Bruising Santa Ana winds have returned to Los Angeles County early Wednesday, as the death toll from the still-raging wildfires sits at 25.
Forecasters again declared a “particularly dangerous situation” – the most extreme advance warning also used when violent tornadoes are possible – with local wind gusts expected to reach up to 60mph in the mountains.
The Palisades and Eaton fires are now among the most destructive in Southern California’s history, and progress on containing the blazes has been slow in the windy weather.
The Palisades Fire has torn across nearly 24,000 acres and was 18 percent contained. The Eaton Fire is 35 percent contained after burning more than 14,000 acres.
While Wednesday is expected to be “the last really windy day,” Red Flag conditions continue until 6 p.m. PST due to very low humidity.
While tens of thousands still are unable to return to their homes, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order on Tuesday to start the rebuilding process.
“This unprecedented natural disaster warrants an unprecedented response that will expedite the rebuilding of homes, businesses and communities,” she said in a post on social media.
“We will do everything we can to get Angelenos back home,” Bass said.
Key Points
- ‘Most extreme' weather warning issued as bruising Santa Ana winds return
- LA fires death toll: At least 25 people killed in Palisades and Eaton blazes
- LAPD arrests at least 14 in connection with Palisades fire
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom calls on Trump to visit fire-ravaged regions
Kansas Republican says Trump should ‘absolutely' tell California to repeal climate rules to receive wildfire aid
14:59
Julia Musto
Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall told Fox Business host Stuart Varney on Wednesday that president-elect Donald Trump should force California to repeal climate regulations in order to receive wildfire aid.
VARNEY: Do you believe there should be conditions on federal aid for California? Strings -- should they be attached?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 15, 2025
SEN. MARSHALL: Absolutely
VARNEY: Should President Trump force them to repeal climate rules?
MARSHALL: Absolutely pic.twitter.com/i4yUIlu1Y8
“Absolutely,” he said.
In pictures: Wildfire reduces Malibu home to ash
14:50
James Liddell
Critical fire weather conditions driven by Santa Ana winds are possible again next week, forecasters say
14:47
Julia Musto
— NWS Climate Prediction Center (@NWSCPC) January 14, 2025
Winds expected to ease after Wednesday, forecasters say
14:40
Julia Musto
While Wednesday will be “noticeably windier than yesterday” in Los Angeles County, forecasters shared some good news in the early morning hours.
“The good news is that the winds through the Santa Monica mtns will be focused on the western third of the range far away from the Palisades Fire,” the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office wrote. “The upper reaches of the Eaton fire may see an increase in winds but this is not a for sure situation.”
The “really good news,” it said, is that Wednesday will be the “last really windy day,” with a decrease seen this afternoon. Advisory level gusts should conclude by 3 p.m. PST. Red Flag conditions will continue through the evening, with extra critical fire conditions continuing until winds subside.
Key message: We are not out of the woods yet. Please stay on guard for a fast-moving fire. The winds underperformed today, but one more enhancement could happen tonight-tomorrow. The PDS Red Flag Warning remains in effect for the same areas, now for 3am to 3pm Wed. #cawx pic.twitter.com/T5qhEGz8Qn
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 15, 2025
Watch: Home security camera footage shows terrifying moment LA wildfire consumes property
14:29
James Liddell
The search for lost pets is underway, LA mayor says
14:05
James Liddell
Pets are family.
— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) January 15, 2025
The City is making help available to find and retrieve pets in evacuation areas.
Call (213) 270-8155 for assistance.
Watch: Moment Paris Hilton fosters wildfire run-away from animal shelter
13:40
James Liddell
LAFD had 1,000 firefighters in reserve when Palisades blaze broke out
13:20
James Liddell
Senior Los Angeles Fire Department officials allegedly decided not to assign 1,000 extra firefighters and dozens of fire engines for emergency deployment the day the wildfires broke out – despite reports of a looming fire weather days earlier.
Firefighting personnel were not ordered to remain on duty for a second shift as winds continued to build on January 7, according to records obtained by the Los Angeles Times. It would have doubled the number of firefighters on hand to battle the newly-developed Palisades blaze.
The LAFD is said to have only started readying firefighters and deploying additional fire engines after the fire broke out, burning ferociously, in the Pacific Palisades.
It came despite reports of a looming fire weather as early as January 3 – with the National Weather Service warning of potential “rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior” near the region if ignition occurred.
LAFD officials assert that the firefighting effort was hampered by budget cuts and low water levels for some fire hydrants.
