A firefighter walks passed a burning liquor store during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles County, California on Jan. 8, 2025. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images
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Los Angeles Fires Push Crews to Limits as Critics Blame Government Policy
Homes and businesses sit damaged from the Palisades Fire burning near Los Angles, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
As four massive fires engulf Los Angeles, critics are blaming the government for putting lives, homes, and businesses at risk.
Amid it all, Sam Digiovanna, chief at the Verdugo Fire Academy in Glendale, Calif., told The Epoch Times that more than 1,000 firefighters are doing their best “to stop the forward progress of this fire” and “get a containment line around it.”
“Our first priority is the protection of life, which means a lot of times we’re evacuating people and making sure people get out safely,” said Digiovanna, a former fire chief in Monrovia, part of Los Angeles County.
130,000 Under Evacuation Orders With ‘Fire Weather’ to Continue Into Friday
A total of 130,000 people have been ordered to evacuate or prepare to evacuate their homes due to the wildfires, LA County Sheriff Robert Lunasaid on Wednesday.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) warned residents on Tuesday that evacuation orders had been issued due to an immediate threat to life. The orders were described as lawful directives requiring residents to leave immediately. Cal Fire said the affected areas have been closed to public access.
The so-calledfire weather, meaning high winds, dry vegetation, and low humidity, is set to continue into Friday.
Santa Monica Declares Sunset-to-Sunrise Curfew in Evacuation Order Areas
The City of Santa Monica issued an emergency order late Wednesday night instituting a sunset-to-sunrise curfew in areas where evacuation orders are in effect.
“The Palisades Fire is currently impacting neighborhoods in the northern part of Santa Monica with approximately 2,472 households under a mandatory evacuation order within the city of Santa Monica and 8,338 under a voluntary evacuation warning,” Mayor Lana Negrete said in astatement posted to social media. “This emergency order further assists our first responders and further protects residents as we weather this regional crisis and, ultimately, begin and support recovery efforts.”
Other measures instituted by the order include allowing schools to temporarily operate within non-residential zones and prohibition of price gouging for emergency and recovery goods and services.
A home burns during the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, California, on Jan. 8, 2025. Agustin Paullier/AFP
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) has lifted most of the evacuation orders brought in as a precaution after the Sunset Fire broke out late on Wednesday afternoon.
Flames were first reported in Runyon Canyon in the Hollywood Hills at about 5:30 p.m., with the fire nearing several iconic Tinseltown landmarks, such as Hollywood Boulevard, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Comedy Store, and the Hollywood Bowl.
The area was evacuated shortly before midnight.
Stars’ Homes Destroyed as Fire Rips Through Pacific Palisades
Several A-list actors have lost their homes due to the wildfires sweeping through Los Angeles.
A house belonging to Adam Brody, star of The OC and Nobody Wants This, and his wife, Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester, as well as another home owned by comedian and actor Billy Crystal, were among some 1,000 properties gutted by the blaze in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis, singer Mandy Moore, and former California First Lady Maria Shriver were among more than 100,000 people forced to evacuate to escape the flames ripping through some of the most sought-after real estate in the United States.
A burned light post hangs amid the rubble after the passage of the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, California, on Jan. 8, 2025. Agustin Paullier/AFP
Biden Cancels Italy Trip as California Wildfires Rage On
After meeting Wednesday with first responders battling unprecedented wildfires currently devastating Southern California, President Joe Biden canceled plans to travel to Italy this weekend, citing the need to focus on the evolving crisis.
The president made the decision to forego what would have been his last international trip before his term ends this month “to remain focused on directing the full federal response in the days ahead,” his press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Biden issued an emergency declaration for the state after meeting with Gov. Gavin Newsom, approving the flow of federal dollars to impacted residents.
Los Angeles Fires Push Crews to Limits as Critics Blame Government Policy
Homes and businesses sit damaged from the Palisades Fire burning near Los Angles, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
As four massive fires engulf Los Angeles, critics are blaming the government for putting lives, homes, and businesses at risk.
