next week is a concern. While confident that we will NOT see a repeat of last week, dangerous fire weather conditions are expected,” it added.

A red flag warning remains in effect for the Los Angeles area until 6 p.m. local time (9 p.m. ET). Winds have peaked and will continue to diminish, the weather service said, but some mountain areas will remain a concern into tomorrow, it said.

An onshore flow, meaning wind blowing from the cool Pacific Ocean inland, beginning tomorrow “will result in a significant cooling trend through the weekend with higher humidities,” the weather service said in a local forecast discussion today.

The Walt Disney Co. said today it is opening its wardrobe warehouse to employees and their families who lost their homes to the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area.

Disney last week also pledged $15 million to help in rebuilding efforts after the Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed thousands of homes and other structures.

The wardrobe items offered to employees, production crew and their families are from film and TV shows, Disney said in a statement.

Heidi Chong, vice president of production shared services for Disney Entertainment Television, said Disney was in a unique position to help because it is "sitting on an entire warehouse full of wardrobe — some of which has been barely used, if it’s been used at all."

“We really want to emphasize to the families: ‘If you come here, we’ve already organized everything for you. It’s all on display on the racks. You can find what you need,’” Chong said in a statement. “There are no limits to the amounts that people are getting; it’s really about what they need.”

Fire departments that have already embraced small drones to help fight wildfires could soon be getting bigger help.

several startups are developing a new generation of autonomous aerial vehicles that more closely resemble airplanes than the small quadcopters that dominate the consumer drone industry. The companies hope advances in the technology can help them snuff out wildfires — sometimes even before they start.

Their efforts are taking on fresh urgency as historically devastating wildfires rage in the Los Angeles area, but they might face regulatory and logistical challenges before they get fully off the ground.

Read the full story here.

A new law enforcement coalition vowed today to prosecute any offenders who might have touched off the devastating blazes or sought to profit from them.

The Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force is made up of the U.s. attorney’s office, the FBI, the ATF, the Department of Homeland security, the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office, the L.A. City Attorney’s Office, Los Angeles police and the L.A. County sheriff’s Department.

“We will not permit victims to be re-victimized,” U.s. Attorney Martin Estrada said. “Our community has suffered tremendously, and we are here to support them. The Joint Fire Crimes Task Force is committed to addressing crimes coming out of the fires, including any looting, arson, illegal drone flights and fraud."

One reason last week’s collision between a firefighting plane and a drone caused such a stir was that Los Angeles doesn’t have many spare “super scoopers” to take the aircraft’s place.

Los Angeles fire authorities typically lease two each year, but authorities have requested more to combat the wildfires that continue to burn throughout the metro area. Only about 160 are in operation around the world, each one constructed by a single Canadian company based on a design that has barely changed in 55 years.

“It is a rugged, reliable and very tough aircraft,” said Neil sweeney, vice president of corporate affairs at De Havilland Aircraft, the planes’ manufacturer, which is based in Calgary, Alberta.

super scoopers get their name from their ability to pick up 6,000 liters from bodies of water and drop them in just 12 seconds on wildfires burning nearby, he said. It’s a specialized task that’s becoming more in demand as a warming climate contributes to bigger, hotter, more frequent blazes that are often difficult to control.

Read the full story here.

The Auto Fire in Ventura County is now 50% contained, the Ventura County Fire Department said. 

It remains at 61 acres. Overnight, firefighters addressed small isolated flare-ups and “stubborn pockets of heat” across the fire perimeter. 

No further growth is expected, and today firefighters are reinforcing containment lines.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. 

The U.s. securities and Exchange Commission said it's closely monitoring the impact of the California wildfires on investors and markets and warned people to “be vigilant for California wildfire-related investment frauds.”

The sEC's divisions “will evaluate the possibility of granting relief from filing deadlines and other regulatory requirements for those affected by the wildfires. Entities and investment professionals affected by the California wildfires are encouraged to contact sEC staff with questions and concerns,” the agency said in a statement. 

