New round of evacuation orders lifted as LA mayor names chief recovery officer

As several brush fires continue to devastate Southern California, burning hundreds of structures and forcing thousands to evacuate, authorities said Los Angeles County, and all 29 fire departments within its borders, were "not prepared for this type of widespread disaster."

During a Wednesday morning press conference, Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said there are "not enough firefighters in L.A. County to address four separate fires of this magnitude."

Although authorities had pre-positioned resources across the region in preparation of the wind event, it wasn't enough for what those intense Santa Ana wind caused.

"The L.A. County Fire Department was prepared for one or two major brush fires, but not four, especially given the sustained winds and low humidity... This is not a normal red flag alert," he said.

The Eaton Fire exploded to 10,600 acres in the Altadena area on Wednesday morning, continuing to burn out of control after officials said two people were killed in the wildfire.

More than 100 structures have been destroyed in the blaze.

At a morning news conference, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said the circumstances of the two deaths were not immediately known.

Marrone said there were also "a number of significant injuries" due to the fire.

Speaking at the briefing, Sheriff Robert Luna said two people were arrested Wednesday morning for looting evacuated homes in the Eaton Fire burn area.

The Pacific Palisades fire has burned more than 5,000 acres and has destroyed an estimated 1,000 structures, officials said during a news conference Wednesday.

The fire remains 0% contained.

Vice President Kamala Harris' neighborhood in the Brentwood community in the Pacific Palisades was put under an evacuation order Wednesday morning due to the Palisades fire, according to a press secretary from Harris' office.

No one was home at the time.

"She and the Second Gentleman are praying for the safety of their fellow Californians, the heroic first responders, and Secret Service personnel," press secretary Ernie Apreza said in a post on X.

Harris and President Joe Biden are closely monitoring the wildfires and are in touch with state and local officials, Apreza added.