1m ago In addition to 24 people still missing in L.A. County — 18 in the area around the Eaton Fire and six in Malibu, according to the sheriff — LAPD Chief McDonnell said another 13 are missing in the city.
Two have most likely been found dead, but 11 remain unaccounted for on Tuesday, according to the police chief.
8m ago In addition to 24 people still missing in L.A. County — 18 in the area around the Eaton Fire and six in Malibu, according to the sheriff — LAPD Chief McDonnell said another 13 are missing in the city.
Two have most likely been found dead, but 11 remain unaccounted for on Tuesday, according to the police chief.
9m ago As wind-whipped fires turned Pacific Palisades and Altadena from sunny Southern California paradises into smoky hellscapes, photojournalists who captured the blazes also documented their aftermaths.
These latest photos show what’s left of places thousands of people call home.
Patrick O’Neal sifts through his home after it was destroyed by the Palisades wildfire on Jan. 13, 2025 in Malibu, California. “I’m trying to figure out where I am in the house… I think i’m standing in my dad’s bathroom. To be honest, I don’t even know what I’m looking for I guess I’m just trying to make sense of it. There’s nothing left, just ash and bricks — there’s nothing,” said O’Neal. Brandon Bell/Getty Images
A general view of destroyed houses in a neighborhood that was destroyed by the Eaton Fire which remains without electricity or water on Jan. 12, 2025 in Altadena, California. David McNew/Getty Images
21m ago Four wildfires are burning Tuesday morning in and around Los Angeles. The Palisades Fire is still the largest among them, covering 23,713 acres in western L.A. County. Firefighters have contained 17% of the blaze since it erupted one week ago, according to Cal Fire.
The Eaton Fire, in northern L.A., is burning over about 14,100 acres, with 35% containment. Meanwhile, crews have managed to control 97% of the Hurst Fire, which has covered 799 acres.
Firefighters are also battling a new brushfire, the Auto Fire, which broke out Monday evening in Ventura County – adjacent to L.A. That wildfire is 56 acres and was not contained as of Tuesday morning, Cal Fire said.
25m ago SkyCal, the news helicopter for KCAL News, spotted a small flare-up while checking out the western side of the Palisades Fire.
The flare-up, or hot spot, was located deep in a canyon, according to KCAL News assignment editor Mark Liu.
“Probably just one good water drop is going to put this out,” Liu said. “There is some unburned vegetation down there, and it is slowly creeping through.”
Local CBS chopper spots small flare-up of Palisades Fire in California 01:40
32m ago Intensifying winds in Southern California could make it harder to continue the aerial fight against the wildfires, as more than 80 planes and helicopters are being used to battle the fierce flames.
Eight activated military C-130s have been modified specifically to contain the wildfires. The aircraft can release 3,000 gallons of water or red fire retardant in seconds. The fleet has already dropped more than 16,0000 gallons of suppressant.
“I worry about how dangerous it is to fly around these fires,” said First Lt. Aiden Flores with the California Air National Guard. “It’s not a normal mission as they go down and drop the retardant.”
Inside look at the aerial attack to battle Los Angeles area wildfires 03:14
Rotary aircraft can get closer to the raging flames that have scorched more than 60 square miles and are driven by the Santa Ana winds.
Lt. Col. Laura Jeffrey, a combat navigator for the Wyoming Air National Guard, traveled to L.A. to help fight the fires.
“We’re leaving our families. We’re leaving behind everything to come out and I wish people knew the sacrifice that we make to do that and what it means to us to have the opportunity to serve those who are in need,” she said.
—Rob Marciano, Kelsie Hoffman
41m ago Los Angeles officials made additional arrests Monday and overnight into Tuesday for alleged crimes linked to the fires. In county territory, deputies took one person into custody for allegedly violating curfew and carrying a loaded weapon, bringing the total number of arrests to 39 since last week.
“If you are carrying narcotics and a gun, you shouldn’t do it anyways. You shouldn’t absolutely go into these evacuation order areas, where there’s a curfew, with those items because you are likely going to get arrested,” said L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna.
Another 14 people have been arrested in the city of L.A. since the wildfires started, said LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, who mentioned three “significant arrests” for possible arson at Tuesday’s briefing.
One person was arrested Sunday in North Hollywood for allegedly using a barbecue lighter to ignite fires, and two more were arrested Monday in other parts of L.A. for allegedly igniting a bush and a trash can, McDonnell said. All three were booked in jail.
Others arrested over the last week were taken into custody for curfew violations, drone incidents, burglary, vandalism, impersonating an officer and unauthorized entry into a closed emergency area, according to the sheriff and the LAPD chief.
11:28 AM Search crews did not find human remains during their probes Monday in northern L.A. County, said L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna.
The crews have so far searched 3,654 properties in Altadena, where the Eaton Fire broke out, with 1,800 searched just on Monday in that area. Officials are coordinating teams to begin searching for remains near the Palisades, according to the sheriff.
“This operation continues. It’s active. It’s not easy work,” Luna said Tuesday. “And the good news was that no other remains were found yesterday. Hopefully that happens again today. We don’t want the death toll to go up.”
County authorities are still working on 24 missing person cases.
11:19 AM About 88,000 residents of Los Angeles County are under mandatory evacuation orders Tuesday morning, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news briefing. Roughly 84,800 more are under evacuation warnings, which are issued as a precaution for areas where more urgent fire dangers could materialize.