Rory Sykes’s mother recounts her son’s miraculous life
12:54
James Liddell
The mother of Rory Sykes, 32, a British-born former child actor who died tragically in the Los Angeles wildfires, has recounted the moment her son “took his first step” after watching Tom Hanks in Forest Gump.
Speaking with Australia’s Channel Nine Sunday, Shelley Sykes said she endured a desperate battle to keep her son alive during his early years as he battled complex needs tied with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy.
Rory, a former Australian TV series Kiddy Kapers child star, “started having surgery as a baby”, she said. “He had nine surgeries to straighten his legs, [and] straighten his eyes, and he used to watch ‘Forrest Gump’ all the time when he was 4.
Sykes added: “He got the all-clear in his eyes at 8, but he took his first step[s] after watching Forrest Gump 400 times.”
Madeline Sherratt has more.
California governor slams Republicans politicizing ‘tragic moment’
12:35
James Liddell
Conditioning aid is simply un-American. pic.twitter.com/ypdixMqEPI
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 15, 2025
Almost 95,000 homes and businesses without power in SoCal
12:27
James Liddell
Nearly 95,000 homes and businesses have been left in blackout conditions, according to poweroutages.us.
More than 32,000 energy customers are without power in San Bernardino, 31,000 in Los Angeles, almost 13,000 in Ventura, 10,500 in Riverside, and almost 6,000 in San Diego. Imperial, Orange and Kern counties are also suffering very minor outages.
Watch: Five-day-old puppy survives building collapse during Pasadena fire evacuation
11:49
James Liddell
GOP senator says California ‘doesn’t deserve funding’
11:23
James Liddell
Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville said that California “doesn’t deserve” any funding for the devastating wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles.
The Alabama senator, a staunch Donald Trump ally, said he didn’t object to sending the state “some money,” but not unless state leaders “change their ways.”
Tuberville joins a growing number of Republicans who have hit out at California’s political leaders for the fires, blaming them partly on “woke policies.”
Rhian Lubin has the story.
Search and rescue workers comb through rubble and ruin in hunt for victims
11:00
James Liddell
Newsom left ‘disgusted’ with ‘predatory’ land developers
10:35
James Liddell
Today, I signed an executive order prohibiting greedy land developers from ripping off LA wildfire victims with unsolicited, undervalued offers to buy their destroyed property.
— Governor Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 15, 2025
Make no mistake — this is a prosecutable crime. pic.twitter.com/FhrqEhaaE0
Death toll rises to 25
10:16
James Liddell
At least 25 people have been killed in the southern California wildfires, the Los Angeles county medical examiner’s office confirmed on Tuesday afternoon.
Officials said that nine of the victims died in the Palisades fire and 16 in the Eaton fire, which continues to rage across Altadena and Pasadena.
The death toll is likely to climb, officials warn.
LA fires: Is it safe to travel to California and is LAX closed?
10:10
James Liddell
Authorities in Los Angeles have braced for the return of high winds this week, the sort of winds that caused wildfires to spread across California, which has now burned across around 60 square miles of the region.
Between Monday and Wednesday this week, winds will be milder than last week in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, but will reach up to 70 mph in the mountains and up to 60mph in the coasts and valleys, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
The NWS has warned of a “particularly dangerous situation” in the days ahead.
Large numbers of people have been put under evacuation orders since the fires started, and at least 25 people have been killed amid the devastating blaze.
Read more:
LA Mayor Karen Bass photographed posing at cocktail party in Ghana as the wildfires broke out
09:45
James Liddell
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was posing for photos at a cocktail party in Ghana when the Palisades fire first broke out last week.
The mayor was selected by President Joe Biden as one of his four-member presidential delegation to attend the inauguration of Ghana’s incoming President John Dramani Mahama on January 7.
Despite reports of a looming fire weather on the afternoon of January 3 – with the National Weather Service warning of “rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior” if ignition occurred – by January 4, Bass was on a plane to Ghana’s capital Accra.
Three fires – Pacific, Eaton and Hurst – were racing across southern California by Tuesday evening. Hurricane-force winds of up to 100mph were fanning flames, causing the blaze to scorch the land at a rate of five football fields per minute.
Bass, meanwhile, attended Mahama’s inauguration, leaving City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson as LA’s acting mayor when the Palisades fire broke out.
In a photo taken and posted on social media – and first reported by the LA Times – Bass was snapped posing at an inauguration cocktail party just before 8 p.m. Ghanaian time the day the fire ignited (just before 12 p.m. LA time). Evacuation orders were issued moments later.
