Gavin Newsom has described the Los Angeles wildfires as the worst natural disaster in US history “in terms of the scale and scope”.
The blazes are on track to be among the costliest ever seen in the US, with losses expected to exceed $135bn (£109.7bn).
Speaking to NBC News, the California Governor said: “I think it will be in terms of just the costs associated with it in terms of the scale and scope.”
He also announced a new executive order hoping to address the issue of fraud, price gouging and insurance claims in the wake of the disaster.
Landlords in Los Angeles have been accused of “taking advantage” of victims who have lost their homes in the city’s wildfires, as they illegally gouge prices for those desperate for a place to stay.
At least 16 people have now died as the potential return of high winds threatens to push the wildfires ravaging the city towards some of its most famous landmarks.
Santa Ana winds which initially fanned the flames were calmer on Saturday, but the National Weather Service has warned that stronger gusts of up to 70 mph could return early next week.
Key Points
- Selling Sunset star says landlords are ‘taking advantage’ of crisis
- LA wildfires worst natural disaster in US history, says Newsom
- Gavin Newsom tells Elon Musk to ‘stop lying’
- Death toll rises to 16
- Return of strong winds forecast for Monday
Stern arrest warning issued after LA fires air tanker is grounded by crash with civilian drone
18:25
Graig Graziosi
The Los Angeles County district attorney has issued a stern warning after a civilian drone grounded a water tanker as firefighters battled a Los Angeles area fire this week.
The incident occurrred Thursday afternoon when the aircraft hit the drone as it operated over the Palisdades Fire, according to officials.
A Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson said the Canadian plane, Quebec 1, sustained wing damage and remains grounded and is out of service. It’s only one of two super scoopers being operated by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. An image of the damage shows a large hole in aircraft’s wing.
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CA Rep Judy Chu says LA is in a ‘good place’ ahead of fire-stoking Santa Ana winds this week
18:10
Graig Graziosi
California Rep Judy Chu, whose districts have been affected by the LA wildfires, told CBS News’s Face the Nation that the city was in a “good place” when it comes to water pressure and availability ahead of this week’s forecasted Santa Ana winds, which threaten to stoke and spread the wildfires burning the city.
She told CBS News the following:
“We have been in touch with the governor, but what I want to do is to assure people that there is enough water, and in fact, the fire department agencies have assured me that there is enough, but when the fires first happened, there was a combination of drastic winds and the fire and as a result, they were overwhelmed. This-this is not an ordinary incident, and many fire hydrants were going on at the same time, and also the electricity used to pump the water had been turned off so that there would not spark anymore fire. So that happened at that point, but I believe that we’re in a good place right now.”
Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim accuses LA landlords of 'illegally' raising rental prices to cash in on wildfire disaster
18:00
Graig Graziosi
Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim has accused LA landlords of “illegally” raising rental prices to cash in on the wildfire disaster.
Mr Oppenheim said he is seeing companies “take advantage” of people left without homes following LA wildfires, when he appeared on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg today (12 January).
“There are price-gouging laws in California that are just being ignored right now,” he said.
Meanwhile, California governor Gavin Newsom has described the Los Angeles wildfires as the worst natural disaster in US history “in terms of the scale and scope”.
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Los Angeles Getty Center’s priceless collection braces for wildfires as evacuation order expands to museum
17:45
Graig Graziosi
The Getty Center and Villa, museums that house some of the most priceless pieces of art in the Los Angeles area, remain stable as wildfires continue, a museum representative said in an update on Saturday.
The Brentwood Getty Center was put under an evacuation order on Friday, while The villa, located in the Pacific Palisades, has been in an evacuation zone for days. The Palisades fire pushed eastward on Friday, prompting officials to expand mandatory evacuation orders into an area that encompasses the center.
Both are in affluent neighborhoods that many celebrities call home. More than 35,000 people live in Brentwood and roughly 24,000 people reside in the Pacific Palisades. Vice President Kamala Harris owns a home in Brentwood with her husband, First Gentleman Doug Emhoff.
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More than $6m raised for California Community Foundation
17:30
Graig Graziosi
During a Sunday press briefing, Mayor Karen Bass said that more than 13,000 people have donated to the California Community Foundation to assist with the wildfire response and recovery. Their contributions totaled more than $6 million.
The California Community Foundation is a charitable organization aimed at tackling systemic problems in LA across a variety of focus areas.