Acknowledging the evacuation numbers are somewhat lower now than they were earlier in the week, the sheriff emphasized that safety threats still remain.
“There is a decrease in these numbers, but as our fire partners have stated: it is very dangerous for the next 24 hours,” Luna said. “So, we are keeping a very close eye.”
11:04 AM It has been 254 days since Los Angeles received “decent” rainfall — defined as a tenth of an inch of rain or more, according to CBS News Los Angeles meteorologist Paul Deanno.
“That’s a really low bar,” Deanno said Tuesday.
The last time a “decent” rain fell over Los Angeles was May 10 of last year.
The lack of rainfall has contributed to the dry conditions that are helping fuel the wildfire flames. Deanno called it “the biggest problem” facing the region right now.
Paul Deanno’s 7 a.m. forecast | NEXT Weather 03:39
10:23 AM A warmer, drier climate means wildfires are getting worse and encroaching on cities – with devastating impact. Toxic chemicals from those burns can get into damaged drinking water systems, and even filtering or boiling won’t help, experts say.
Last week, Pasadena Water and Power issued a “Do Not Drink” notice to about a third of its customers for the first time since it began distributing water more than a century ago. With at least one burned pump, several damaged storage tanks, and burned homes, they knew there was a chance toxic chemicals had entered their pipes.
This week, they lifted the notice for most of the area after testing.
When drinking water systems are damaged in a fire, “we can have ash, smoke, soot, other debris and gases get sucked into the water piping network,” said Andrew Whelton, a Purdue University engineering professor who researches water contamination in communities hit by fire.
Those elements can be particularly toxic because chemically engineered synthetics in building materials and households are heating, burning and releasing particles and gases, he said. Some of those chemicals are harmful even at low concentrations, experts say.
People should follow guidance issued by their utility or local health department on safety precautions until their water is declared safe.
10:03 AM The National Weather Service in Los Angeles has issued an air quality alert covering cities including Burbank, Glendale, Universal City, Santa Monica, Torrance, Long Beach, Inglewood, Downey, Norwalk, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood.
The alert also covers Pasadena, San Gabriel, Pomona, Malibu and other areas and cities in Southern California.
The alert was issued Monday night due to “harmful levels of windblown dust and ash,” according to forecasters, who warned of possible impacts through 7 p.m. Wednesday.
“Particle pollution can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems such as asthma attacks, heart and lung disease symptoms, and increased risk of respiratory infections,” the weather service said. “Everyone can be affected, but sensitive groups such as people with
lung or heart disease, older adults, people who are pregnant, children, and those who spend a lot of time outdoors are at greater risk.”
People in the affected areas are advised to avoid outdoor activity, keep doors and windows closed and run air conditioners or an air purifier, or both.
9:58 AM The Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel National Monument closed Tuesday for the week due to “critical fire danger,” the United States Forest Service said. They are set to reopen Sunday, Jan. 19, at midnight.
Entering the Angeles National Forest and using any National Forest System road or trail within the forest are prohibited for the duration of the temporary closure without a permit. Federal, state and local officials, as well as firefighters and rescue workers assigned to the area, are exempt.
Fines for violating those terms could be as high as $5,000 for an individual and $10,000 for an organization, according to the Forest Service. Violators could also face up to six months in prison.
9:37 AM Wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area are fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds, which take shape when air from a high-pressure region over the dry southwestern desert travels westward toward the coast, producing dry winds that flow through mountain corridors in Southern California.
The winds typically feel warm, or hot, causing air temperatures to increase and driving up wildfire risks.
They carry the potential for major property damage because of their extreme dryness and ability to spread flames quickly over the land. During the peak of the initial windstorm that stoked the wildfires, officials said they measured gusts between 80 and 100 miles per hour, posing serious challenges for firefighters.
The National Weather Service has forecast a second round of strong Santa Ana winds for the Los Angeles area this week, prompting “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red flag warnings, high wind warnings and wind advisories that are set to remain active through Wednesday.
9:27 AM Forecasters with the National Weather Service are warning of “extreme risk” in two parts of Southern California that are under Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Red Flag Warnings, which went into effect Tuesday at 4 a.m. local time.
The weather service is urging people to not do anything that could spark a fire, develop a wildfire action plan and have multiple ways of receiving information about evacuating.
Extreme fire danger will continue thru Wed. PDS Red Flag Warnings are for the extreme of the extreme fire weather scenarios. In other words, this setup is about as bad as it gets. Stay aware of your surroundings. Be prepared to evacuate. Avoid anything that can spark a fire.#cawx pic.twitter.com/JedMNHvygB
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 13, 2025
The first PDS warning was issued in 2020. It means that an area is under the most extreme Red Flag Warning.
“A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly,” the National Weather Service says. “Use extreme caution with anything that can spark a wildfire. Residents near wildland interfaces should be prepared to evacuate if a wildfire breaks out.”
8:53 AM As firefighters continue working to manage the blazes burning across Los Angeles County, photos are emerging of properties in the area blanketed by flame retardant. Officials say hundreds of thousands of gallons of the hot-pink suppression chemical have been dropped ahead of the flames by firefighting aircraft, in attempts to stop them from reaching new neighborhoods.
