Firefighters holding Eaton, Palisades fires in check, but new wind event is on the way

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LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The massive Eaton Fire and the Palisades Fire continue burning in Southern California days after erupting amid a powerful windstorm. Crews have made progress in the fight against the Palisades Fire after burning at least one structure in the Mandeville Canyon.

Key Headlines in the last 24 hours

Here's how the news is developing.
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Jan 12, 2025, 6:38 PM

Wildfires burning in SoCal: Numbers at a glance

Here are all the current wildfires burning in Southern California at a glance.

Palisades Fire

- 23,654 acres
- 11% containment
- 5 deaths
- 5,316 structures burned

Eaton Fire in San Gabriel Valley

- 14,117 acres
- 27% contained
- Approximately 7,081 structures believed to be damaged or destroyed (structures includes vehicles)
- 11 deaths
- 5 firefighter injuries

Kenneth Fire in West Hills

- 1,052 acres

- 100% contained

Hurst Fire in Sylmar

- 799 acres
- 89% contained

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3 hours and 54 minutes ago

Family ID's man who died at his Altadena home during Eaton Fire

A distraught family identified a man who was one of at least five people who were killed in the Eaton Fire, which has carved a path of destruction in Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre.

Family members said Victor Shaw, who had been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and other health issues, died in the wildfire.

Shaw lived alone in his late parents' home on Monterosa Drive in Altadena, according to a relative. The neighborhood sits at the edge of the foothills, near the intersection of Alta Loma Drive and Lake Avenue.

A cousin said Shaw's body was discovered by his sister Wednesday morning in the front yard of the residence. His sister called 911, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was expected to respond to the location and notify the county medical examiner.

The cause of death was not immediately confirmed.

In an additionally devastating development, Shaw's family said his body had not been removed from the scene as of Thursday morning.

Cadaver dogs and search crews are searching through rubble of the Eaton and Palisades fires, and the death toll is expected to rise, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.

While those two fires were no longer spreading significantly, both remained at 0% containment, officials said.

In Pasadena, Fire Chief Chad Augustin said Wednesday that the city's water system was stretched and further hampered by power outages, but even without those issues, firefighters would not have been able to stop the fast-moving blaze because of the erratic wind gusts.

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3 hours and 54 minutes ago

All LAUSD schools and offices will be closed again Friday

All schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District will once again be closed on Friday due to the fires, the district announced.

LAUSD had previously decided to close schools on Thursday amid the wildfires

In a statement, the district said students will continue to have digital access to academic resources. More information is available at https://www.lausd.org/learningcontinues.

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3 hours and 54 minutes ago

Eaton Fire burning near Mount Wilson

The Eaton Fire, which has left five people dead in the Pasadena and Altadena areas, is now burning near the famed Mount Wilson Observatory and communication towers in the Angeles National Forest.

AIR7 was over the fire Thursday morning. A large plume of smoke over the area made it difficult to assess whether the flames had destroyed Mountain Wilson.

If the fire compromises the site, which houses antennas and transmitters, that could affect your ability to watch the Eyewitness News broadcast. You can watch continued streaming coverage on the ABC7 website or by downloading the ABC7 Los Angeles app.

The Eaton Fire, which has left five people dead in the Pasadena and Altadena areas, is now burning near Mountain Wilson in the Angeles National Forest.
3 hours and 54 minutes ago

Thursday's Lakers-Hornets game postponed

The NBA has postponed the Lakers game against the Charlotte Hornets, which was set for Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena.

"We're heartbroken for Los Angeles. Our thoughts are with all those impacted by this unimaginable situation," the Lakers said on X. "And our gratitude is with the first responders and all of you who come together when we need each other the most."

Fans who had tickets to the game are advised to hold on to them. They will be honored for the reschedule date, which hasn't been announced.