Senator Adam Schiff calls for investigation into California fire response, presses need for unity between Trump and CA Dems
17:30
Graig Graziosi
Senator Adam Schiff of California appeared on ABC This Week on Sunday and admitted that despite their differences, it would be important for communication and cooperation between the incoming Donald Trump administration and California officials as the wildfire response and recovery efforts continue in Los Angeles.
“It’s going to be really important for the incoming president to work with all of us in California to make sure that we get the resources we need to put out these flames ... to get the relief to get back on our feet,” he said.
Schiff said that whenever he voted for disaster relif funding, the political leaning of the state had no bearing on his decision to send aid, and that he hopes Trump will share in that ideal.
“It’s going to be really important for the incoming president to work with all of us in California to make sure that we get the resources we need to put out these flames ... to get the relief to get back on our feet,” California Sen. Adam Schiff says. https://t.co/ANK2epHI2F pic.twitter.com/ygCxGG6ESk
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) January 12, 2025
He also said he wanted an indepedent commission to review the state and city’s response to the wildfires to determine what worked and what could have been done better.
Schiff said he was especially disturbed by the erroneous evacuation orders that were sent out to LA-area residents.
The senator also said in the meantime, the city will need to rebuild “with a sense of urgency.”
Sen. Adam Schiff calls for an independent commission to review the response to the California wildfires.
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) January 12, 2025
“What went right in our response? What went wrong in it?” https://t.co/nf9CAUZ2iH pic.twitter.com/Pj3azIxjvm
WATCH: Eva Longoria fights back tears as actor donates $50,000 to help victims of LA wildfires
17:10
Graig Graziosi
Trump may be visiting LA
16:51
Graig Graziosi
Mayor Karen Bass expressed confidence that President-elect Donald Trump would visit fire-striken LA.
She told reporters on Sunday that she had discussions with Trump’s staff and that they had been discussing potential times for a visit, suggesting the incoming head of state is considering a visit.
In the meantime, Trump has been insulting California officials for failing to quash the wildfires fast enough.
“The fires are still raging in L.A.,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social site. “The incompetent pols have no idea how to put them out.”
Curfew will be in effect tonight
16:45
Graig Graziosi
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said that a curfew would be in order in LA tonight from 6pm to 6am. “The order will remain in place tonight, curfew order from 6pm to 6am and unless you are a public safety personnel or some other disaster worker, you have no reason to be at these locations,” he said.
He also said that individuals who have been arrested have been picked up because they were wandering around fire-affected neighborhoods that were not their own. Luna said in some instances the individuals were allegedly carrying drugs and weapons.
LA Mayor Karen Bass praises Newsom executive order, praises volunteers
16:38
Graig Graziosi
LA Mayor Karen Bass spoke during a press conference on Sunday morning and praised Governor Gavin Newsom who passed an executive order on Sunday making it easier to LA residents and business owners to rebuild once the fires have been contained.
She also praised the volunteers who have given their time and resources to help city residents.
"People are coming from everywhere to help us,” she said.
Bass also pointed to a central hub for LA residents who need assistance, information, or who are looking to volunteer. That website is LACity.Gov.
Also during the presser:
Anyone who can smell smoke outside is advised to avoid out door activities and to stay indoors. If you can smell smoke inside your home, you are advised to run an air conditioner or air purifier to help clean and circulate the air.
Angelenos have been advised not to use leaf blowers to clear ash, as it tosses the ash into the air.
LA County Sheriff: The government will come for you if you scam or exploit the wildfire victims
16:26
Graig Graziosi
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna warned the public against scammers and others who might try to exploit the fires for their own gain.
Luna said anyone “thinking about scamming, using this incident to take advantage of resident that have already been victimized” should understand that the government will prosecute them.
According to the sheriff, state and federal law enforcement are “eager to prosecute anybody who is taking advantage of our residents during this very difficult time, whether it’s a burglary or it’s some kind of white collar crime in a scam or anything that you may be thinking about doing.”
LA Sheriff’s update: More missing people, more arrests, at least one fake firefighter
16:20
Graig Graziosi
The LA County Sheriff’s Office provided an update on Sunday morning.
According to the office’s figures, approximately 29 people have been arrested in connection with the fires.
One of those individuals was allegedly dressed as a firefighter and was arrested trying to break into a home in Malibu. There are currently 16 people reported missing, 12 people connected to the Eaton fire and four people connected to the Palisades fire. As of Saturday there were 13 people reported missing.
There are no juveniles among those reported missing.
