(LOS ANGELES) — At least 28 people have died as multiple wildfires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds, rage across Southern California.
Thousands of firefighters have been battling wildfires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. The two largest fires, the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, remain active. One of the latest, the Hughes Fire in the Castaic area, has prompted evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people.
Status of Palisades, Eaton fires
The Palisades Fire, which began in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, has destroyed or damaged more than 6,000 structures. It’s covered more than 23,000 acres and is at 75% containment.
The Eaton Fire north of Pasadena also began on Jan. 7 and has destroyed or damaged more than 10,000 structures. It’s burned over 14,000 acres and is at 95% containment.
Pennsylvania sends 40 firefighters to LA
Pennsylvania is sending 40 firefighters to Los Angeles to help fight the multiple wildfires spreading across the region, Gov. Josh Shapiro said.
“My Administration is proud to support national wildfire response efforts with these brave and highly trained crews who are answering the call to protect lives and communities,” Shapiro wrote on social media. “Pennsylvania stands ready to help any state facing these unprecedented challenges.”
Border 2 Fire spreads to 4,250 acres
The Border 2 Fire near the San Diego-Mexico border has spread to 4,250 acres and is 10% contained.
The Chula Vista Elementary School District said it’s closing eight schools Friday due to safety and air quality concerns.
Red flag warning will expire soon, rain coming this weekend
A red flag warning that’s been in effect across Southern California will expire at 10 a.m. local time.
The gusty winds — which contribute to the spread of wildfires — will decrease throughout the morning and then let up in the afternoon.
Conditions will improve this weekend.
Humidity will increase and rain will reach Southern California on Saturday. The scattered showers will linger through Sunday and Monday.
There are no major flooding risks and an only 5% to 10% chance of significant debris in burn scars from the fires.
-ABC News’ Dan Amarante
Gov. Newsom signs $2.5 billion relief package for Los Angeles
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Thursday afternoon that directs $2.5 billion in relief to help support wildfire response and recovery efforts in Los Angeles.
“We’re all in this together,” Newsom said during a press conference announcing the passing of the bill Thursday afternoon.
The governor was joined at the press conference by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Senate pro Tempore Mike McGuire, legislators and local leaders.
Newsom noted that California leaders “put politics aside” to deliver the relief package.
The governor said the funds will be made available immediately.
At least 10 new fires reported across Southern California
As much of Southern California remains under a red flag alert for weather-driven wildfire danger, firefighters across the region have been working to contain at least 10 new fires that broke out Thursday.
Most of the new blazes have been contained or have seen forward progress stopped.
Multiple fires that began in San Diego County have been contained, but the largest Border 2 Fire remains active with at least 20 acres burned.
San Bernadino County also saw two fires break out with the Highland Fire being stopped and the Baldy Fire burning just two acres.
Los Angeles County fire officials have made progress with the Sepulveda Fire, which is 54% contained.
Two fires in Ventura County, the Laguna Fire and the Acacia Fire, have also been contained.
California insurance commissioner orders companies to provide advance payments
As fires across Los Angeles County continue to spread and impact residents, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara issued a bulletin to insurance companies on Thursday “to help speed the recovery process” for those affected.
Lara highlighted that companies must supply advance payments on claims submitted by policyholders who “suffered a total loss” in the wildfires, citing legislation that was passed in the state after the 2018 fires.
Without filing an itemized claim, companies must supply funds that are 30% of the policy’s dwelling limit, up to $250,000, according to the bulletin.
Additionally, insurers must provide policyholders with an advance payment of no less than four months of living expenses, according to the bulletin.
Forward progress of Laguna Fire in Ventura County halted: Official
Firefighters have stopped the forward progress of the Laguna Fire that broke out Thursday in Ventura County and prompted the evacuation of California State University Channel Island, officials said.
The blaze broke out just before 9 a.m. on agricultural land close to the university in Camarillo and spread to a nearby ridge. Fire crews quickly attacked the blaze from the ground and air to prevent it from spreading beyond 50 acres, officials said.
Andrew Dowd, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Fire Department, credited “aggressive firefighting” for halting the blaze that erupted amid strong winds and single-digit humidity levels across the region.
“Having all these resources available and ready to respond within minutes of this fire breaking out made a huge difference in our ability to bring this under control,” Dowd told ABC Los Angeles station KABC.
College under evacuation order as new fire erupts in Ventura County
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department issued an evacuation order on Thursday for California State University Channel Island after a fire erupted on nearby agricultural land.