Investors can check for California wildfire-related securities scams and check the backgrounds of people offering them investments using free search tools on Investor.gov. 

“The sEC’s Division of Enforcement will vigorously prosecute those who attempt to defraud victims of the wildfires,” the statement said. 

In a preview of the full conversation between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Jen Psaki that will air at 12 p.m. ET sunday, Newsom discusses the scope of funds needed to help rebuild California, as well as the sheer volume of misinformation being pushed by Elon Musk.

Officials were questioned at during today’s fire briefing about a Los Angeles Times report yesterday that officials did not assign about 1,000 firefighters and dozens of engines for emergency deployment, despite warnings of life-threatening winds last week. 

L.A. City Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley said: “We follow the system in place. The system in place looks at overall weather and risk. With that we pre-deployed the resources in very, very calculated ways throughout the city, also not knowing where a fire might start and might not start.”

Crowley said engines that were not prepositioned were not unstaffed. 

“Our firefighters jumped on the pumps, our additional 1,000 engines that you’re talking about, and they went to work,” she said. 

she said additional engines and personnel were pre-deployed on top of what is normally done given the weather warning at the time.

After the fires started, the LAFD issued an alert to off-duty firefighters for recall. Crowley said last week that the LAFD immediately used all available on-duty personnel who were not normally in the field. 

Over 53,000 people have registered for FEMA's individual assistance program and almost $12 million has been provided to wildfire-affected individuals, FEMA Region 9 Administrator Robert Fenton Jr. said at today's briefing.

FEMA's transitional shelter and assistance program was activated last night for displaced survivors. 

“The transitional shelter assistance (TsA) allows for fire survivors to stay at participating hotels to help fill the housing gap until they can identify a short or longer term housing solution. TsA may also be available for those that have insurance,” he said. “FEMA is reaching out to fire survivors that have registered with us that would be eligible for this program.”

Under the program, FEMA pays for the cost of the room, taxes and nonrefundable pet fees directly to participating hotels.

The Environmental Protection Agency has been directed to remove all household hazardous waste from properties affected by the fires, removing products like paints, cleaners, solvents, pesticides, larger asbestos debris and batteries. 

“EPA will stand up 40 teams over the next couple days, which equates to approximately 500 personnel,” Fenton said, which he described as a first step in getting survivors back to their homes. 

A "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warning remains in effect for Los Angeles and Ventura counties through 3 p.m. local time (6 p.m. ET). Other red flag warnings for mountainous areas will remain in effect through this evening.

Offshore winds forecast in the 45 mph-65 mph range through the morning will decrease through the afternoon, but there is still a critical risk for fire weather.

Tomorrow through sunday, onshore winds will return, which will raise the humidity for the Los Angeles area and bring in some coastal fog and clouds.

However, early next week there is potential for another significant santa Ana wind event with strong winds, which will raise the fire danger once again. 

The Los Angeles City Council yesterday passed a number of motions to assist Mayor Karen Bass' executive order to expedite the rebuilding progress, she said at this morning's fire briefing.

she thanked the California Community Foundation fund, which has raised over $18 million to support the aftermath of the wildfires. she also thanked Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson and the people of Long Beach, who contributed a half-million dollars. 

“This is how we will rebuild our city. We will rebuild our city stronger,” Bass said.

Los Angeles County sheriff Robert Luna said search and rescue teams have completed searching 78% of the area in Altadena, or an estimated 5,500-plus properties. 

“I’m hoping, with luck, maybe by the end of today, maybe tomorrow, that will be done. Yesterday we started the same operation in the Palisades area evacuation zones,” he said at this morning's fire briefing.

The county originally had 31 missing person reports — five were found safe, and 26 are still missing. Of those, 20 are from the Eaton area and six in the Palisades area. 

Jim McDonnell, chief of the LAPD, said that of the 38 people reported missing to police, 27 were found safe. Of the 11 remaining, two have most likely been found deceased but are yet to be positively identified.