Fire retardant covers a backyard in Mandeville Canyon during the Palisades Fire, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. Eric Thayer/AP
Aerial fire suppressants usually contain a mixture of water, ammonium phosphate and iron oxide, which makes the retardant visible, Daniel McCurry, a civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of Southern California, told The Associated Press. Fire suppressants like the ones seen covering L.A. homes and buildings are generally considered safe for people, but many worry about their effects on wildlife.
8:23 AM Hundreds of National Guard troops have joined firefighting crews in the air and on the ground in Los Angeles and across Southern California, the United States Air Force said Tuesday. More than 1,850 members from Nevada and Wyoming, in addition to California, have been activated.
The California National Guard has also activated troops to assist local authorities and the emergency response.
“Our hearts go out to the people of California impacted by these devastating wildfires,” said Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, in a statement.
Fighting L.A.-area wildfires from above 02:48
8:08 AM A map from the National Weather Service shows the areas in Southern California that are under Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Red Flag Warnings Tuesday.
The areas under the PDS warnings are outlined in purple and include Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Fillmore, Simi Valley and Northridge. A PDS Red Flag Warning means there is “an extremely dangerous environment” favorable to rapid fire growth if a fire starts.
“All areas in red have a high risk for rapid fire growth if a fire starts. Areas outlined in purple are of most concern and are in a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS),” forecasters said.
7:44 AM While authorities still don’t know what sparked the deadly fires in the Los Angeles area, they do know one clear way the flames have spread: embers.
Experts say most homes destroyed by wildfires aren’t overcome by a racing wall of flames, but rather burn after being ignited by airborne embers.
An ember is a piece of burning debris that can range in size from a tiny speck to a larger chunk. Once it becomes airborne, the more technical term is firebrand, said James Urban, an assistant professor in the Department of Fire Protection Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
“If it’s a wildland fire, it’s typically pieces of wood or other types of vegetation that are burning,” he said. “But when you have a fire that’s burning through an urban area, it can be vegetation, it can be pieces of the house, it can be almost anything that burns.”
Winds blow embers from the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. Nic Coury/AP
While many people might have seen stray embers rise from a campfire and even had one land on them, the embers involved in wildfires are drastically different, said Anne Cope, chief engineer at the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety.
“Those embers can travel for miles, and it’s often the neighborhoods that are closer to the wildlands that get inundated with just loads and loads – just showered with embers,” she said.
Wind allows embers to burn harder and release more energy, becoming a more potent ignition source, Urban said. The firebrands then accumulate and sort of work together, gathering between the slats of wood fences or in shrubbery and igniting new fires.
6:57 AM California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday expanded the special legislative session he called to defend the state’s progressive policies against the incoming Trump administration, announcing that legislators would also prioritize addressing the state’s wildfire crisis.
Newsom is calling for lawmakers to accelerate $1 billion in emergency response funding for the historic Los Angeles-area fires, new money to help rebuild and repair schools affected by those fires more quickly, and another $1.5 billion to help fortify the state against future wildfires.
“California is organizing a Marshall Plan to help Los Angeles rebuild faster and stronger – including billions in new and accelerated state funding so we can move faster to deliver for the thousands who’ve lost their homes and livelihoods in these firestorms,” Newsom said in a statement Monday. To the people of Los Angeles: We have your back.”
It wasn’t immediately clear how soon the proposals would be considered by the Legislature.
– Cecilio Padilla, Richard Ramos, Steve Large
6:35 AM The Federal Emergency Management Agency will open two disaster recovery centers in Los Angeles County Tuesday to help residents affected by the wildfires.
The centers are scheduled to open at UCLA Research Park West and the Pasadena City College Community Education Center.
Representatives from the state and federal governments can help people apply for financial assistance, provide updates on residents’ FEMA applications and guide victims through the appeals process. FEMA financial assistance may include money for basic home repairs and personal property losses. Other uninsured, disaster-related needs can also be covered with FEMA funds including, childcare, transportation, medical needs, funeral or dental expenses.
People can also apply for FEMA assistance online or by phone.
5:54 AM The Malibu surfing community is mourning the loss of one of its most iconic members, Randy “The Craw” Miod, who was killed in the Palisades Fire last week.
Miod, 51, who was also known to many “as The Malibu Man of Mystery,” lived in the same little red house along the Pacific Coast Highway for decades, turning it into a popular destination for surfers who needed a break from the waves.
Friends say Miod lived his passion, which was surfing, so much so that he embraced anyone who shared that love.
They called him “The Craw” because his arms had a natural inward arch, similar to what they thought looked like a crawfish. He embraced his nickname, eventually naming the house he moved into in his teenage years “The Crab Shack.”
– Rina Nakano, Dean Fioresi
4:13 AM The Lakers and Clippers both went back to work Monday night in Los Angeles’ first two NBA games since catastrophic wildfires killed at least 24 people and destroyed significant sections of their hometown.
The Lakers hosted the San Antonio Spurs in their downtown arena, while the Clippers hosted the Miami Heat in their brand-new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, about 10 miles south of downtown.
Lakers coach JJ Redick and his family lost their home in the Pacific Palisades in the fires Tuesday. He said he was grateful to get back on the court with his players for their first game in six days, believing that sports can provide a small uplift to an exhausted city.