Amid it all, Sam Digiovanna, chief at the Verdugo Fire Academy in Glendale, Calif., told The Epoch Times that more than 1,000 firefighters are doing their best “to stop the forward progress of this fire” and “get a containment line around it.”
“Our first priority is the protection of life, which means a lot of times we’re evacuating people and making sure people get out safely,” said Digiovanna, a former fire chief in Monrovia, part of Los Angeles County.
As wildfires continue to ravage communities across the county, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) announced Wednesday it will close all of its schools and facilities Thursday, citing the continued unpredictability of the crisis and persistent dangers—including multiple active fires and air quality conditions.
“After ample consultation with leaders, after clear examination of the data available and entering a second night of this crisis, it is prudent to announce that all schools across Los Angeles Unified will be closed tomorrow effective immediately,” LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said at a press conference Wednesday evening.
“We were hoping conditions would significantly improve, that winds would subside, that the number of active fires would decrease … that there would be a degree of stabilization.
Fast Moving Brush Fire Breaks Out in Hollywood Hills
LOS ANGELES—As multiple wind-driven wildfires continued to rage through tens of thousands of acres in different corners of Los Angeles County Wednesday evening, officials announced a new brush fire had erupted near a popular hiking trail in the Hollywood Hills.
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said at a press conference that the fire had broken out “just in the last five minutes” near Runyon Canyon, as officials were in the process of briefing the public on other ongoing blazes.
“I don’t have a lot of information. I can tell you we’re throwing all our available resources at it as we speak,” she said.
Homes and businesses sit damaged from the Palisades Fire burning near Los Angles, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
Five people have been reported killed in the fast-moving Eaton Fire that has burned 10,600 acres in Pasadena and Altadena, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.
The fire, which started at about 6:20 p.m. Tuesday in Eaton Canyon, remained 0 percent contained and had destroyed between 200 to 500 structures by Wednesday afternoon.
Another 13,000 structures are at risk, according to Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
A person walks past a burning home during the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025. Mario Tama/Getty Images
Smoke From California Fires Causes Health Concerns
Plumes of smoke from multiple destructive fires throughout Los Angeles County caused air quality to plummet on Wednesday, reaching “very unhealthy” levels, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) reported.
Walls of black smoke created by the Palisades and Eaton fires created apocalyptic scenes, turning the sun red and hovering over parts of Riverside, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles counties.
The air quality district issued a wildfire smoke advisory Wednesday that was expected to last until about 5 p.m. Thursday.
More than 1.5 million Southern California customers are without power Wednesday as multiple fires continue to burn and dangerous wind gusts move through the region, according to poweroutage.us.
Southern California Edison (SCE), which serves 15 million people in central, coastal, and southern areas of the state, reported outages for more than 1.3 million customers.
Diane Castro, spokeswoman for SCE, said the utility was prepared for the storm.
LA Mayor Cut City Fire Department’s Budget by $17.6 Million
Recent budget cuts could be hampering the Los Angeles City Fire Department’s efforts to tame the wildfires threatening the city.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass approved more than $819.6 million in appropriations for the city fire department last June, slashing its budget by $17.6 million.
The reduction was slightly less than Bass’s initial proposal, which would have marked a $23 million cut from the previous year.
Pasadena Jewish Temple, Palisades Library Destroyed by Fire
Among the landmark buildings destroyed in the Los Angeles area fires are the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center in the Eaton fire, which has more than 100 years of history, according to temple officials. All of the buildings on the campus have burned to the ground, including the sanctuary, chapel, and classrooms.
"This news is beyond devastating and heartbreaking for us all," said representatives in a letter to the community.
The Palisades Branch Public Library has also been destroyed in the Palisades fire. The building had been damaged in an October 2020 fire and had closed for nearly two years for renovation before reopening again in 2022.
The Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center burns during the Eaton fire in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 7, 2025. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images
A raging wildfire that originated on Palisades Drive in Los Angeles has expanded to engulf more than 15,800 acres.
The Palisades fire was the first of several to threaten Los Angeles County residents and businesses since Tuesday morning, prompting thousands to evacuate.
