CA - Pacific Palisades - 30,000 People Ordered to Evacuate From L.A. Wildfires

[JennieM]

Drones using infrared technology to find fire hotspots​

Litz says fire crews are continuing to prioritise the populated neighbourhoods of the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Brentwood.

Firefighters are concentrating on structures that are still standing, and they are using helicopters, planes and drones to drop water and retardant on the Palisades Fire.

They are also using infrared technology to identify hotspots, he adds.

Fewer flames but still a lot of threat, says official​

CalFire operations chief Christian Litz says crews are continuing to work on the edges of the Palisades Fire, where there are few flames but still a lot of heat.

On the Malibu side of the fire, he says crews are putting control edges in place to ensure there is no further fire progression.

Around Topanga Canyon, in neighbourhoods including Fernwood Sylvia Park, crews are focusing on structure defence tactics, including clearing foliage to make sure there are no adverse fire effects.

He adds that the number one priority is the protection of life.

LA braces for renewed high winds as three wildfires continue to burn

LA City mayor Karen Bass says "urgent preparations" are being made, with winds expected to peak on Tuesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JennieM]

Heavy winds are a 'recipe to produce critical fire conditions'​

Meteorologist Rich Thompson takes over now.

He says when the fire first broke out, LA was experiencing "one of the strongest Santa Ana wind events that we've experienced in several years".

There were wind speeds in excess of 80mph on the first day of the fire, and there has been no rain of note since April, he says.

This combined "allowed the fire to spread very rapidly," Thompson says.

In the next few days, there is a red flag warning in effect until Wednesday. They expect north and north east wind gusts of between 35-55mph.

He adds this is a "recipe to produce some very critical fire weather conditions".

LA braces for renewed high winds as three wildfires continue to burn

LA City mayor Karen Bass says "urgent preparations" are being made, with winds expected to peak on Tuesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JennieM]

Fire agencies are ready for the high winds, says chief​

Chief Crowley of the LA fire department is speaking of the impending high winds.

She says higher winds are approaching "very, very quickly" and that every single agency is "ready for this next event”.

She asks that the public be prepared to evacuate, and to stay off roads and away from impacted areas.

“We need your help as much as you need our help”, she says.

LA braces for renewed high winds as three wildfires continue to burn

LA City mayor Karen Bass says "urgent preparations" are being made, with winds expected to peak on Tuesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JennieM]

All of LA County under fire threat due to new winds​

LA County fire chief Anthony Marrone says the new Santa Ana wind event will bring a high danger of wildfire to all of LA County.

"We are fully committed to ensure we are ready for next event," he says.

He goes on to say that fire crews are preparing for "repopulation" in areas that have been evacuated.

LA braces for renewed high winds as three wildfires continue to burn

LA City mayor Karen Bass says "urgent preparations" are being made, with winds expected to peak on Tuesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JennieM]

2m ago
Los Angeles police chief Jim McDonnell is now speaking at the conference and is echoing earlier warnings from other authorities over the rise in scams amid the wildfires.

McDonnell said:

Educate yourself before you give. Everybody wants to be helpful, wants to donate and wants to be part of the solution. But before you do that, do some homework. Get on the web and make sure the entity you’re given to is actually a legitimate one.

6m ago
Speaking at the press conference, Los Angeles county sheriff Robert Luna said: “We are not going to de-escalate the number of people that we have out from a law enforcement perspective.”

He added:

“That will stay the same. A couple of other factors: I want to re-emphasize that we do have a curfew still in effect for the impacted areas that goes from 6pm till 6am… Simply stay out of the areas if you are not a first responder or have emergency business there.

I know there’s a lot of folks trying to get back to their houses. 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. There are live electrical wires, gas lines and other hazards. We want to make sure you’re safe, not to mention the health hazards that come with that information.”

11m ago
Kristin Crowley, the fire chief of the Los Angeles fire department said that “with the impending winds, we got to pay really, really close attention to this.”

She added:

“This wind event is approaching us, and it’s approaching us very, very quickly. I want to reassure you that your LAFD, all of our regional partners, every single agency that has come from up and down this state and outside the state, we are ready…

Now, what do we need from the community? … We need you to stay informed. Please stay informed. With trusted news and official updates, be prepared to evacuate. We keep going back to that, but with this next wind event, [we] got to stay informed follow all evacuation warnings and orders.”

Investigators probe possible ignition sources in Californian blazes - as it happened

This blog has now closed but you can find all our coverage of the wildfires in California here.

www.theguardian.com

 

[JennieM]

less than 1 min ago

Law enforcement going undercover to stop looters and illegal drones​

From CNN's Josh Campbell
Teams of undercover federal and local law enforcement officers are patrolling Los Angeles County fire evacuation areas, a law enforcement source involved in the response tells CNN.