Watch: Los Angeles County officials give wildfire update on Tuesday as dangerous weather warning issued
09:20
James Liddell
Newsom calls on Trump to visit fire-ravaged regions of southern California
08:55
James Liddell
I want the President-elect to meet with the communities impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires and understand the magnitude of the devastation.
— Governor Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 15, 2025
I urge him to meet with the brave firefighters and first responders on the ground and see firsthand how they've saved lives. pic.twitter.com/yhHsGyIBb1
Warning of ‘critical fire weather’ as strong Santa Ana winds return
08:32
James Liddell
After a temporary lull in winds, the National Weather Service has warned of critical fire weather with “strong” Santa Ana winds expected to make a return early on Wednesday morning.
In its latest forecast discussion, the agency has warned of widespread wind gusts up to 55 mph across much of Ventura County, the mountains of L.A. county – including the Santa Monicas, the northern and western valleys of L.A. county and the Malibu Coast.
Local gusts could reach up to 65mph from before sunrise to noon on Wednesday, according to the NWS.
“Critical fire weather conditions will continue for coastal southern California through Wednesday due to moderate to locally strong Santa Ana winds. Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warnings remain in effect,” it announced late on Tuesday.
Here were the strongest winds clocked from Tuesday evening:
- 74 mph: Magic Mountain in Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains
- 62 mph: Mill Creek in the western San Gabriel Mountains
- 61 mph: Chilao in Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains
- 61 mph: Palo Sola in the eastern Santa Susanna Mountains
The return of Speidi: How Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag rebranded during the California wildfires
08:00
Holly Baxter
If there’s one consequence I didn’t expect to come out of the California wildfires, it was a flop Heidi Montag album from 2010 topping the iTunes charts and her husband, former most-hated-by-millennials Spencer Pratt, going on TV to cry about it. Yet, here we are, living in a timeline where Superficial (yes, the album you might have seen once on Perez Hilton’s blog and immediately forgotten about) is getting the resurgence no one asked for but TikTok demanded.
Read on:
Republican senator says California ‘doesn’t deserve funding’ after devastating wildfires
07:00
Katie Hawkinson
Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville said that California “doesn’t deserve” any funding for the devastating wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles.
The Alabama senator, a staunch Donald Trump ally, said he didn’t object to sending the state “some money,” but not unless state leaders “change their ways.”
Tuberville joins a growing number of Republicans who have hit out at California’s political leaders for the fires, blaming them partly on “woke policies.”
Read more:
Emmy award stolen during LA fires looting as nine people charged over thefts in Palisades and Eaton
06:00
Holly Williams
Nine people have been charged with looting in connection with the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles, the district attorney has said.
Nathan Hochmann told reporters that among the stolen property was an Emmy award, which was taken from a resident’s home in Altadena by four individuals who were quickly apprehended. Authorities would not be drawn on who the Emmy belongs to.
In another case, two people entered two different houses in the same neighborhood and are facing two counts of first-degree burglary, which could see them get 12 years behind bars.Read on:
Wind gusts up to 60 mph expected overnight into Wednesday
04:40
Katie Hawkinson
The National Weather Service forecast wind gusts up to 60 mph in the mountains overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.
“Key message: We are not out of the woods yet,” the Los Angeles NWS said in a statement. “Please stay on guard for a fast-moving fire. The winds underperformed today, but one more enhancement could happen tonight-tomorrow.”
The Palisades and Eaton fires are among the most destructive in Los Angeles history. At least 25 people are dead and officials are warning residents to stay alert as the fires persist.
Malibu Mayor dispels rumors of permits for re-entry into evacuation zones
04:15
Katie Hawkinson
Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart dispelled rumors that the city is offering permits to people who want an expedited return to evacuation zones.
“We … need to address and dispel a rumor circulating in the community: there is no permit for expedited re-entry into evacuation zones. Any claims or offers to provide such a permit are false,” Stewart said in a statement Tuesday.
“Many of you are understandably anxious to return to your homes. We hear you, and we are doing everything in our power to make that happen as quickly and safely as possible,” he added. “However, we remain in the midst of an active fire incident.”
Watch: Buckeye Fire helps woman’s cat as she flees from CA fires
03:45
Katie Hawkinson
Speaker Johnson calls for ‘conditions’ on California wildfire aid
03:15
Josh Marcus
House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested on Monday that lawmakers might attach “conditions” to wildfire aid for California, where blazes in Los Angeles have killed at least 25 and burned hundreds of homes, one of the worst natural disasters in state history.