As of 1:23 p.m. local time on Wednesday, more than 300 structures have been decimated by the blaze. Another 13,300 are poised for destruction.
Firefighters work to extinguish the Palisades Fire burning near Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
Sheriff’s Deputies Arrest 2 Suspects for Allegedly Looting Amid Fire
Two suspects were arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies Jan. 8 for allegedly looting in an area evacuated in the Eaton Fire, according to Sheriff Robert Luna.
The department was unable to identify the two people arrested Wednesday afternoon.
“It’s always sad when I have to say this, but part of our responsibility is to make sure no one loots or steals from our residents and community members,” Luna said in a morning news conference.
Los Angeles County firefighters spray water on a burning home as the Eaton Fire moved through the area in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Biden Approves Major Disaster Declaration for California
President Joe Biden has approved a major disaster declaration for California as the southern end of the state continues to battle multiple devastating wildfires.
The declaration will allow affected residents immediate access to funds and resources for their recovery efforts.
“As the fires continue to devastate communities, President Biden is focused on mobilizing life-saving and life-sustaining resources across the region,” the White House said in announcing the declaration on Wednesday.
A firefighter stands on top of a fire truck to battle the Palisades Fire while it burns homes on the Pacific Coast Highway amid a powerful windstorm in Los Angeles on Jan. 8, 2025. Apu Gomes/Getty Images
400,000 Without Power in California as Wildfires Spread
High fire risk conditions prompted Southern California Edison to preemptively cut power to more than 153,000 customers as a safety precaution on Wednesday.
The widespread shutoffs stretched from the Santa Barbara area over to Lancaster and down to Temecula.
Another 69,000 customers were experiencing outages due to the fierce wildfires spreading throughout the region.
Weather service meteorologists in Los Angeles recorded life-threatening and destructive winds reaching 100 miles per hour in the mountains on Mount Lukens Truck Trail Wednesday, amid multiple wind-fueled wildfires in the region.
Magic Mountain Truck Trail recorded its strongest wind gust at 90 miles per hour, while gusts at the Hollywood-Burbank Airport were recorded at 84 miles per hour.
Eaton Canyon, where the Eaton Fire continued to burn Wednesday, recorded gusts up to 70 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service.
Schools Closed; Malibu Restaurant Destroyed in Palisades Fire
More than 20 school districts in Los Angeles County are closed Wednesday and possibly Thursday, including school campuses in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, according to the county Office of Education. Officials were expected to reevaluate conditions each day to determine when they might reopen campuses.
In Malibu, north of Pacific Palisades, Pepperdine University was also closed Wednesday.
Malibu City Hall was closed and all city programs were also canceled until further notice, according to an update posted by the City of Malibu on Facebook.
Vice President Kamala Harris said on Wednesday that she had been briefed on the wildfires and would continue to receive updates on containment efforts.
“President Biden and I are committed to ensuring that no community has to respond to this disaster alone. We have already mobilized federal resources to help suppress the fires, provide overhead support, and begin assisting those impacted,” Harris said in a statement, urging her neighbors to remain vigilant and cooperate with local authorities.
Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, own a home in Los Angeles. Their house is one of many under evacuation orders as firefighters work to extinguish the flames.
A firefighting aircraft drops fire retardant on the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades, Calif., on Jan. 7, 2025. Mario Tama/Getty Images
Fire Chief: LA County Fire Unprepared for ‘Widespread Disaster’
None of the 29 fire departments in Los Angeles County were prepared “for this type of widespread disaster,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone told reporters on Wednesday.
At a press conference with other local officials, Marrone said his department had pre-positioned personnel in the Santa Monica mountains and was prepared for “one or two major brush fires,” but not four.
“There are not enough firefighters in LA County to address four separate fires of this magnitude,” he said.
Fire Officials Call for Reinforcements in Palisades
LOS ANGELES—Fire officials have requested an additional 10 strike teams, including 50 fire engines, to the Saddle Peak Road area of the Palisades on Wednesday as the fire continues to destroy buildings.
Air attack teams have asked for four large air tankers and one larger air tanker to fly over the fire and drop retardant and water.