An additional brush fire broke out in the Lake View Terrace area in the san Fernando Valley of Los Angeles and threatened structures yesterday, but all forward progress was stopped within 34 minutes, Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley told reporters today. 

she said that infrared flights last night over the Palisades Fire “indicated there are still numerous hot spots burning within the fire footprint.” Firefighters are paying close attention to address any flare-ups to prevent any fire spread outside the perimeter. 

L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said critical fire weather conditions continue through tonight, but “the anticipated 70 mph winds have yet to materialize. However this could change, and we are still at risk.”

Today firefighters will focus on reinforcing containment lines on the Eaton Fire to “ensure perimeter control,” with continued retardant drops in inaccessible terrain, officials managing the fire said in a statement this morning.

Repopulation efforts for this fire continue. Resources are also strategically prepositioned along the fire’s western edge due to santa Ana wind conditions. 

Thus far damage estimates via remote sensing technologies indicate over 7,000 structures may have been damaged or destroyed. Damage inspection teams have completed inspections for 45% of all structures within the fire footprint. 

Over 3,000 personnel are assigned to this fire and it threatens over 28,000 structures. 

The Palisades Fire remains at 23,713 acres and is 19% contained, according to Cal Fire updated numbers this morning.

The Eaton Fire remains at 14,117 acres and is now 45% contained, a 10% increase from yesterday. 

The Hurst Fire stands at 799 acres and is 97% contained. 

The Auto Fire, which started late Monday night in Ventura County, is 61 acres with 47% containment.

NBC News’ steve Patterson reports from Altadena on the concerning santa Ana winds that experts have labeled a “particularly dangerous situation,” amid the California wildfires.

Over 93,000 customers are without power in California as of 6 a.m. local time (9 a.m. ET)

In Los Angeles County over 31,000 are without power, over 32,000 out in san Bernardino County and over 12,600 without power in Ventura County, according to PowerOutage.Us.

Actor Jennifer Garner is giving back in her own community by working with save the Children at pop-up camps for kids affected by the Los Angeles wildfires.

“Therapy for them is play. Play is therapy … this is therapy for these kids. This is exactly what they need,” she told NBC's Jacob soboroff.

“Everyone is just trying to give children a little bit of joy and normalcy, if that’s at all possible, and give parents the space to figure out where they’re going to live, where their kids are going to go to school, there’s so much work to do.” she said.

save the Children has teamed up with Project Camp to set up three emergency relief camps across Los Angeles with more to come to provide aid and trauma-informed care to impacted families. 

David Whitman, the creator of water pump company Brushfire Battle systems, said he’s been inundated with calls and emails from homeowners after one of his products was credited with saving a home in the Palisades Fire.

Whitman created his company after the 2018 Paradise, California, Fire. His pumps use swimming pool water to protect homes from fires with products ranging from $1,695 to just under $6,000.

“I’m like, ‘What the hell? Why aren’t people using their pools to fight fire and protect themselves?’ so I started researching high-pressure water pumps, AG irrigation systems,” he told NBC Los Angeles.

His water cannon line is capable of delivering over 90 gallons a minute out 200 feet in diameter, according to his website. His fire sprinklers can work when homeowners aren’t present by soaking properties with a wall of water and mist using pool water. 

“I want to give their house a fighting change,” he explained. “That’s really what it comes down to — put up a fight.”

Firefighters continue to battle deadly blazes across Los Angeles County, putting out hot spots and expanding containment, as much of the region remains under red flag warning. 

All the while, investigations continue into the causes of the fires, including the major Palisades and Eaton fires. 

“We are following all the leads and processing all the physical evidence,” Jose Medina, special agent in charge of the ATF's L.A. field division, said in a news conference yesterday. 

At least two lawsuits filed blame power company soCal Edison alleging negligence for its part failing to to de-energize transmission lines. The utility company said it’s reviewing the lawsuit. 

Japan is to send $2 million to help victims of the latest round of California wildfires.

The main voice for the Japanese government, Chief Cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, announced the donation this morning.

