Several blazes sparked across different parts of the broader Los Angeles area this week but the two largest, most devastating wildfires are the Eaton Fire in a northeast area of the county near Pasadena and the Palisades Fire in the coastal community of Pacific Palisades. Mandatory evacuations for more than 100,000 people remain in place for the wildfires, which started Tuesday amid a powerful windstorm that forecasters warned would be the worst the region has seen in more than a decade.
Houses, schools, churches, grocery stores, restaurants and beloved landmarks have been completely destroyed. Several people have been injured in the two fires which have burned more than 36,000 acres — or just over 52 square miles — in five days.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said during a Sunday morning news conference that 16 people have been reported missing, although it remains unclear whether all those reports are related to the wildfires. He said earlier this week that the death toll may rise, saying deputies were still searching through the wreckage with K-9 units and will "hopefully not discover too many fatalities."
"So be patient with us when you ask us about death toll numbers," he told reporters. "Right now, frankly, we don't know yet."
Luna has requested additional assistance from National Guard members. He said they have been providing security in the affected areas.
While firefighting efforts remain ongoing, the containment of both wildfires had risen by Sunday morning. As of 8 a.m., the Palisades Fire is estimated at 23,654 acres with 11% containment — inching upward from 8% the night before.
On Sunday, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner confirmed 16 deaths connected to the two fires.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said on Sunday that the department is working on a process to allow residents in the fire areas to go online and view if their homes have been damaged or destroyed.
Evacuations and road closures
The fires have caused road closures across LA County.
Weather
Still, the National Weather Service has warned of "elevated to critical fire weather risk" in the forecast for Saturday through Sunday and then from Monday through Wednesday next week.
Quickly moving flames led to a rapidly developing situation this week when the blazes first broke out. More than two dozen cars were left abandoned on Sunset Boulevard near the Pacific Coast Highway within hours of the Palisades Fire starting. Some said firefighters told them to get out of their cars and escape the area on foot.
"This happened just spur of the moment," Krishan Chaudry, who lives in Pacific Palisades, said the morning the wildfire sparked. "We were just looking at the smoke, and then all of a sudden, we saw fire everywhere."
"I'm trying to figure out how to tell my 3-year-old we don't have a home," she said.
People stand in front of the burned Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. Bloomberg via Getty Images"The Altadena Town Council is deeply saddened and heartbroken by the catastrophic damage caused by the Eaton Fire," the statement issued Saturday reads. "Our town has been forever changed by the destruction... We grieve alongside each and every one of you who has been affected by this disaster. Our schools, churches, restaurants, parks, water reservoirs, and many cherished historic buildings have been lost, some of which can never be replaced."
The two officials put on a united front during a Saturday morning news conference, with Bass telling reporters that "any differences that we might have will be worked out in private."
"I did everything in my power to make sure we had enough personnel and resources before the first fire started," Marrone said. "I was the one who made the call to the state Office of Emergency Services."
On Sunday, Bass said she has invited President-elect Donald Trump to visit affected fire areas. When asked about communication between Los Angeles leaders and the incoming presidential administration she said she has actively been speaking with high-ranking members of Trump's team.
A day before the wildfires started, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state would be sending down firefighters, engines, helicopters and other resources to Southern California as the region faced dire weather conditions including hurricane-force winds.
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