Southern California remains under a red flag warning, meaning strong wind gusts and low humidity pose extreme fire danger throughout the region on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Sparks fly from the wheel of a burned school bus as the Eaton Fire moves through the area in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
James Woods, Spencer Pratt, Among Celebrities Affected by Pacific Palisades Fire
A firefighter fights the flames from the Palisades Fire burning the Theatre Palisades during a powerful windstorm in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025. Apu Gomes/Getty Images
Actor James Woods and reality star Spencer Pratt are among thousands of Southern California residents affected by a fast-moving brush fire that has engulfed the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.
On Tuesday afternoon, Woods, 77, released a statement on social media platform X saying he was “safe and out” of the area. Later, he shared footage of flames surrounding the concrete deck of his Palisades home.
“To all the wonderful people who’ve reached out to us, thank you for being so concerned,” he wrote in a subsequent post.
LOS ANGELES—A group of people gathered at a viewpoint in Playa Del Rey, California, looking at the Palisades Fire burning across the city on Jan. 8.
“I have so many clients that live over there; I hope they all got out because that fire looks bad,” Mario Benitez, a real estate agent, told The Epoch Times.
“A lot of them are elderly, and that has me worried.”
A firefighter wipes his eyes as he sprays water on a burning home while battling the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
President-elect Donald Trump weighed in on the unfolding fire devastation in southern California, blaming Gov. Gavin Newsom for the spread of the wildfires.
Trump noted in a Jan. 8 social media post that the state's environmental policies prevent “millions of gallons of water” from excess rain and snowmelt from flowing into the drier areas of California, “including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way.”
State and federal regulations require California to direct some of that runoff into the ocean to protect the habitat of the endangered delta smelt fish. Trump attributed those regulations to Newsom.
In Photos: Wildfires Rage Across Los Angeles County
A home is engulfed in flames during the Eaton Fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles County, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images
A firefighting aircraft drops fire retardant on the Palisades Fire amid a powerful windstorm in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7, 2025. Apu Gomes/Getty Images
Ambers are carried by the wind-driven Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades, Calif., on Jan. 7, 2025. David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images
People watch smoke from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades, Calif., on Jan. 7, 2025. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
Los Angeles County firefighters spray water on a burning home as the Eaton Fire moved through the area in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Newsom Deploys National Guard to Help Fight Blazes
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has called in the California National Guard to assist first responders in fighting the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires.
Announcing the move in a social media post, Newsom’s office said Wednesday that the California National Guard and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection share “a unique partnership unlike any other state—skilled, trained personnel with vast wildfire fighting experience.”
The state has also secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help suppress the Hurst fire threatening San Fernando and Newhall.
The Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center burns during the Eaton fire in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 7, 2025. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images
Los Angeles residents were fleeing for their lives on Wednesday as blazing wildfires engulfed their homes and businesses.
Here’s what to know about the origins of the fires and the threats they pose:
Fire personnel respond to homes destroyed while a helicopter drops water as the Palisades Fire grows in Pacific Palisades, California on January 7, 2025. David Swanson / AFP via Getty Images
More Than 30,000 Evacuated in LA
At least 30,000 residents were under an evacuation order due to a series of wildfires around the Los Angeles area on Wednesday morning, authorities say.
A rapidly growing wildfire raged across an upscale section of Los Angeles on Tuesday, destroying numerous buildings and creating traffic jams as more than 30,000 people evacuated. Meanwhile, a second blaze doubled in size some 30 miles inland.
Nearly 3,000 acres of the Pacific Palisades area between the coastal towns of Santa Monica and Malibu had been burned by the Palisades Fire as of Wednesday morning, officials said, after they had already warned of extreme fire danger from powerful winds that arrived following extended dry weather.
The second blaze dubbed the Eaton Fire broke out some 30 miles inland near Pasadena and doubled in size to 400 acres (162 hectares) in a few hours. A map shows that as of Wednesday morning, more than 2,000 acres have burned.
A list of evacuation orders for localities due to the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire is provided on Cal Fire’s website.