Undercover personnel in civilian clothes and driving unmarked vehicles are searching for potential looters scouting out evacuated areas, as well as keeping an eye on the skies for drones flying in violation of flight restrictions, the source said.

https://edition.cnn.com/weather/live-news/los-angeles-wildfires-palisades-eaton-california-01-12-25/index.html?t=1736722001855

 

[JennieM]

1m ago

CalFire warns of 'critical fire weather' through Wednesday​

The California Department of Forestry and Fire, or CalFire, is warning southern California over “critical fire weather” through to Wednesday.

In a post on Facebook, CalFire said:

“Life-threatening winds and dangerously low humidity are forecast for much of southern California - from Ventura to San Diego - creating a significant risk of rapid fire spread. The winds will cause increased fire activity.”

It went on to warn residents to avoid mowing or trimming dry grass on windy days, not to park vehicles on dry grass, and make sure campfires are completely.

Investigators probe possible ignition sources in Californian blazes - as it happened

This blog has now closed but you can find all our coverage of the wildfires in California here.

www.theguardian.com

 

[Herat]

RED FLAG warnings now up for Orange, Riverside, San Bernadino, and San Diego Counties for Sunday through Wednesday night.

Basically Buena Park to the Mexican border, Victorville to the Pacific Ocean.

 

[JennieM]

less than 1 min ago

Officials will start talks about getting people back to their communities on Thursday, LA county fire chief says​

From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said on Sunday that efforts to start getting people from evacuation zones back to their communities will begin on Thursday.

“Before I end I just wanted to talk about the repopulation of areas that were under evacaution order or evacuation warning. This is a priority for the unified incident command. Not only for the Palisades Fire, but also the Eaton Fire. Unfortunately, those conversations are not going to begin until the next predicted red flag ends on Wednesday,” Marrone said, adding that officials will begin talks about repopulation “first thing Thursday.”

https://edition.cnn.com/weather/live-news/los-angeles-wildfires-palisades-eaton-california-01-12-25/index.html?t=1736722380892

 

[JennieM]

Fire crews moved to hotspots in southern California​

Cal Fire Director Joe Tyler begins by praising residents: "You have gone through a tremendous natural disaster."

After visiting an affected area, he says: "I was proud to see neighbour helping neighbour."

He says that the state fire agency "recognised fire conditions diminished in northern California", causing them to move those units down to southern California where these fires are occurring.

Crews are "putting out every hotspot and smouldering ember and removing hazards in neighbourhoods".

LA police will hold looters to account, says chief​

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell says his crews continue to focus on evacuation, traffic control and crime suppression.

Police will be holding those responsible for looting accountable, and he says they are looking for people who have taken advantage of others.

He adds that a curfew is still in effect from 18:00 to 06:00 local time.

McDonnell says the limited access agencies were providing to those affected by the fires, to go back to their properties, has been stopped.

He says their priorities now are the search and recovery of remains and dealing with downed power lines and gas lines - which he says will be a very dangerous environment with the incoming winds.

LA braces for renewed high winds as three wildfires continue to burn

LA City mayor Karen Bass says "urgent preparations" are being made, with winds expected to peak on Tuesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Herat]

1m ago

CalFire warns of 'critical fire weather' through Wednesday​

The California Department of Forestry and Fire, or CalFire, is warning southern California over “critical fire weather” through to Wednesday.

In a post on Facebook, CalFire said:



It went on to warn residents to avoid mowing or trimming dry grass on windy days, not to park vehicles on dry grass, and make sure campfires are completely.

Investigators probe possible ignition sources in Californian blazes - as it happened

This blog has now closed but you can find all our coverage of the wildfires in California here.

www.theguardian.com

Shouldn't they just completely ban campfires altogether?

Huge fires have been started from the stupidest things: Obviously neglected campfires in bone-dry grassy and wooded areas. But also: Car ran off road and hot engine or car backfiring sparks ignited huge destructive wildfire in Red Flag area. Stray bullet drew sparks in restricted areas. Firewords out of control at a gender reveal party.

 

[JennieM]

'Listen to commands regarding evacuation' - fire director​

California fire director Joe Tyler says the question is not if LA will get rain, but when it will be. "Certainly, we have not had enough rain so far."

He warns that starting from today, and not only in Los Angeles but also the affected portions of Riverside, Orange County and San Diego, winds are picking up so "we all need to be prepared".

"Everyone should remain vigilant", he adds. "Listen to firefighter and law enforcement officer commands regarding evacuations".

He says Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) is on the ground in preparation for the next wind event.

LA braces for renewed high winds as three wildfires continue to burn

LA City mayor Karen Bass says "urgent preparations" are being made, with winds expected to peak on Tuesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JennieM]

'We're not out of the woods yet', says emergency director​

Now we're hearing from California Governor's Office of Emergency Management Director, Nancy Ward.

She says there are ongoing fires and a long recovery ahead, but assistance is on the ground ready to help.