The NBA postponed two home games for the Lakers and one home game for the Clippers last week as the fires raged. The NFL also moved the Los Angeles Rams’ wild-card playoff game against Minnesota to suburban Phoenix on Monday night.
Redick said some of his players had been under an evacuation warning in recent days, and one couldn’t make it to work on time because of activity around his home. Redick and his family lost almost everything they owned in their rented home.
The Lakers staged a donation drive outside their arena before they hosted the Spurs, accepting food and packaged personal items. The Lakers and Clippers were among 12 Los Angeles-area pro sports teams that announced Monday they will contribute more than $8 million combined for local relief efforts.
The Clippers covered every seat at Intuit Dome with giveaway white towels featuring the words “LA Strong” and a blue image of the state of California.
2:14 AM Firefighters are battling a brushfire, dubbed the Auto Fire, that erupted in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles.
It was first reported at around 7:45 Monday night in the Santa Clara River bottom, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. It was being fueled by gusts averaging between 20 and 30 miles per hour, with stronger winds predicted as early as Tuesday morning.
CalFire says it quickly grew from 5 to 10 acres, then to more than 50 acres by late Monday night. That’s when the VCFD said in a post on X that the blaze’s “forward progress … has been stopped … with 0% containment.”
Crews battle a brush fire in Ventura, California, on Jan. 13, 2025. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images
The post said firefighters from several departments “remain on scene mopping up hotspots and working to increase containment. The fire was confined to the river bottom and no structures were threatened. The cause of the fire is under investigation.”
From CBS Los Angeles’ SkyCal helicopter, it appeared there were several spot fires popping up as embers were being pushed by the wind.
Four water-dropping aircraft were on-scene, including a Chinook and a Sikorsky Sea King.
11:24 PM President-elect Donald Trump is looking to travel to fire-ravaged Los Angeles after his inauguration, three sources familiar with the plans tell CBS News. The timing of the trip is uncertain, but one source said it could come as soon as next week. Trump’s inauguration will take place Monday, Jan. 20.
The Wall Street Journal was first to report Trump was planning to visit Los Angeles.
11:44 PM 
A firefighting aircraft drops the fire retardant Phos-Chek near homes in Topanga, California, during the Palisades Fire as wildfires rages through Los Angeles County on Jan. 10, 2025. / Getty Images
Aircraft battling fires raging through the Los Angeles area are dousing the area with more than water: Hundreds of thousands of gallons of hot-pink fire suppressant have been dropped ahead of the flames in a desperate effort to stop them before they destroy more neighborhoods.
Fire agencies say the suppressants — most often used to fight forest fires — are an invaluable tool. But what is in them and are they safe?
Aerial fire suppressants are generally a mixture of water, ammonium phosphate — essentially fertilizer — and iron oxide, which is added to make the retardant visible, said Daniel McCurry, a civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of Southern California.
However, the Forest Service bans use of aerial suppressants over waterways and endangered species habitats, “except when human life or public safety are threatened,” due to potential health effects on fish and other wildlife.
10:51 PM The Santa Ynez Reservoir, a 117-gallon water resource near the Pacific Palisades, was under renovation and empty when fires tore through the Los Angeles neighborhood last week and firefighters quickly depleted available water resources, city officials said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday he was launching an independent state investigation into the loss of water pressure and unavailability of water from the reservoir. He directed Los Angeles’ Department of Water and Power to prepare a “comprehensive review” of their efforts to ensure available water supply in case of emergencies.
The reservoir was taken out of service to “meet safe drinking water regulations,” the DWP said in a statement. A tear in the reservoir’s cover made the water supply subject to contamination, the Los Angeles Times reported, leading the agency to drain it in February.
10:14 PM Attorneys representing those affected by the Eaton Fire filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison alleging that the company’s equipment sparked the disastrous blaze in Altadena.
The 14,000-acre Eaton Fire decimated Altadena neighborhoods and spread to communities along the Angeles National Forest line, including Pasadena and Sierra Madre. As of Monday, firefighters had contained 33% of the blaze.
“SCE understands that a lawsuit related to the Eaton fire has been filed but has not yet been served with the complaint. SCE will review the complaint when it is received. The cause of the fire continues to be under investigation,” said Jeff Monford, spokesperson for Southern California Edison.
In its incident report sent to the California Public Utilities Commission, SoCal Edison disputed the claim that its equipment started the fire, citing “no interruptions or electrical or operational anomalies until more than one hour after the reported start time of the fire.”
“To date, no fire agency has suggested that SCE’s electric facilities were involved in the ignition or requested the removal and retention of any SCE equipment,” SoCal Edison wrote in its report.
9:34 PM Residents of Pacific Palisades recorded videos of an 8-acre fire on a hillside on New Year’s Eve. While the source of the Palisades Fire is unconfirmed, CBS News has analyzed maps, photos and videos to link the massive blaze that started last week to the same location.
Firefighters noted the connection as the Palisades Fire was spreading.
“The foot of the fire started real close to where the last fire was on New Year’s Eve,” a Los Angeles County firefighter said in a radio transmission.
Officials said they have not ruled out whether embers from the New Year’s Eve fire sparked back up.
In the first hour of the Palisades Fire, a CBS News crew reported from near the same location. On Monday, the scene was surrounded by police tape.