WATCH: Pope Francis prays for victims of Los Angeles wildfires
16:15
Graig Graziosi
PHOTOS: When the hydrants ran dry in LA
16:00
Graig Graziosi
Earlier this week, firefighters in some parts of Los Angeles found themselves facing a serious issue during a calm week, and a catastrophic one during a wildfire emergency; many of the city’s hydrants had run dry.Up to 20 percent of the hydrants in Los Angeles were empty, according to Mayor Karen Bass, leaving firefighters scrambling to find different sources of water or to bring in water from other areas to help contain the blazes.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has called for an investigation into the issue.
“We need answers to ensure this does not happen again and we have every resource available to fight these catastrophic fires,” he wrote on X.
WATCH: California firefighters race to contain the fires
15:45
Graig Graziosi
LA wildfires containment update
15:33
Graig Graziosi
Here are the lates containment numbers from the LA wildfires:
Palisades: 23,707 acres burned, 11 percent contained
Eaton: 14,117 acres burned, 15 percent contained
Kenneth: 1,052 acres burned, 100 percent contained
Hurst: 799 acresburned, 76 percent contained
World Central Kitchen helping firefighters in Los Angeles
15:30
Graig Graziosi
Chef Jose Andreas’ World Central Kitchen nonprofit is supporting firefighters as they continue to battle wildfires in Los Angeles.
“This is as devastating as you can see, we’ve seen it before, fires like this,” Andres said in a video posted on X.
World Central Kitchen volunteers help provide food during disasters around the world.
He implored the federal government to help the victims of the fires rebuild, and for the public not to forget about those affected in the aftermath of the fires.
“We need to make sure that when the cameras are off and we are all in the crazy daily life where we forget about events like this, we cannot forget people,” he said.
Yesterday @WCKitchen went to Palisades to support firefighters @FireStation69 and give them the recognition and support they deserve….they fought an impossible battle…but now they are at the heart of the fight against the fire and being a support Fire house for many crews… pic.twitter.com/9RpdsRz7kG
— Chef José Andrés ️ (@chefjoseandres) January 11, 2025
Newsom says LA blaze is ‘worst natural disaster in US history’
15:15
Graig Graziosi
California governor Gavin Newsom admits he wants to know “what the hell happened” to critical water systems as the Los Angeles wildfires devastated the city amid anger from residents over the state’s response.
Newsom told Pod Save America on Saturday that local leaders in LA had not given him “straight answers” about the devastation caused by the deadly fires, which have left at least 16 dead and more than 12,000 structures turned to ashes.
Newsom has also come under fire from president-elect Donald Trump for the state’s response, which he has rejected as “disinformation” and branded the Republican “delusional.”
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WATCH: Fire tornado spotted in blazing Pacific Palisades fires
15:00
Graig Graziosi
More than 40,000 still without power in Los Angeles area
14:45
Graig Graziosi
Tens of thousands of Angelenos are still without power as firefighters continue to battle the wildfires in Los Angeles.
According to Poweroutage.us, a power outage tracker, there are approximately 42,000 power customers in the dark as of Sunday morning. Of that number, approximately 26,693 Southern California Edison customers,16,050 LA Department of Water and Power customers, and 112 Pasadena Water and Power customers are affected.
‘My whole city is gone’: As evacuations are lifted, LA residents are returning home to find nothing left
14:30
Michelle Del Rey
Los Angeles area residents are returning to their homes to find nothing but ash and rubble as wildfires devastate Southern California.
The Palisades and Eaton fires, along with other smaller blazes, have burned more than 36,000 acres of land throughout the Los Angeles area. At least ten people are dead and more than 10,000 structures have been destroyed by the flames as of Friday afternoon.
The deadly fires prompted some 200,000 people across Southern California to evacuate their homes. As evacuation orders are lifted for certain neighborhoods, many residents are returning to find their homes and belongings reduced to rubble.
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California wildfires: How and why did fire hydrants run dry across Los Angeles?
14:29
Graig Graziosi
As Los Angeles battles multiple fast-moving wildfires, emergency officials have faced a nightmare situation: fire hydrants running out of water.
“How do you fight a fire with no water?” Ryan Babroff, a volunteer firefighter battling the Eaton Fire, told The Washington Post.
At some point this week, up to 20 per cent of the city’s hydrants went dry, according to LA mayor Karen Bass. And as of Thursday night, firefighters had stopped tapping into hydrants at all.
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70mph winds forecast
14:14
Athena Stavrou
Although the Santa Ana winds that initially fanned the flames were calmer on Saturday, the National Weather Service warned that stronger gusts of up to 70 mph could return early next week.