Fire officials said a third blaze named the Hurst Fire had started in Sylmar, in the San Fernando Valley northwest of Los Angeles, prompting evacuations of some nearby residents. About 500 acres have been burned so far.
At the same time, some 160,000 residential or commercial customers are without power in the Los Angeles area, likely due to the fires and high winds, according to Poweroutage.us.
The Palisades Fire burns a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7, 2025. AP Photo/Ethan Swope
Gov. Gavin Newsom, who declared a state of emergency, said the state positioned personnel, firetrucks, and aircraft elsewhere in Southern California because of the fire’s danger to the wider region.
Newsom said that “a highly dangerous windstorm” is creating an “extreme fire risk, and we’re not out of the woods.” He added, “We’re already seeing the destructive impacts with this fire in Pacific Palisades that grew rapidly in a matter of minutes.”
“I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire,” President Joe Biden said in a Tuesday night statement in response to the fires. A federal grant had already been approved to help reimburse the state of California for its fire response, Biden said.
The City of Santa Monica, in a statement, said that “an evacuation order has been issued between the northern border of the city and San Vicente Boulevard, between Ocean Avenue and 26th Street.” As of 5 a.m. local time on Wednesday, that order had not been changed, it said in an update.
Nearby, the City of Malibu said in a 6:30 a.m. update that the Palisades Fire is still “uncontained,” adding that “even if your area is not under evacuation orders, all residents should prepare to evacuate if conditions worsen.” The fire is now “likely moving towards the Franklin Fire scar,” officials said.
The National Weather Service said it had been receiving reports of winds up to 80 mph on Thursday morning. They could top 100 mph in mountains and foothills and include areas that haven’t seen substantial rain in months as red flag warnings are highlighting extremely critical fire weather conditions.
A resident of a senior center is evacuated as the Eaton Fire approaches in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 7, 2025. AP Photo/Ethan Swope
Those include exceptionally dry relative humidity levels, according to Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist with the weather service. He says the winds are expected to continue into Thursday, “providing very little in terms of any relief.”
Red flag warnings, which denote the risk of a fire due to winds and dry conditions, were issued around the foothills above Los Angeles, near Lompoc and Santa Maria as well as Oxnard, according to the weather service.
A number of Hollywood celebrities have indicated in media interviews and on social media that they’ve been affected by the fires. Actor Steve Guttenberg told KTLA television that friends of his were impeded from evacuating because others had abandoned their cars on the road.
Longtime actor and conservative commentator James Woods said on X he was able to evacuate his Pacific Palisades house but he added: “I do not know at this moment if our home is still standing.”
“Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill said on Instagram Tuesday that he, too, was evacuated due to the wildfires. Describing the move as “last-minute,” Hamill said he spotted “small fires on both sides of the road as we approached [the Pacific Coast Highway].”
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Pacific Palisades Fire: Newsom Declares State of Emergency, 30,000 Ordered to Evacuate
A helicopter drops water on the flames of the wind-driven Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, California, on Jan. 7, 2025. David Swanson / AFP via Getty Images
At least 30,000 people were ordered to evacuate their homes on Jan. 7 after a fast-moving wildfire erupted in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. The fire engulfed nearly 3,000 acres of land, prompting California Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency.
About 13,000 structures are under threat, according to authorities. The exact number of buildings damaged or destroyed by the blaze is not yet clear.
A fire official told local television station KTLA that several people had been injured, including some with burns to their faces and hands, and added that one female firefighter had sustained a head injury.
Screen Actors Guild Awards Calls Off Live Nominations Amid Los Angeles Wildfires
A general view of the carpet at the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Feb. 24, 2024. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Photo
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards has called off the live, in-person announcement of its 31st awards nominations scheduled for Wednesday due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles.
The SAG said the decision was made out of “an abundance of caution for the safety” of its presenters, guests, and staff amid the wildfires and adverse wind conditions in Los Angeles, according to a statement posted on social media platform X on Wednesday.
Instead, the nominations for awards honoring the best in film and television performances will be unveiled through a press release and on the official SAG Awards website at 7.30 a.m. PT on Wednesday.
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