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

[Skigh]

Has Karen Bass become LA's most hated woman?

Kirstin Crowley took aim at the city's leadership during an interview with KTTV on Friday, admitting it had failed those affected by the fires and prevented the LAFD from effectively doing its job.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Fire Chief Kirstin Crowley took aim at the city's leadership during an interview with KTTV on Friday, admitting it had failed those affected by the fires and prevented the LA Fire Department from effectively doing its job.

'We are screaming to be properly funded to make sure that our firefighters can do their jobs so that we can serve the community,' Crowley said, adding that there were 'huge gaps' in firefighters' ability to tackle the blazes on the ground.
She joins a chorus of high profile celebrities who have hit out at the city's handling of the ongoing wildfires, which have so far killed 11 people, ravaged communities, and sent thousands of people frantically fleeing their properties.

This includes reality star Khloe Kardashian, who rallied around Crowley to share her furious response at the mayor's decision to cut around $17.5 million from the fire department budget for this fiscal year.

During an interview with Gigi Graciette, Crowley stated that the mayor's budget cuts for the LAFD affected the fire fight throughout Southern California, adding that the department was 'not properly funded'.

Reacting to her statement on Instagram, Khloe said she 'stood behind' the fire chief before dubbing Mayor Bass a 'joke'.

Mayor Bass has also been cricitised for flying out to attend a presidential inauguration in Ghana even though meteorologists had warned a 'recipe for fire' was on track to strike LA.

Meanwhile, on Friday former reality star Spencer Pratt announced that he intends to file a lawsuit against California for its alleged negligence after his home was tragically burnt down in the Pacific Palisades fire.

 

[JennieM]

Los Angeles fires: the damage in maps, video and images

A visual guide to the damage caused by the wildfires that have devastated the city

Los Angeles fires: the damage in maps, video and images

A visual guide to the damage caused by the wildfires that have devastated the city

www.theguardian.com

 

[iamshadow21]

Pastor of Pacific Palisades Methodist church lost in the fires speaks about people acknowledging and honouring the feelings they will be feeling, but also about the next step for his faith community, which he's saying he hopes will be a multifaith event where all are welcome.

Pacific Palisades pastor heartbroken after church burned to rubble

John Shaver, a pastor at the Community United Methodist Church in Pacific Palisades, shows what is left of the church after the Palisades Fire. Sarah Wallace reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Friday, January 10, 2025.

www.nbclosangeles.com

 

[JennieM]

Anger grows as the Palisades Fire continues to spread​

Peter Bowes
Reporting from Los Angeles

It's extremely difficult - one moment there's a glimmer of hope in terms of getting these fires under control.

Then, there's the containment percentages, these are the numbers that everyone across the city is looking out for constantly, but those numbers are still very, very low.

There's two big fires - and of particular concern is one tearing through the Pacific Palisades, which is still spreading.

It's moving toward other densely populated areas, Brentwood to the west of LA and the the sprawling San Fernando Valley.

I'm just north of there and there have been fires close to here, to the east and west as well.

It's an extraordinary situation where you have all of these infernos right across this great, sprawling city at the same time.

That's a big part of the problem, as resources are stretched to the limit and some political repercussions are beginning to start.

There's a tremendous amount of anger and frustration at the way in which the wildfires have been dealt with.

Equally, I think a lot of people are understanding the firefighters themselves are being stretched to the absolute limit.

It's difficult to imagine a catastrophe on this scale. I've been here for nearly 30 years and lived through fires, but they were single incidents, now we're dealing with multiple fires.

Talk about it in the past tense now - the Palisades was a lovely, village-like suburb of LA. It was just a beautiful place.

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

 

[JennieM]

Eaton and Palisades: The two most destructive fires still burning​

Of the least six fires raging across Los Angeles, two stand out for their sheer size - Palisades and Eaton.

Here's what we know about them:

Palisades

It started around 10:30 local time (18:30 GMT) on 7 January. So far, Palisades covers more than 21,000 acres - killing two people and injuring three others.

It is only 8% contained with a team of more than 3,700 working against it.

Palisades has destroyed more than 5,000 structures in Malibu and west LA so far.

Just hours ago, another evacuation order was introduced for the area, into Brentwood and Encino, as it continues to spread.

Eaton

This started in the early evening of the 7 January and is smaller than the Palisades Fire, but Eaton is still causing significant damage in the northeast of the city.

It is spreading over more than 14,000 acres, with five confirmed fatalities and five people injured.