Red Flag warnings remain in effect for L.A. and Ventura counties through to Wednesday, the NWS said.
“These winds, combined with dry air and dry vegetation, will keep the fire weather threat in the area,” it said. Conditions were expected to moderate by Thursday.
Newsom says LA wildfires worst natural disaster in US history
14:01
Athena Stavrou
Gavin Newsom has described the Los Angeles wildfires as the worst natural disaster in US history “in terms of the scale and scope”.
The blazes are on track to be among the costliest ever seen in the UD, with losses expected to exceed $135bn (£109.7bn).
Speaking to NSBC, the California Governer said: “I think it will be in terms of just the costs associated with it in terms of the scale and scope.
“Don’t even remind the folks in California, we had the Tubbs fire, 5,600 houses were lost. And of course Camp Fire, we had 18,000 housing units lost and 85 people that lost their lives.
“Currently we’re getting confirmation from the coroners, so we always have to be careful on the death toll, but it’s in the 13 range, and I’ve got search and rescue teams out. We’ve got cadaver dogs out. And there’s likely to be a lot more.”
Watch: Newsom welcomes Mexico firefighters as they arrive in California to battle wildfires
13:47
Athena Stavrou
DOD under Biden opens bases to house people displaced by LA wildfires
13:30
Michelle Del Rey
A White House official provided an updated on the Los Angeles fire response on Saturday afternoon.
According to the official, Joe Biden have been receiving continuous briefings on the situation in LA, and on how federal resources are being used to assist California and city officials in managing the wildfires.
The Department of Defense is reportedly providing support to the firefighting efforts that includes infrared imaging maps, 1,000 personnel from the California National Guard, and is opening bases up to help house displaced individuals and families.
The bases will provide more than 1,000 beds to assist those in need.
Biden spoke to city officials on Saturday, including LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and Ventura County Supervisor Kelly Long.
Pictured: LA covered in pink fire-slowing chemicals
13:04
Athena Stavrou
Latest size and containment of fires
12:45
Athena Stavrou
Here are the latest figures on the size and containment of the major fires:
- Palisades fire: 23,654 acres burned, 11% contained
- Eaton fire: 14,117 acres burned, 15% contained
- Kenneth fire: 1,052 acres burned, 90% contained
- Hurst fire: 799 acres burned, 76% contained
‘We will rebuild better’, says Selling Sunset star
12:38
Athena Stavrou
Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim has remained certain that Los Angeles will “come back better and stronger” after wildfires ravaged the city.
Describing the scenes of devastation seen this week, he told BBC news: “I can’t even put words to it. I never would have imagined this could have happened here.”
He added: “Places like Altadena are very hard working class areas. These people lost not just their homes but their belongings, their clothes.”
However, the real estate agent remained positive the city would come together to rebuild.
“I know that we’ll come back. That’s not a concern for anyone we are so resilliant,” he said.
“We will rebuild and we will rebuild better with stronger foundations than ever before and I mean that figuratively and probably also literally.
“I’m not worried about Los Angeles coming back better and stronger but at the same time I hope we can learn difficult and important lessons about our priorities.”
Former child star dies in California wildfires aged 32
12:30
Michelle Del Rey
Rory Callum Sykes, a British-born former child actor, has died in the wildfires that have devastated California this week.
Sykes, who featured in the Australian TV series Kiddy Kapers, was at his family’s home in Malibu when he died at the age of 32.
The news was announced on X/Twitter by his mother, Shelley Sykes, who also starred in the 1998 reality series.
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Selling Sunset star says landlords are ‘taking advantage’ of crisis
12:11
Athena Stavrou
Selling Sunset star and real estate agent Jason Oppenheim has said he has landlords “taking advantage” of victims who have lost their homes in the LA wildfire.
Mr Oppenheim, who stars in the show about selling real-estate in many of the areas affected by the blazes, said: “There are price-gouging laws in California that are just being ignored right now and this isn’t the time to be taking advantage of situations and its also illegal to take advantage of a natural disaster.”
He told BBC News that he had sent a client to a property asking for $13,000 per month, with the client offering to pay $20,000 and six months up front. However, Mr Oppenheim claimed the landlord asked for $23,000 instead.
"There are price-gouging laws in California that are just being ignored right now"
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) January 12, 2025
Selling Sunset real estate agent Jason Oppenheim says he is seeing companies "take advantage" of people left without homes following LA wildfires #BBCLauraK https://t.co/YgnXu7F8RI pic.twitter.com/6iDxIzbF0z
Newsom tells Musk to ‘stop lying’ as he hits back at X owner
11:44
Athena Stavrou
Gavin Newsom has responded to false claims made by X boss Elon Musk in a bid to stamp out misinformation about the wildfires.