Officials trying to determine cause of Southern California fires 03:39
9:17 PM Firefighters are battling a brush fire burning close to homes in Jurupa Valley in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles County.
The Clay Fire was first reported at around 4:45 p.m. local time and was quickly upgraded to a third alarm fire by Riverside County Fire Department crews arriving on scene.
8:14 PM Crystal Scott grew up playing in the picturesque San Gabriel Mountains, but her home at the base of the mountains was one of thousands destroyed in the Eaton Fire.
“I’m very devastated. Our families worked hard to put us here and to establish us,” Scott told CBS News.
While their family home was the realization of a dream, it and many others like it are also part of a trend in which urban and suburban sprawl has crept into previously wild areas.
Climate change is also playing a role in increasing risk.
Neighborhoods tucked into the foothills of Los Angeles are now more vulnerable as rainy seasons become more intense and dry seasons last longer — a cycle that leads to more vegetation fueling fires. The last time Los Angeles saw more than an inch of rain was around Easter of last year, and long-term weather models don’t see any rainfall coming to the area any time soon.
-Tom Hanson, Alicia Hastey and Simon Bouie
How suburban sprawl and climate change fuel wildfires 03:15
7:50 PM A hang-gliding pilot, a father and son and a former child actor are among those who have died due to the wildfires.
At least 24 people have died as a result of the fires and the death toll is expected to rise. CBS News has confirmed the names of 11 of the 24 victims.
5:40 PM / January 13, 2025 In hard-hit Altadena, one resident came back to find his home of 40 years survived.
“The whole time I was thinking, I don’t know what I’m going to find when I get back here and after 40 years, you know, you got a lot of stuff you forget about that would disappear if the house burned down. So we’re thankful that it didn’t,” Jim Orlandini told the Associated Press.
Orlandini told the news outlet he still lost his hardware store.
4:43 PM / January 13, 2025 Salt water from the ocean is an option for fighting L.A.’s fires, but it’s more complicated than simply going to the beach to transport water to the hillsides.
With over 60 aircraft, California has the largest civilian aviation fleet for firefighting in the world, according to Cal Fire. However, only a few of them are capable of scooping up water from the Pacific Ocean.
Some of the firefighting aircraft are only built to carry and disperse fire retardant, not water. And for those that carry water, salt water isn’t often used because its salinity can damage equipment.
3:48 PM / January 13, 2025 The National Weather Service has issued a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red flag warning for parts of Los Angeles County as well as nearby Ventura County through noon Wednesday in preparation for a combination of powerful wind gusts and low humidity that forecasters expect to peak Tuesday.
The warning applies to two areas around the wildfires and takes effect Tuesday at 4 a.m. local time. The weather service urged everyone inside the warning zones to avoid “anything that can spark a fire” while it’s in effect.
This kind of red flag warning is rarely issued, CBS News Los Angeles reported. But, as California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on social media Sunday night, the weather service has enacted such warnings four times in the last three months for Southern California.
“PDS Red Flag Warnings are for the extreme of the extreme fire weather scenarios,” the weather service’s Los Angeles office posted on social media Monday. “In other words, this setup is about as bad as it gets. Stay aware of your surroundings. Be prepared to evacuate. Avoid anything that can spark a fire.”
Extreme fire danger will continue thru Wed. PDS Red Flag Warnings are for the extreme of the extreme fire weather scenarios. In other words, this setup is about as bad as it gets. Stay aware of your surroundings. Be prepared to evacuate. Avoid anything that can spark a fire.#cawx pic.twitter.com/JedMNHvygB
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 13, 2025
3:11 PM / January 13, 2025 A Getty Images photographer took a picture of a man Monday as he was going through the remains of his Malibu house that was destroyed in the Palisades Fire.
Patrick O’Neal sifts through his home after it was destroyed by the Palisades Fire on Jan. 13, 2025, in Malibu, California. Brandon Bell/Getty Images
“I’m trying to figure out where I am in the house,” Patrick O’Neal told Getty Images. “… I think I’m standing in my dad’s bathroom. To be honest, I don’t even know what I’m looking for I guess I’m just trying to make sense of it. There’s nothing left, just ash and bricks — there’s nothing.”
2:59 PM / January 13, 2025 President Biden addressed the wildfires in a statement Monday afternoon, saying he and first lady Jill Biden “are deeply saddened by the devastation” caused by the blazes, which he called unprecedented.
Mr. Biden said he is receiving frequent updates on the fire suppression efforts in Los Angeles and has directed his administration “to respond promptly to any request for additional federal firefighting assistance.” Hundreds of federal personnel, including aerial and ground support teams, have been sent to California, he added.
“My Administration remains laser-focused on helping survivors and we will continue to use every tool available to support the urgent firefight as the winds are projected to increase,” the president said.
2:15 PM / January 13, 2025 Los Angeles County has provided preliminary maps that show which structures and homes are damaged or destroyed.
The maps, though still incomplete, provide an opportunity for evacuated residents to see if their home is still standing, or what level of damage has occurred. Many residents are still unable to return to their neighborhoods. They are color-coded, showing structure damage assessments ranging from destroyed to major and minor damage, those affected and those with no damage.
Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said the maps are being updated daily, noting that, “if there is not a color icon on your address, it means the building has not yet been inspected.”