More than 7,000 structures are thought to be damaged, while almost 3,000 fire personnel have been tasked with battling Eaton's spread.

Several evacuation warnings are in place over the fire, which is spreading towards the densely populated area of Pasadena.

Read more about the what a wildfire being "contained" means here.

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

 

[sds71]

Altadena family says disabled father and son were left to burn: 'Nobody was coming'

Anthony Mitchell Sr., an amputee who used a wheelchair, and his son Justin, who had cerebral palsy, died due to slow evacuation efforts during the Altadena fire, relatives said Friday.

www.latimes.com

 

[JennieM]

11m ago

LA mayor Karen Bass faces scrutiny as historic blazes devour city​

Maanvi Singh
As a series of wildfires in the Los Angeles area grew into raging infernos, the city’s mayor, Karen Bass, was halfway around the world – part of the US delegation attending the inauguration of the new president of Ghana.

By the time she returned home on Wednesday, the fires had seared through thousands of acres. They destroyed more than 10,000 structures and killed at least 11. And Bass was facing a barrage of questions and criticism – both from within LA, and outside.

Angelenos, living through one of the worst disasters the region has faced in decades, asked why it had taken the mayor so long to return. Political rivals questioned why she had even embarked on an international trip, given that the National Weather Service in Los Angeles had been warning of “extreme fire weather conditions”. Advocates for the unhoused were flabbergasted when the city announced it had made just 135 hotel vouchers available, given that a staggering 75,000 people in LA lived on the streets, with little protection against noxious wildfire smoke. Some critics charged the city had been ill prepared. Others, including the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times – harped on reports that the city had cut the fire department’s funding in its latest budget. Those reports were incomplete at best inaccurate at worst, but by the time news outlets began reporting on the fiscal nuances, the damage had been done.

Karen Bass and Gavin Newsom tour the downtown business district of Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles on 8 January 2025. Photograph: Eric Thayer/Getty Images

At a press conference Thursday, Bass dismissed a question about her leadership – saying the “unprecedented” nature of the fires had stretched the city’s resources to respond. She declined to answer a reporter’s question about her initial absence – saying she was focused on saving lives and homes. When pressed again, she responded: “I just said what I believe is the most important thing for us to do right now and that is going to continue to be my focus.”

[…]

Over the past few days that goodwill has begun to fray. “LA is scared, seething and looking for a scapegoat,” wrote the longtime LA Times columnist Gustavo Arellano.

But beneath this flood of frustration is an even more dismaying reality – that much of the catastrophe befalling LA is beyond its mayor’s control and instead the result of decades of policy decisions and a climate that is creating conditions for more extreme fires.

Line of fire: LA mayor Karen Bass faces scrutiny as historic blazes devour city
Read more

Governor doubles national guard in LA as firefighters arrive from Mexico and Canada – as it happened

Palisades and Eaton fires start coming under control as fierce winds ease but forecasters predict another red flag warning for Monday. This blog is now closed.

www.theguardian.com

 

[JennieM]

1h ago
The west Los Angeles VA medical Centre says it relocated residents from its community living facility on the north campus “out of an abundance of caution.”

The medical centre which is potentially in the path of the Palisades fire, offers mental health care and cancer treatment to armed force veterans.

‘‘We are working closely with healthcare providers to facilitate a smooth transition for all affected residents,” a representative told NBC News.

“All necessary resources are being deployed to assure their comfort and care during this process,” they added. “We remain committed to maintaining the highest standard of healthcare and resident safety.”

Governor doubles national guard in LA as firefighters arrive from Mexico and Canada – as it happened

Palisades and Eaton fires start coming under control as fierce winds ease but forecasters predict another red flag warning for Monday. This blog is now closed.

www.theguardian.com

 

[JennieM]

1h ago

Current state of the California wildfires​

Across Los Angeles, more than 144,000 people are under evacuation orders, local authorities say.

Firefighters continue to battle raging wildfires across large pockets of Los Angeles. The six fires have destroyed buildings, ruined businesses and taken lives.

Here is the current state of the fires, according to multiple reports:

Palisades fire
More than 21,000 acres have burned, claiming numerous homes, businesses and landmarks in Pacific Palisades, along the Pacific Coast Highway, and Malibu, as of 5am. The fire is 8% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

Eaton fire
In Altadena and Pasadena, fires burned 14,117 acres. Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, posted on X on Friday morning that the fire was 3% contained as of 7.30am.