"We're not out of the woods yet,", she says, adding there is significant fire weather ahead.

Additional resources, like crews, helicopters and fire trucks, have been pre-positioned across southern California to respond to any threats, she says.

She adds that debris removal, housing and support to businesses are all being prioritised.

LA braces for renewed high winds as three wildfires continue to burn

LA City mayor Karen Bass says "urgent preparations" are being made, with winds expected to peak on Tuesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JennieM]

All days off cancelled for highway patrol​

California Highway Patrol (CHP) Commissioner Sean Duryee calls the fires "devastating", adding that "some of our officers have lost their homes and been displaced".

He says that CHP has deployed 750 officers working in 12 hour shifts. All days off have been cancelled.

LA braces for renewed high winds as three wildfires continue to burn

LA City mayor Karen Bass says "urgent preparations" are being made, with winds expected to peak on Tuesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[LadyL]

As with water bomber Elvis that got its own fan club in '90s Australia, LA has fallen in love with the Super Scoopers defending their city.

Los Angeles braced for return of high winds as crews battle multiple fires — as it happened

Six wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area have killed at least 11 people and continue to burn as dry desert winds fan the flames.

www.abc.net.au

they're from my country

 

[JennieM]

The unofficial death toll from the fires remains at least 16, although officials acknowledge it is certain to rise. At least another 16 people are missing, according to Los Angeles county sheriff Robert Luna, who said search and rescue efforts were ongoing.

Investigators probe possible ignition sources in Californian blazes - as it happened

This blog has now closed but you can find all our coverage of the wildfires in California here.

www.theguardian.com

 

[LadyL]

Canadian firefighters and equipment dispatched to bolster US crews​

Canada is sending firefighters and specialist equipment - including waterbombers and airtankers - to California to bolster local firefighting efforts.

The Canadian government says it's "actively engaged in discussions" with the various US agencies leading LA's emergency response.

A number of Canadian agencies are on standby to send crew and equipment, including Canada's armed forces and national guard, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre and Natural Resources Canada.

• Two CL-415 skimmer airtankers from Quebec are on their way to Los Angeles along with up to 40 firefighters from Alberta
• Two waterbombers and up to 200 personnel, including wildland and urban firefighters from Ontario are on standby to help
• British Columbia is sending a team of senior technical staff to LA

Sean Peterson from the US National Interagency Coordination Center, which coordinates firefighting resources, told the Washington Post that Canadian fire crews could arrive as soon as Monday.

IMAGE SOURCE, EPA
Image caption,
A water bomber picks up water from the Pacific Ocean

More evacuation orders issued as largest LA wildfire bears down on new area

Many people in the wealthy neighbourhood of Brentwood have been told to leave, as the Palisades Fire spreads east.

www.bbc.co.uk

I'm proud of my country and also Mexico that has sent firefighters. I don't know if it's possible that other countries can send firefighters and equipment? These people are working 24/7 - they need as much help as the world can give.

 

[knla]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2025/01/12/palisades-fire-origin-new-years-eve-fire/

This article is interesting. Fire department took a long time to respond to the start of the Palisade's fire.
Washington Post did their own investigation. They'll let you read it free if you give them your email. They already had mine so I had to click an email they sent me.
There was a fire New Year's Eve. The neighbor's nearby had heard fireworks before the fire started. Fire was put out but fires can smoulder and reignite. The Palisades fire started in the area of the New Year's Eve fire. So it probably wasn't arson or a terrorist.

 

[JennieM]

Crews have a plan for anything, incident commander says​

Jim Hudson, the Palisades fire incident commander, describes the situation as "dynamic", adding that the wind event last week was something they had not experienced before, resulting in an "extraordinary firefight".

There have been flare-ups in the last couple of days, he says, but crews have been prepared.

He says his teams are planning "two to three ridges away" from where the fire is, and speaking to communities that could be impacted.

Anything that could occur, firefighters have a plan for, he adds.

We'll rise from tragedy stronger than ever - LA council member​

City of LA council member Traci Park is now speaking.

She thanks President Joe Biden and California Governor Gavin Newsom for "seeing us through this disaster".

She continues, saying that in the weeks and months to come, "we're going to need more than commitment, we're going to need action".

"I know we're going to rise from this tragedy stronger and more untied than ever," she adds.

LA braces for renewed high winds as three wildfires continue to burn

LA City mayor Karen Bass says "urgent preparations" are being made, with winds expected to peak on Tuesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Stunned]

The unofficial death toll from the fires remains at least 16, although officials acknowledge it is certain to rise. At least another 16 people are missing, according to Los Angeles county sheriff Robert Luna, who said search and rescue efforts were ongoing.

Investigators probe possible ignition sources in Californian blazes - as it happened

This blog has now closed but you can find all our coverage of the wildfires in California here.

www.theguardian.com

I'm sadly gonna assume that doesn't count the unhoused.