The Laguna Fire started about 8:51 a.m. local time in a field near the university in Camarillo, 50 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, according to the sheriff’s department. The Ventura County Fire Department said the blaze spread to the nearby ridge.
The evacuation order included the school’s University Glenn on-campus housing complex, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Laguna Fire has burned about 50 acres and is 0% contained, fire officials said. There have been no immediate reports of injuries or structures being damaged.
Firefighters save the Getty museum, again
A wildfire that erupted late Wednesday night in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood was stopped by fire crews before it could reach the Getty Villa art museum, officials said.
According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the Sepulveda Fire started just after 11 p.m. on the Sepulveda Pass near the 405 Freeway.
As flames quickly spread up a hillside in the direction of the Getty Villa, hundreds of firefighters attacked the fire from the ground and air. Evacuation warnings were issued for the surrounding neighborhoods, including some in nearby Sherman Oaks.
By 2 a.m. local time Thursday, the Los Angeles Fire Department declared “all forward progress stopped” on the Sepulveda Fire and lifted the evacuation warnings. As of 8:30 a.m., the fire was 60% contained after consuming 40 acres, the LAFD said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
It was the second time in 15 days that flames have threatened the Getty Villa, home to more than 125,000 priceless artifacts. On Jan. 8, embers from the Palisades Fire engulfed the hillside the Getty Villa is perched atop, but fire crews stopped the blaze from reaching the museum.
Hughes blaze expands to 10,000 acres within hours
The rapidly spreading brush fire that ignited late Wednesday near Castaic Lake grew to 10,176 acres by early Thursday, according to local officials.
Firefighters battling the blaze in the brush north of Santa Clarita and Valencia had it about 14% contained, according to Angeles National Forest officials.
Hughes Fire expands over 9,400 acres with 0% containment
During a press briefing Wednesday evening, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone shared an update on the weather-driven Hughes Fire, which has expanded over 9,400 acres with no containment.
Marrone called the situation in Santa Clarita “dynamic and difficult to contain” in the dry, windy weather conditions.
The fire chief said the light to moderate Santa Ana winds are continuing to spread the blaze, but so far, no structures have been damaged or destroyed.
Approximately 31,000 people have been affected by evacuation orders and another 23,000 are under evacuation warnings.
A red flag fire warning for Los Angeles and Ventura counties has been extended until Friday at 10 a.m., officials said.
Hughes Fire now over 8,000 acres
The Hughes Fire has now burned 8,096 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties since igniting late Wednesday morning near Castaic Lake, according to Cal Fire.
24k under evacuation order amid Hughes Fire
More than 24,00 people have been ordered to evacuate due to the Hughes Fire.
Another 30,000 people are in evacuation warning zones.
Inmates at the Pitchess Detention Center, in Castaic south of the fire, are being moved out of the jail in a partial evacuation, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to ABC News.
I-5 shutting down in fire area
Interstate 5 is closing indefinitely in the area of the Hughes Fire in Castaic, officials said.
The closures are at State Route 126 for northbound traffic and Grapevine Road for southbound traffic, California Highway Patrol said.
Hughes Fire breaks out in LA County, explode to over 5,000 acres
A new Los Angeles County wildfire broke out on Wednesday near Castaic Lake, prompting evacuations of thousands of people as strong winds caused it to spread rapidly, officials said.
The Hughes Fire ignited around 11 a.m. Pacific time and grew to more than 5,000 acres in less than three hours, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
About 19,000 people in surrounding communities, including the city of Castaic, are under mandatory evacuation orders and another 16,000 residents are under evacuation warnings, officials said.
The blaze was burning near the southeast side of Lake Castaic off Interstate 5 in sparsely populated Bitter Canyon, about 45 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, according to Cal Fire.
Several I-5 offramps in the fire zone were closed, but the interstate remained open in both directions, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The fire was 0% contained and its cause was under investigation.
The fire erupted as gusty Santa Ana winds returned to the region, prompting the National Weather Service to issue red flag warnings.
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for recreation areas around Lake Castaic and the nearby Paradise Ranch Mobile Home Park.
Brush fire breaks out in Tijuana, destroys 8 homes
Evacuations were ordered south of the border in Tijuana when a brush fire ignited and quickly spread, destroying eight homes, officials said.
According to the Tijuana Fire Department, a fire broke out in a canyon Tuesday in the Mexican border town 20 miles south of San Diego, requiring the evacuation of about 80 people.
“Due to weather conditions, the flames quickly spread to some nearby homes,” the Tijuana Fire Department said in a statement.
Fire officials praised fire crews that rapidly responded to the blaze, saying preventing injuries.