The California Governor responded to a tweet share by Musk falsely claiming he had “decriminalized looting”.
In response, Mr Newsom wrote on the social media platform: “Stop encouraging looting by lying and telling people it’s decriminalized. It’s not. It’s illegal -- as it always has been. Bad actors will be arrested and prosecuted.”
Stop encouraging looting by lying and telling people it’s decriminalized. It’s not.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 11, 2025
It’s illegal -- as it always has been.
Bad actors will be arrested and prosecuted. https://t.co/EImJwFdyzZ
35,000 without power
11:31
Athena Stavrou
Tens of thousands of people are still without electricity in Los Angeles, as the wildfires continue to rage on.
According to monitor Poweroutage.us, almost almost 35,000 homes and businesses in the area are without power.
The company most affected is Southern California Edison, with 18,400 of its customers without power.
Around 16,100 Los Angeles Department of Water & Power customers have also been affected.
Watch: Devastated Simon Cowell makes urgent LA wildfire plea
11:10
Athena Stavrou
Residents warned against returning to destroyed homes for keepsakes
10:24
Athena Stavrou
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna warned residents against venturing back to destroyed homes to sift through rubble for keepsakes.
“We have people driving up and around trying to get in just to look. Stay away,” Mr Luna said, urging people to abide by curfews.
Officials on Saturday warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.
“If you’re kicking that stuff up, you’re breathing it in,” said Chris Thomas, a spokesman for the unified incident command at the Palisades Fire who warned the material was “toxic”.
Residents will be allowed to return with protective gear after damage teams evaluate their properties, Mr Thomas said.
Matthew Perry’s LA home where he died saved by neighbors amid Palisades fire
10:04
Athena Stavrou
Matthew Perry’s former Pacific Palisades home, where he tragically died from a ketamine overdose in 2023, has miraculously survived the devastating wildfires raging through the city of Los Angeles.
The four-bedroom, four-bathroom property, located in the affluent coastal neighborhood west of L.A., survived the catastrophic Palisades fire that has gone on to burn more than 22,661 acres, the home’s new owner has confirmed on Instagram.
“It’s hard to put into words how devastated we feel. It’s been such a tough week, but we are incredibly thankful to have learned that our house is okay,” wrote Anita Verma-Lallian, a real estate developer and film producer, who purchased Perry’s estate last October for $8.5 million.
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Strong winds forecast to return
09:38
Athena Stavrou
Fire crews are fighting to cut off the spreading blazes before strong winds return that could potentially push the flames toward some of the LA’s most famous landmarks.
The winds could move the blazes towards J Paul Getty Museum and the University of California, prompting another wave of anxiety as more evacuation warnings are issued.
In a briefing posted online on Saturday evening, Michael Traum of the California Office of Emergency Services said: “Weather conditions are still critical and another round of strong winds is expected starting Monday.”
The National Weather Service warned that strong Santa Ana winds could soon return. Those winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires into infernos that levelled entire neighborhoods around the city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than eight months.
Watch: California fire tornado forms as wind whips up flames in Pacific Palisades wildfires
09:20
Athena Stavrou
California fire tornados formed as strong winds whipped up flames in the Pacific Palisades wildfires.
The tornado was spotted on Friday night (10 January) as the wildfires blazed through the San Fernando Valley in California.
Strong winds have been blamed for turning wildfires into infernos that leveled entire neighborhoods in the LA area, where there has been no significant rainfall in more than eight months.
Los Angeles firefighters continue to battle several stubborn wildfires across the California county as the death toll grows to at least 16 people.
Watch the video here:
IN PHOTOS: Firefighters battling the Palisades fire in the Mandeville Canyon
08:30
Michelle Del Rey
What we know about those who’ve died in the LA fires thus far
07:30
Michelle Del Rey
Anthony and Justin MitchellAnthony Mitchell and his son, Justin, reportedly died in Altadena due to the Eaton fire. One of the 67-year-old’s children, Justin, had cerebral palsy and did not walk. Anthony Mitchell was an amputee and used a wheelchair to get around.
His son, also named Anthony, told NBC News that his father likely could have escaped their home himself, but would never have left his son Justin alone.
The father was found dead next to Justin’s bed. Justin also died due to the fire.
Erliene Louise Kelly
Kelly chose not to evacuate when the Eaton fire neared her home in Altadena. She was killed on Thursday evening when the fire overtook her home.