"Japan has decided to provide U.s. $2 million through the American Red Cross as relief assistance the victims of this disaster," he said.

The money will go toward providing shelter, food and also psychological support.

"While we will continue to work on the exact timing of the assistance, Japan will continue to actively provide support for the disaster victims, as well as for the swift recovery of the disaster-stricken areas," Hayashi said.

The charred remains of vehicles destroyed by the Eton Fire in Altadena yesterday.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom responds to recent misinformation by Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump about the California wildfires. 

Homeowners dealing with the loss or destruction of their homes during the brush fires that are still ripping through Los Angeles County will need to consider their insurance options next.

While many residents in Altadena and West Los Angeles grip with loss amid the devastating fires, they’ll have to navigate their insurance options once they are ready to do so. To help fire victims walk through a process that may seem overwhelming, an insurance attorney provided guidance to help.

Michael Cohen said getting organized is the first step for everyone who lost a home in a fire.

“Keep receipts for everything beginning immediately,” he advised. “I mean for the toothbrush, paper clips, everything.”

Read the full story here.

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency services has announced it will open two disaster recovery centers in Los Angeles today, including one at the UCLA Research Park, formerly the Westside Pavilion in West Los Angeles.

The centers will offer resources to residents affected by the fires, including those who have lost records such as birth certificates, death certificates, driver's licenses and social security cards. Residents who have lost their homes or businesses can apply for disaster relief loans, while mental health counseling and other services will also be available.

"Cal OEs has led the efforts to respond to and recover from wildfire impacts," the office stated, adding that "the work now turns to recovery where Cal OEs, state agency staff, federal and local partners work to help fire survivors get back on the road to recovery."

Just days before Washington officially transitions back to the Trump era, the folks trying to plot out a successful first six months of his second term have a big new problem they will have to deal with and embrace — rebuilding America’s second-largest city. 

One of the hallmarks of every presidency I’ve covered is how the best-laid plans of a new (or newly re-elected) president have all run aground fairly quickly amid unforeseen crises.

Whether it’s because of an economic collapse, a pandemic, a hurricane that nearly erases a major city, a terrorist attack in the nation’s largest city, an oil leak at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico or, now, out-of-control fires encroaching on an enormous urban population, presidencies rarely go to plan.

Read the full article here.  

More than 1,000 prisoners and 127 prison staff were working to contain the wildfires overnight, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

The prisoners have signed up to join the voluntary Conservation (Fire) Camps Program, which works alongside Cal Fire crew members.

Just weeks ago, the 9ThirtyLA venue in downtown’s Arts District was known as a trendy spot for events, its wooden beams and concrete floors serving as the perfect backdrop for concerts, corporate parties and more.

But after fires began to devastate the Los Angeles region, community organizers and a wave of volunteers turned an industrial venue into a makeshift refuge, with beds and tables filled with everyday essentials, like hygiene products and clothing. With help from local organizations (LoveChild Hospitality, the ANE Foundation, ImpactLA and the AFTP Foundation), the venue has become one of the countless set up across the region to help wildfire evacuees cope with the devastation.

“What’s been beautiful is that our community has offered so much that we now have this full warehouse of things that could be a great starting point for somebody who just lost everything,” said Waseel Amoura, an organizer at the 9ThirtyLA venue.

Feeling helpless about the devastating natural disaster that has killed at least 24 people and swept through 40,000 acres in the Greater Los Angeles area, many Angelenos like Amoura have rushed to help those in need.

Read the full story here.

The father and daughter behind a nonprofit that finds new uses for donated RVs are reaching out to the people of L.A. who lost their homes in the wildfires. “We want to help the people that need help,” Woody Faircloth told KUsA’s Jaleesa Irizarry.

The wildfires on Tuesday affected over 150 staff at one of NAsA's major centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which homes Mars rovers and manages many of its robotic missions exploring Earth, the solar system and the universe.