The fire came amid strong Santa Ana winds buffeting a large area of the southwest, prompting “particularly dangerous situation” fire alerts from Ventura County north of Los Angeles to south of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Red Flag fire warnings issued for Southern California are expected to remain in place through Friday.
-ABC News’ Tristan Maglunog and Anne Laurent
Los Angeles County fires death toll rises to 28
There have been at least 28 confirmed fatalities linked to the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles County, according to the Department of Medical Examiner.
The Eaton Fire, which spread over 14,000 acres through the Altadena neighborhood, killed at least 17 individuals while the Palisades Fire, which burned over 23,000 acres from the mountains to the coast, killed 11 others, according to the agency.
Evacuation order issued near San Diego’s Lilac Fire
An evacuation order was issued early Tuesday for the area near Old Highway 395 and W. Lilac Road in Bonsall, a community in an unincorporated area in northern San Diego, officials said.
“An evacuation order has been issued for people who live in the red shaded areas as shown on the maps below,” the San Diego Sheriff’s office said. “It means there is an immediate threat and you need to leave right now.”
2 wildfires ignite in San Diego, Cal Fire says
Two wildfires ignited early Tuesday in San Diego, California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.
The Lilac Fire had burned about 20 acres at a moderate rate of speed and was zero percent contained, Cal Fire’s San Diego department said in a statement posted on social media.
The Pala Fire, which was burning at a slow rate of speed, had burned about 30 acres and was also zero percent contained, the department said in another post.
LA firefighters applauded at Trump’s inauguration
Firefighters battling wildfires in Los Angeles County received a round of applause on Monday during the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, chair of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, mentioned the firefighters in a speech, noting that the presidential inauguration is traditionally held at the Capitol, which she called the “people’s house.”
Klobuchar noted that the Capitol is dedicated to normal Americans doing extraordinary things, adding, “And yes, the firefighters in Los Angeles putting themselves on the line for us.”
As applause broke out, Klobuchar added, “Our democracy’s strength and grit must match there’s.”
5th ‘particularly dangerous situation’ alert issued for LA area this fire season
A large area of Southern California, including fire-ravaged Los Angeles County, was under a “particularly dangerous situation” alert on Monday as the National Weather Service forecast the return of strong Santa Ana winds to the region.
For an unprecedented fifth time in a single fire season, the NWS issued the rare PDS alert, warning residents of extreme fire danger and to be pr splaced and stray animals have come through the Pasadena Humane Society, just half a mile from a stadium housing people displaced by the fire.
Hundreds of animals are unidentified and waiting to be found by their owners; others are being housed at the shelter while their families find a place to live.
Several of the four-legged guests are receiving urgent medical care for burn injuries.
Among those rescued is a mama dog that was nursing her tiny puppies against the back wall of her kennel when ABC News visited on Thursday.
A kitten named Angel had all four paws wrapped in casts, yet slept soundly in her kennel with a cone around her neck.
The unfortunate reality is that there are still many pets that have yet to be safely recovered and hundreds of pet owners have not located their beloved family members after losing their homes.
Lost-and-found pet posters stapled to telephone poles are no longer an option, especially in fire-ravaged neighborhoods in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, where over 10,000 structures have burned to the ground.
A handful of “lost and found” pet pages emerged on social media after the fires, aiming to reunite lost pets with their families.
Desperate owners have been posting photos of their pets, hoping someone has seen their beloved family member.
Pasadena Humane Society has taken to putting out food and water in their now-uninhabitable neighborhoods, hoping to lure pets back — or, at least, stay nourished until they are found and reunited with their owners.
Unclaimed animals — listed as strays — will be held at the Pasadena Humane Society for 30 days and then placed for adoption.
Animal volunteers are urging the parents of lost pets to check local shelters each day in the hope of being reunited with missing animals.
Meanwhile, other pet owners who evacuated and lost their homes are taking refuge at hotels across Los Angeles.
The famous Beverly Hilton, which is known for hosting both the Golden Globes and Daytime Emmy Awards, is currently housing hundreds of displaced residents and their four-legged friends.
A “glamorous zoo” is how Hilton spokesperson Cody LaGrow described the scene, with hotel staff doing everything possible to accommodate the animals from a hospitality perspective.
The hotel is providing “wee wee” pads, helping with pet food and buying pet beds for guests.
The “pooch invasion,” as LaGrow described it, is a story of hope — with the hotel becoming a site of coping, resilience and emotional support, for both people and their cherished pets.
ABC News’ Brandon Chase contributed to this report.
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