“I think we’re going to have a serious conversation about that,” Johnson told reporters. “Obviously there has been water resource mismanagement, forest mismanagement, mistakes, all sorts of problems, and it does come down to leadership. It appears to us that state and local leaders were derelict in their duty in many respects. That’s something that has to be factored in.”
Read on:
Watch: Jimmy Kimmel breaks down in tears over LA wildfires
02:45
Katie Hawkinson
Palisades fire may be linked to previous blaze in popular hiking area
02:15
Josh Marcus
Officials are probing the area near where a small New Year’s Day fire broke out for clues about what started the deadly Palisades Fire, which has grown since last week to more than 23,000 acres and devastated the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
At the start of the new year, firefighters used a water-dropping helicopter to snuff out a blaze that began a few hours earlier near Skull Rock, a popular hiking destination on the Temescal Ridge trail above the Palisades.
Some residents wonder whether parts of that fire survived and set off the Palisades fire, which began on January 7.
Continue reading:
LAPD arrests at least 14 in connection with Palisades Fire
01:45
Katie Hawkinson
The Los Angeles Police Department has arrested at least 14 people in connection with the Palisades Fire, including three arson suspects, Commander Steve Embrich said Tuesday.
Others were arrested on suspicion of violating curfew, impersonating a firefighter and looting, among other crimes.
“Looting is not just a crime against property; it also takes away any sense of security from evacuated residents and it will not be tolerated,” Embrich said.
Tyler Perry calls out ‘appalling’ insurance company decisions in wake of LA wildfires
01:15
Ellie Muir
Tyler Perry has criticised insurance company cancellations amid the ongoing catastrophic Los Angeles wildfires raging through Southern California.
Several blazes have destroyed more than 35,000 acres of land across Southern California – the largest being the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire – resulting in the death of 25 people. Several celebrities, including Paris Hilton and When Harry Met Sally star Billy Crystal, have lost their homes.
The American filmmaker and actor shared a message calling out unnamed insurance companies who had either chosen not to renew their policies or to stop writing new ones, especially for high-value homes located in areas of high-risk fire-prone areas.
Read more:
Republican senator says California ‘doesn’t deserve funding’ after devastating wildfires
00:45
Rhian Lubin
Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville said that California “doesn’t deserve” any funding for the devastating wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles.
The Alabama senator, a staunch Donald Trump ally, said he didn’t object to sending the state “some money,” but not unless state leaders “change their ways.”
Tuberville joins a growing number of Republicans who have hit out at California’s political leaders for the fires, blaming them partly on “woke policies.”
Read more:
California wildfires: How and why did fire hydrants run dry across Los Angeles?
00:15
Josh Marcus
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 percent of the city’s hydrants went dry, according to LA Mayor Karen Bass. And on Thursday night, firefighters had stopped tapping into hydrants at all.
Read more:
Watch: Team of 75 firefighters tackle fast-moving California Auto-Fire
Tuesday 14 January 2025 23:45
Katie Hawkinson
President Biden speaks on California wildfires at conservation event
Tuesday 14 January 2025 23:23
Katie Hawkinson
President Joe Biden has once again addressed the California wildfires at a White House event celebrating his administration’s conservation efforts.
“As you all know, I was in California last week where the event was supposed to be held, but we had to postpone it, because the fires in Los Angeles, among the worst wildfires in California history, it’s devastating,” Biden said on Tuesday evening.
“Our entire administration have been working closely with Governor Newsom, Senator Padilla, Senator Schiff, the entire congressional delegation, to make sure California is every possible resource to fight these fires and help the survivors,” he added.
Biden also signed proclamations establishing the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in California.
Cal Fire damage inspection teams are on the ground in LA
Tuesday 14 January 2025 22:49
Julia Musto
CAL FIRE’s Damage Inspection Teams (DINS) are on the ground in the Los Angeles area, assessing homes and properties impacted by recent fires.
— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) January 14, 2025
These inspections determine the extent of damage to structures, providing crucial information for recovery efforts and helping property… pic.twitter.com/BXC0vTD2Yh
More than 2,700 structures have been confirmed destroyed in the Eaton Fire zone
Tuesday 14 January 2025 22:48
Julia Musto
Some 2,722 structures have been destroyed in the Eaton Fire zone, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hundreds more were verified to be damaged.
Officials have said that the estimated number of structures destroyed in the blaze is around 7,000.