"Firefighters held back the flames at JPL’s gates, but many of our coworkers lost their homes," a JPL staff member posted on X Tuesday evening. Director Laurie Leshin confirmed on X that the lab had been contained from any fire damage due to the efforts of first responders, but over a hundred staff members lost their homes and many more had been displaced long term.

The lab will remain closed to due to wildfire evacuations until next week. In response to this crisis, a special Caltech and JPL Disaster Relief Fund has been established to support our affected staff, faculty, and students.

significant devastation in our community. 1000 still evacuated. More than 150 lost homes completely, many others will be displaced long term. Hope AIAA members will consider supporting those most impacted here: https://

Damage from wildfires in southern California has left 70,250 energy customers without power, with southern California Edison launching its Public safety Power shutoffs (PsPs) protocol in targeted areas to protect communities.

The electrical utility for Los Angeles said Wednesday that it had deployed more than 3,000 crew members, contractors and mutual assistance personnel to help restore power, inspect areas and remove safety hazards.

"We recognize that PsPs creates hardships, yet safety remains our number one priority," stated Funmi Williamson, the senior vice president of soCal Edison.

In the months preceding the outbreak of the infernos now raging through Los Angeles County, home insurance carriers began withdrawing new coverage in response to the rising threat from wildfires, while also increasing premium amounts for existing customers. 

Now, other residents across the U.s. are looking to see whether insurers in their areas have been making similar changes.

In fact, the U.s. senate recently covered this exact issue. Last month, the senate Budget Committee released a report showing the states and counties that have seen the greatest changes to their insurance profiles, as measured by number of canceled policies and extent of premium increases.

Not surprisingly, much of California, as well as hurricane-prone regions in Florida and Louisiana, topped the list. Oklahoma, where homeowners have suffered extensive wind and hail damage related to the rising intensity of tornadoes, also featured prominently, alongside parts of southern New England, the Carolinas, New Mexico, the northern Rockies and Hawaii.

Read the full story here.

The National Weather service has warned of "extreme fire danger" through Wednesday, with forecasters predicting peak wind gusts of up to 70mph across northern Los Angeles and parts of Ventura county. In some areas, the santa Ana winds were predicted to reach near hurricane-force.

They have also designated a “particularly dangerous situation” between 3am to 3pm local time—a sign used very rarely and originally designed by meteorologists to signal “the extreme of the extremes.”

Thousands of residents remain under evacuation orders and have been advised to "take action immediately" by leaving as soon as fire officials recommend evacuating.

Crumbs and Whiskers Cat Cafe is hosting 15 minute free cat cuddle sessions for those affected by the ongoing wildfires. Lead host of the cafe, Haley Collins called it a “peaceful and de-stressing experience.”

Among the thousands of buildings believed destroyed in the Palisades Fire is a branch of the Los Angeles Public Library that opened in its current form more than 20 years ago, the library system said.

Library service to the Pacific Palisades goes much farther back in time than 2003, when the large branch was opened, it said.

Library service to the coastal community began in 1929, the first branch opened in 1952 and then a larger one replaced it in 1963, the library system said. The library that burned down, with 11,500 square feet of books and other materials, opened in 2003.

“It is with great sadness that we report the loss of our beloved Palisades Branch Library. We are eternally grateful to the amazing staff, volunteers and community members who have contributed to the growth of the Palisades Branch Library,” the library system said in a statement.

“It has been an extraordinarily difficult week for Los Angeles. We have witnessed unimaginable devastation, but through it all, there have been inspiring stories of communities coming together,” the library system said.

• Investigators comb a scorched slope to solve a mystery: How did the Palisades Fire start?
• Los Angeles community steps up to try to give wildfire victims a sense of ‘normalcy’
• As Los Angeles wildfires rage, Trump homes in on a FEMA administrator
• Here’s where insurance companies see the most risk for disasters
• One of Los Angeles’ two lesbians bars announced it will close due to wildfires
• The family home is gone. The gate in their son’s honor still stands.
• Wedding band found under rubble of Altadena home destroyed by the Eaton Fire
• Beyoncé postpones anticipated announcement due to California wildfires