Map of Eaton Fire damage
Map of Palisades Fire damage
2:00 PM / January 13, 2025 More than 15,000 firefighters, law enforcement officers and other emergency personnel are battling the wildfires, or working to support the crews who are, Cal Fire said.
“While smoke has cleared in most of the areas impacted by the Eaton and Palisades Fires, evacuations and curfews remain in place,” the agency wrote in a social media post. “Officials are maintaining these precautions to prepare for potential fire activity, complete damage inspections, complete critical infrastructure repairs, and address hazards like fallen trees and downed utility lines.”
More than 15,000 dedicated firefighters, law enforcement, and emergency support personnel are tirelessly working to combat the wildfires in Southern California.
While smoke has cleared in most of the areas impacted by the Eaton and Palisades Fires, evacuations and curfews… pic.twitter.com/oxaXFZ9Gjo
— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) January 13, 2025
The wildfires have burned more than 40,000 acres so far across Southern California, Cal Fire said.
Updated 3:16 PM / January 13, 2025 The Oscars voting period and nominations announcement are being delayed due to the wildfires, the Motion Picture Academy announced Monday.
“We feel it is necessary to extend our voting period and move the date of our nominations announcement to allow additional time for our members,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang said in a news release.
Academy members from 18 branches, including actors and film editors, will have until Jan. 17 to vote on the nominees for their categories, the organization said. The nominations announcement has been rescheduled for Jan. 23 and it will be held virtually, without in-person media coverage.
Kramer and Yang noted they “want to be sensitive to the infrastructure and lodging needs of the region in the next few weeks.”
The 97th Oscars will still be held Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.
1:46 PM / January 13, 2025 Authorities have resumed sifting through the rubble near Altadena for a third day.
“It is a very grim task. And we, unfortunately every day we’re doing this, we’re running across the remains of individual community members,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Monday.
“I believe we will continue to find remains,” Luna said, asking people for patience, adding that many are saying “‘I just want to go look at my house and I want to see what’s left.’ We know that but we have people literally looking for the remains of your neighbors.”
The victims who died in the fire include a man who was found holding a garden hose as well as an 82-year-old man who died in his bed, family members told CBS News.
–CBS/AP
1:08 PM / January 13, 2025 A disaster recovery center will open Wednesday at the UCLA Research Park, an institute near the university’s campus. It is one of several centers that Los Angeles is working to establish, with help from the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, for L.A. residents impacted by the wildfires.
The recovery centers will offer a range of services, including assistance for people who’ve lost important records like birth or death certificates, driver’s licenses and social security documents, and for those who’ve lost their homes or businesses and need to apply for disaster relief loans.
These centers will also help connect people with mental health counselors. The one at UCLA will be open every day of the week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
12:55 PM / January 13, 2025 More than 1,800 California National Guard troops have been activated to help with firefighting efforts, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Monday.
He also said eight C130s with the modular airborne firefighting system are on station at Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, which is an Air Force base in Ventura County that is not far from the fires.
More than 16,000 gallons of fire suppressant were dropped over the weekend by the military, he said, and more missions are expected on Monday.
Additional forces, including 10 Navy helicopters with water delivery buckets and 500 active duty Marines from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, are ready to provide support if requested, Ryder said.
12:32 PM / January 13, 2025 There are upwards of 35,000 electrical outages Monday in Los Angeles County alone, according to tracking site poweroutage.us, and a breakdown of outages by provider suggests the connection problems extend past county lines.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Southern California Edison, two of the main energy providers in the region, are collectively reporting more than 50,000 customers out. LADWP has reported at least 16,810 outages, and Southern California Edison, which services parts of L.A. County and adjacent counties like Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura, reported at least 35,123, the tracking site shows.
12:17 PM / January 13, 2025 City and county law enforcement have made close to 50 arrests since last week for crimes linked to the wildfires. At least four people were taken into custody overnight between Sunday and Monday, said L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna.
Two of the latest arrests stemmed from curfew violations and two involved a single “drone incident.” Despite warnings from local officials and the FAA to keep private drones away from Southern California air spaces currently being used for fire suppression, Luna said the sheriff’s office has dealt with at least two drone incidents since the wildfires broke out, resulting in three arrests.
Overall, county authorities have arrested 34 people during the fires. LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said police have made another 14 arrests as of Monday for crimes committed inside city limits, including three curfew violations, four burglaries, three shoplifting incidents, vandalism, impersonating a firefighter and driving under the influence.
“It’s not just for looting or burglary that you’re going to jail, or curfew,” said Choi. “If you’re in the area and you don’t belong in the area, you will be stopped and questioned. And whatever crime is being committed, you will be held accountable for that. So please stay away from these evacuation areas.”
12:13 PM / January 13, 2025 Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said at a news conference Monday that all fire departments and law enforcement agencies in the area will be prepared as severe fire weather conditions are expected to continue through Wednesday.
“The anticipated winds combined with low humidities and low fuel moistures will keep the fire threat in all Los Angeles County critical,” he said.
L.A. Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said “we are not in the clear as of yet and we must not let our guard down.”
11:48 AM / January 13, 2025 Authorities in L.A. County are actively searching for 23 people reported missing in the wildfires, said Sheriff Luna. A majority of the missing person reports — 17 — have come out of the Eaton Fire area, while the other seven came from Malibu near the Palisades Fire. All of the individuals reported missing are adults.