Auto Fire now 25 percent contained
Tuesday 14 January 2025 22:28
Julia Musto
#autofire; The Auto Fire is now at 25% containment and remains at 55.7 acres. All forward progress of the fire has been stopped since 12:30am yesterday, and the fire has not grown outside established control features.
— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) January 14, 2025
Firefighters worked through the night and morning mopping up…
Megyn Kelly criticizes 'obese lesbian' Los Angeles firefighter for battling blazes
Tuesday 14 January 2025 22:13
Julia Musto
Scout Fire breaks out near Riverside, triggering evacuation order
Tuesday 14 January 2025 21:48
Julia Musto
This is the #ScoutFire burning in #Riverside just south of the EB #60fwy near Mission Blvd in the riverbed. No structures reported threatened as of now. @knxnews pic.twitter.com/6aNvYRnGkz
— Brian Douglas (@BrianDouglasKNX) January 14, 2025
Fires break out amid windy conditions in Riverside County, triggering evacuation https://t.co/jaBqfxLWsi
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) January 14, 2025
Looters roam Altadena home during devastating Los Angeles wildfires
Tuesday 14 January 2025 21:46
Julia Musto
Winds are expected to pick up late Tuesday night, forecasters warn
Tuesday 14 January 2025 21:26
Julia Musto
Winds are generally on lighter side currently, but are expected to pick up late tonight and last into the afternoon on Wednesday. #CAwx
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 14, 2025
Here are some of the gusts currently observed across the region⤵️ pic.twitter.com/VowTsf0orB
Firefighters clear dry brush from Santa Monica
Tuesday 14 January 2025 21:18
Julia Musto
Firefighters are clearing out dry brush in Santa Monica, CA right now. The Palisades Fire zone is a little less than 2 miles away. #PalisadesFire #SantaMonica #California pic.twitter.com/4HLQX419Kp
— Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) January 14, 2025
Photos show toll of fire on Los Angeles County wildlife
Tuesday 14 January 2025 21:13
Julia Musto
Newsom denies confiscating Starlink modems
Tuesday 14 January 2025 21:07
Julia Musto
Nope.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 14, 2025
I did not confiscate Starlink modems.
CalFire did not tell other agencies not to use these devices. pic.twitter.com/CM6dNYmU2u
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says she has an ‘open mind’ about a possible Trump visit
Tuesday 14 January 2025 21:04
Julia Musto
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass told reporters on Tuesday that she has spoken to officials within president-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration.
“I’m saying I have an open mind to him coming to him coming to Los Angeles, to his administration, and to working with his administration,” she said, according to NBC News. “This is a crisis that impacts the nation, the nation’s second-largest city has got to succeed.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote a letter inviting Trump to his state last week.
Newsom assures he is not conditioning disaster aid on any other priorities
Tuesday 14 January 2025 20:58
Julia Musto
False. I am not conditioning disaster aid on any other priorities. https://t.co/el0f5Wyx56
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 14, 2025
FEMA says receiving letter saying you’re ‘not approved’ for assistance ‘doesn’t mean you have been denied'
Tuesday 14 January 2025 20:52
Julia Musto
LA County residents who registered for FEMA assistance will receive a letter. If the letter says you're “not approved” for assistance, it doesn't mean you have been denied. Here's some info to help you understand the letter and move your recovery forward: https://t.co/C2og4YBhN8 pic.twitter.com/bFIYDs6Zqj
— Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) January 14, 2025
Some 40,000 people have applied for FEMA assistance
Tuesday 14 January 2025 20:51
Julia Musto
Some 40,000 people have already applied for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has provided more than $8 million so far for immediate needs, FEMA Region 9 Regional Administrator Robert Fenton said.
Winds start off a ‘little lighter than expected’ in Southern California
Tuesday 14 January 2025 20:45
Julia Musto
Forecasters said Tuesday that winds in Los Angeles County had started off “generally a little lighter than expected,” noting that previous forecast models “were a little heavy handed for today.”
“Winds are mostly under 30 mph and confined to a corridor that runs from Acton to Oxnard and about 20 miles either side. This corridor still does not include the Palisades fire area as the wind axis still has a stronger east component than a north,” the Los Angeles National Weather Service office said in an update.
While some pick up in winds is expected, the latest high resolution models are maintaining winds mostly under 50mph “through the corridor with just a couple pockets of wind gusts in the mountains up to 60mph.”
The office noted that models do show a “slightly more significant increase in wind speeds Wednesday, but more or less in the same areas as today.”
Auto Fire: Another fast-moving blaze breaks out in California
Tuesday 14 January 2025 20:39
Julia Musto