Kenneth fire
About 1,052 acres near the border of Los Angeles and Ventura counties have been scorched. The fire is 50% contained, according to Cal Fire. Evacuation warnings have been lifted.

Hurst fire
The Hurst fire burned through 771 acres in and around Sylmar. Evacuation orders have been lifted as of 8pm. The fire is 70% contained, according to Cal Fire.

Lidia fire
The Lidia fire – located in the hills north of LA – is still burning across 395 acres and is 98% contained, according to Cal Fire.

Archer fire

The latest fire – the Archer fire – ignited on Friday and has blazed through 19 acres so far. It is currently uncontrolled.

Governor doubles national guard in LA as firefighters arrive from Mexico and Canada – as it happened

Palisades and Eaton fires start coming under control as fierce winds ease but forecasters predict another red flag warning for Monday. This blog is now closed.

www.theguardian.com

 

[iamshadow21]

Community groups provide relief as LA staggers from wildfire emergency

Volunteer organizations fill in to provide rides and supplies to a city devastated by fire, and offer ways to contribute

www.theguardian.com

After the fires began burning, the worker-owners at All Power Books decided on Tuesday night to convert the leftist bookstore cooperative into a warehouse for emergency resources.

Over the next 48 hours, residents all over the city packed the community space with box after box of canned food, masks, blankets, sleeping bags and toiletries. Organizers transported supplies to survivors at different churches and evacuation shelters; they delivered bottled water and snacks to firefighters, many of whom are serving out a sentence as they battle the blazes.

 

[JennieM]

Los Angeles

‘There’s literally nothing’: surrounded by destruction, Los Angeles begins to process scale of loss​

Returning Pacific Palisades residents were grieving not just homes turned to ash, but memories buried amid the rubble

A destroyed home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles Photograph: Gabrielle Canon/The Guardian

‘There’s literally nothing’: surrounded by destruction, Los Angeles begins to process scale of loss

Returning Pacific Palisades residents were grieving not just homes turned to ash, but memories buried amid the rubble

www.theguardian.com

 

[Dotta]

"Now California is hit by FIRE TORNADO
as wind whips up flames
while LA blaze continues to spread.

Recently-released footage now shows how a fire tornado has formed as flames edge closer into the city's San Fernando Valley.

A fire tornado is a rare phenomenon that occurs when a fire and turbulent winds create a spinning column of fire, ash and smoke.

They are likely to occur during a wild fire due to intense heat rising quickly."

California is hit by FIRE TORNADO as wind whips up flames

The disaster has already claimed the lives of at least 11 people and destroyed more than 10,000 structures.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[DS2021]

Major progress has been made on multiple fires.

The lidia fire is 100 percent contained

Incidents | CAL FIRE

www.fire.ca.gov

 

[DS2021]

Current fire stats as of Jan 11 at 7am PST

Incidents | CAL FIRE

www.fire.ca.gov

 

[Izzylizzy]

Live streaming from last night.
They're focusing in on map and naming/showing streets.
Ariel footage.

 

[slowpoke]

From the Watch Duty app, re Palisades fire

Katlyn C
• Staff Reporter

28 minutes ago ·​

Fire has progressed the ridge faster than anticipated and is now impacting the North Westridge community per radio traffic.

 

[Elley Mae]

Outraged LA residents call for ‘immediate recall’ of Mayor Karen Bass over wildfires — as petition hits over 50K signatures

Outraged LA residents call for ‘immediate recall’ of Mayor Karen Bass over wildfires — as petition hits over 50K signatures

Bass slashed $17.6 million from the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year — which critics blasted as “a bad call.”

nypost.com

 

[dotr]

Jan 11, 2025 #fire #lafires #WSJ
When fire hydrants ran dry during the Pacific Palisades fire, it sparked a wave of anger and even misinformation. Here’s how L.A.’s water system works and what we know about why the hydrants ran out.

 

[Elley Mae]

The pistachio tycoons who guzzle more water than all of fire-hit LA

Epic water consumption by 'Beverly Hills farmers' Stewart and Lynda Resnick has been spotlighted by the drought-fuelled infernos tearing apart America's second-biggest city.

www.dailymail.co.uk

…
This from 2021

Amid Drought, Billionaires Control A Critical California Water Bank

Stewart and Lynda Resnick have built an $8 billion farming fortune. But it never would have happened if they hadn’t privatized majority ownership of California’s Kern Water Bank.

www.forbes.com

 

[Herat]

Good news for Paradise Fire is that the winds are low and weak.

Bad news is that the humidity is down.