The sheriff said he expects the number of people missing will continue to increase and urged anyone with concerns over another’s whereabouts to report it to his office as soon as possible.
There are also at least six people unaccounted for in the city of L.A., said LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi. Of 26 people reported missing in the city since last Tuesday, Choi said 17 were found safe, two are believed to have died in the fires and one is likely staying in a local shelter. Police are waiting to confirm the identities of those last three people.
11:21 AM / January 13, 2025 About 92,000 residents of Los Angeles County are under mandatory evacuation orders Monday morning, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news briefing. That number was down from Sunday, when over 100,000 people were under those mandates.
Evacuation warnings are in place for another 89,000 residents, according to the sheriff.
Evacuation orders require residents in certain areas to leave due to imminent threats. Warnings are issued as precautions, so people within the warning areas can prepare to evacuate if conditions deteriorate.
11:18 AM / January 13, 2025 Beyoncé has contributed $2.5 million to a newly launched LA Fire Relief Fund created by her charitable foundation, BeyGOOD.
The announcement arrived via the BeyGOOD foundation Instagram account on Sunday.
“The fund is earmarked to aid families in the Altadena/Pasadena area who lost their homes, and to churches and community centers to address the immediate needs of those affected by the wildfires,” the caption read.
Founded in 2013, the BeyGOOD foundation concentrates on economic equity, by “supporting marginalized and under-resourced programs,” according to its mission statement.
Last week, Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles shared that her Malibu bungalow was destroyed in the Los Angeles-area fires.
“It was my favorite place, my sanctuary, my sacred happy place. now it is gone,” she wrote on Instagram. “God Bless all the brave men and women in our fire department who risked their lives in dangerous conditions.”
The Screen Actors Guild announced over the weekend it would commit $1 million to help members affected by the fires. While a lot of attention has been paid to stars who have lost homes, numerous less-famous industry workers have also lost homes or been displaced by the fires.
11:15 AM / January 13, 2025 The Hurst Fire, which has covered nearly 800 acres, was 95% contained as of early Monday morning local time, fire officials said.
Here’s the latest on containment for the fires burning across Southern California.
10:52 AM / January 13, 2025 FEMA has reactivated its online rumor response site to address false claims about the agency as it responds to the deadly wildfires.
The agency posted responses to rumors that resurface during major disasters, including setting the record straight on whether FEMA assistance is limited to one payment (it’s not), and whether applying for assistance grants FEMA or the federal government authority or ownership of a person’s property (it doesn’t).
The Los Angeles Fire Department has also directly refuted falsehoods as it continues to respond to the fires.
The rapid and direct response to false claims reflects a new approach to communicating with the public during disasters, according to Jason Davis, a research professor at Syracuse University specializing in disinformation detection. Davis says the rapid spread of false claims, combined with the rise of AI-generated content, has prompted officials to be more direct in confronting the falsehoods.
“In the past, the idea was to be above the mis- and disinformation, to not say anything because it would give it credibility,” Davis said. “That conversation has changed because of its prevalence and the quality that’s now being generated.”
10:22 AM / January 13, 2025 Los Angeles County fire chief Anthony Marrone said the department is working with local, state and federal partners to ensure they have enough resources for the “next wind event” as the wildfires in Southern California continue to burn.
“We know on Tuesday, those 70 mph winds, if we get another fire start it’s going to be very difficult to contain even with all of the resources that we have from out of state and from the federal government,” Marrone said on “CBS Mornings Plus.”
He called the wildfires that have devastated the Los Angeles area an “absolutely unprecedented event for the L.A. County Fire Department.”
“It’s been relentless for my personnel,” he said. “However, our focus is on the residents and communities that we’ve been sworn to protect.”
9:47 AM / January 13, 2025 The wildfires are not spreading as rapidly as they once were, and some that sparked last week are now completely under control.
Fanned by unusually powerful Santa Ana winds, the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire grew exponentially in size between Tuesday and Wednesday, engulfing tens of thousands of acres and either destroying or seriously damaging pockets of Los Angeles along the way. Firefighting crews were unable to contain even small portions of those fires for days, and, at the same time, multiple smaller blazes were burning across the county.
Those smaller fires, like the Woodley and Lidia fires, have been contained as of Monday, and 89% of the moderately sized Hurst Fire is also under control, Cal Fire said.
Crews have also managed to slow the expansion of the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, while working steadily toward containment. But fire officials are preparing for a formidable wind forecast this week that could worsen the situation.
Updated 9:44 AM / January 13, 2025 An updating map created by CBS News’ data team is documenting the spread of the Los Angeles wildfires in real time, as two massive blazes, the Palisades and Eaton fires, continue to burn on opposite ends of the county.
9:31 AM / January 13, 2025 Two massive wildfires continue to burn Monday on opposite ends of Los Angeles County. The Palisades Fire, which is the largest, has spread to at least 23,713 acres since first erupting out of a brush fire near the Pacific Palisades last Tuesday. The fire is 14% contained, according to the latest update from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
The Eaton Fire and Hurst Fire are still actively burning, too. Eaton, a deadly blaze that erupted in Altadena and spread over some 14,100 acres in northern L.A. County, is 33% contained. The smaller Hurst Fire, at just under 800 acres, is mostly under control.