Victor Shaw
Shaw chose to stay behind and attempt to fight the fire at his Altadena home. He was found dead with a garden house in his hand just outside him home.
Rodney Kent Nickerson
Nickerson’s daughter told KCAL that her father said he would be fine, and chsoe to stay behind at his home in Altadena. She last heard from him while he was spraying water around his property as the Eaton fire neared.
Rory Sykes
A former Australian child star, Sykes died after he was unable to be rescued from a cottage he lived inside on his mother’s property in Malibu. The cottage caught fire and his mother was unable to reach him before the building was engulfed in flames.
Sykes had cerebral palsy and was unable to evacuate himself from the cottage.
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IN PHOTOS: Blazes surrounding The Getty
07:00
Michelle Del Rey
The fires continue to encroach on The Getty Center and Villa. Getty officials say there is no need to evacuate the art and the facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art protections in case of fire.
Still, the flames are becoming dangerously close.
Little-known app has become a lifeline for Angelenos during the latest wildfires
06:30
Michelle Del Rey
Watch Duty, a free app that shows active fires, mandatory evacuation zones, air quality indexes, wind direction and offers information on wildfires, has become a lifeline to LA residents this week.
Over 1m people have downloaded the app in the last few days, causing it to soar to the top of Apple and Google app stores. The company behind it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. It’s supported by a team of volunteer engineers and reporters.
The app is free but takes tax-deductible donations.
Download it here.
Palisades and Westside fire hydrants were ‘fully operational’ prior to wildfires, LA Water and Power finds
05:35
Michelle Del Rey
Any assertion that the fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades were broken before the Palisades fire is misleading and false, the agency said in a statement on Saturday in an attempt to dispel misinformation.
The agency works with the fire department, which is responsible for inspecting fire hydrants citywide. Water and Power said it repaired all hydrants needing repairs before the blaze. The agency’s fire hydrant repair list was current and updated, the statement continues.
LA County public health is extending its smoke advisory
05:05
Michelle Del Rey
“According to the South Coast Air Quality Management District, potential direct smoke impact from the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst Wildfires burning has caused unhealthy air quality in Los Angeles County,” a statement released by the agency states.
Smoke from the multiple fires is expected to most heavily impact northwest coastal Los Angeles County, including Pacific Palisades, Altadena and Pasadena. The advisory remains in effect through Sunday, January 12, 2025, at 10:00 pm, the agency said.
SAG-AFTRA is donating $1m to fire relief efforts
04:45
Michelle Del Rey
On Saturday, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced it would be donating $1m to assist members experiencing hardship caused by the Los Angeles fires.
The union has temporarily closed its Los Angeles office. Staff members are currently working remotely.
“I want to thank and recognize our broadcast journalist members who are out every day amid flames, smoke and fiery embers battling to bring this important news to the world, SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement.
“We hope this pledge helps relieve suffering and assists those impacted in putting their lives back together after this calamity. I have personally been affected by the fires and I feel deeply for others who are experiencing this tragedy. These are particularly stressful times.”
At least one fire is nearly 100 percent contained
04:27
Michelle Del Rey
Cal Fire released new containment numbers this evening.
- Eaton fire: 15 percent contained
- Palisades fire: 11 percent contained
- Kenneth fire: 90 percent contained
- Hurst fire: 76 percent contained
Officials are expecting a strong north-to-northeast wind with low humidity levels. A red flag warning continues to be in effect for the areas encompassing the Palisades fire. Critical fire weather conditions are expected with strong Santa Ana winds through Wednesday.
The strongest winds are likely on Tuesday, with a red flag warning expected to extend till 6:00pm on Wednesday.
Minimal fire growth was observed on Saturday. Fire crews will continue to work throughout the evening to control the perimeter by mitigating trees along roadways to provide safety for firefighters and the public. There are numerous downed trees, downed power lines, gas leaks and power outages in the area of the Eaton fire.
The four fires: Eaton, Palisades, Kenneth and Hurst have collectively burned nearly 40,000 acres.
Anyone with questions or who needs clarification regarding evacuations in your area, should reach out to their city’s official government website.
The most up-to-date information can be found on Cal Fire’s website.
US Congressman tours Altadena damage
04:05
Michelle Del Rey
US Representative Jimmy Gomez, who represents California’s 34th District, surveyed the damage caused by the Eaton fire in Altadena on Saturday. He said he spoke with firefighters working to battle the blaze.
Seven thousand structures have been destroyed in the fire