Firefighters at work in a residential area of Los Angeles devastated by wildfires on Jan. 12, 2025. Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images
Updated 9:15 AM / January 13, 2025 The Los Angeles area and surrounding parts of Southern California are preparing for another bout of heavy winds starting Monday, after intense gusts last week fueled the wildfires still scorching thousands of acres of land.
Fire weather outlooks were deemed “critical” to “extreme” Monday with winds expected to pick up during the late morning and become more widespread heading into the afternoon, said CBS News Los Angeles meteorologist Olga Ospina. The situation is forecast to intensify midday, and Ospina noted certain places could experience wind gusts of 30, 40 or 50 miles per hour along with low humidity, raising wildfire risks.
Red flag warnings are in place for inland sections of Southern California, including parts of the San Bernardino Mountains and Orange County, through Wednesday evening. A mix of high wind warnings and other wind advisories were in place outside of those red flag warning areas.
Conditions are expected to ease toward the end of this week.
Updated 9:14 AM / January 13, 2025 An Australian mother has spoken of how she tried in vain to save her blind son from the Los Angeles area wildfires as water supplies ran dry.
Shelley Sykes, a TV production entrepreneur, told Australian media of a desperate battle to save her 32-year-old son Rory Sykes, who had cerebral palsy. Sykes said on social media that she and her son lived in Malibu, a beachside city in Los Angeles County.
Rory Sykes, who appeared in British TV show “Kiddy Kapers” in the 1990s, had his own self-contained cottage on the estate, she said. He was blind and had difficulty walking.
Shelley Sykes said she saw embers on the roof of her son’s cottage and tried to extinguish them with a hose, but “there was no water coming out.”
Updated 9:14 AM / January 13, 2025 California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday he is deploying another 1,000 members of the California National Guard to help fight the wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area.
Newsom said the additional deployment brings the number of National Guard service members helping with the fire response to about 2,500.
Updated 9:14 AM / January 13, 2025 The L.A. County Unified School District — the nation’s second-largest after New York City’s — says it’s reopening all but a handful of its schools Monday. The only exceptions will be the ones “in the highest impact areas that will remain closed due to mandatory evacuation orders.”
The Santa Monica Malibu district says it’s reopening all Santa Monica schools except one elementary school, but keeping Malibu schools shut through at least Wednesday “due to ongoing safety concerns of the Palisades Fire and the need for campus assessment, cleaning and road reopenings.”
And the Beverly Hills district says it’s “fully reopening” Monday. The district’s superintendent, Dr. Michael Bregy, says in a letter on the district’s website that the decision “was not made lightly.”
Updated 9:14 AM / January 13, 2025 The L.A. County coroner’s office said Sunday night it is investigating at least 24 deaths related to the wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
Eight suspected deaths were linked to the Palisades Fire while 16 were attributed to the Eaton Fire.
Only two of the victims were identified as of Sunday night. Charles Mortimer, 84, was killed in the Palisades Fire and Victor Shaw, 66, was killed in the Eaton Fire. Both died on Wednesday, according to the coroner’s office.
Updated 9:14 AM / January 13, 2025 Several Los Angeles power companies have started to try to get ahead of the potentially volatile and erratic wildfires, working to mitigate risks by clearing dry vegetation and protecting valuable power lines.
They’ve been at work for days, stopping at as many power poles as possible along the edges of the Palisades Fire along the Los Angeles coast and the Eaton Fire in the mountains above Pasadena and Altadena.
“We are way ahead from the fire,” said Connor Norton, one of the PG&E employees working in North Hollywood on Sunday.
First, they clear dry shrubbery from the area surrounding the poles, using hoes and power tools to clear as much vegetation as they can that may pose a risk to the power grid.
“Our job is to get out along the fire’s edge where the fire may go,” said Rob Cone, also of PG&E.
Afterwards, they use their trucks to douse each power pole with fire retardant, the same thing that’s dropped by firefighting aircraft from above.
They try to spray the substance as far up the pole as they can and into the cracks of each pole, so embers can’t latch inside and start a fire.
-Dillon Thomas, Dean Fiorisi
Updated 9:14 AM / January 13, 2025 Now that almost all of the nearly 800-acre the Hurst Fire in Sylmar has been contained, authorities say they’re investigating whether downed Southern California Edison equipment sparked it.
The blaze was first reported at about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, hours after both the Palisades and Eaton fires had erupted elsewhere in Los Angeles County.
On Friday, SCE officials said a preliminary investigation revealed that a circuit in the Eagle Rock/Sylmar area experience a glitch in power at 10:11 p.m, just before the fire was reported. They also said a downed conductor was found near an electrical tower. The company says it’s unsure if the damage occurred before or after the fire broke out.
Thousands of people were forced to evacuate in the wake of news that the fire had broken out. All related evacuation orders have since been lifted. There was no structural damage sustained in the fire, crews said.
Updated 9:14 AM / January 13, 2025 The National Weather Service Los Angeles office has posted “Particularly Dangerous Situation” (PDS) red flag winds warnings for 4 a.m. local time Tuesday through noon Wednesday.
The office says winds during that span won’t be as strong as last week’s but will still be strong enough to cause “explosive fire growth.”
Gusts could be in the 45-70 mph range, with some “locally damaging,” the office says, adding that the relative humidity is forecast to be relatively low, in the 8-15% range. Higher humidity helps firefighters.
