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

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LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- At least 27 people are believed to be dead and more than a dozen others remain unaccounted for as multiple wildfires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds, continue burning in Southern California.

The Palisades Fire, burning in the Pacific Palisades, and the Eaton Fire, burning in Altadena, have forced thousands to evacuate and destroyed more than 12,000 structures.

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Jan 17, 2025, 5:42 PM

Wildfires burning in SoCal: Numbers at a glance

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

Palisades Fire

  • 23,713 acres
  • 31% containment
  • 10 deaths
  • 5,316 structures burned

Eaton Fire in San Gabriel Valley

  • 14,117 acres
  • 65% contained
  • Approximately 7,081 structures believed to be damaged or destroyed (structures includes vehicles)
  • 17 deaths
  • 5 firefighter injuries

Hurst Fire in Sylmar

  • 799 acres
  • 100% contained

Auto Fire

  • 61 acres
  • 85% contained

Kenneth Fire in West Hills

  • 1,052 acres
  • 100% contained

Jan 16, 2025, 2:15 PM GMT

Firefighters stop forward progress of Kenneth Fire

Firefighters have stopped the forward progress of the Kenneth Fire that erupted Thursday afternoon in the West Hills area, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.

The blaze is holding at 960 acres with 0% containment, the VCFD said. All evacuation orders for L.A. County have been reduced to warnings and evacuation warnings in Ventura County have been lifted, the fire department said.

"Approximately 400 Firefighters will remain on scene through the night, continuing to provide structure protection and knock down hot spots," the fire department posted on social media.

Ventura County fire officials say there have been no reports of any structures damaged or destroyed.

ABC News contributed to this report.

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Jan 16, 2025, 2:15 PM GMT

Palisades Fire perimeter more than 5 times larger than DTLA

A map shows the perimeter of the Palisades Fire, which has burned more than 19,000 acres, is more than five times larger than the size of downtown Los Angeles.

All of the large fires that have broken out this week in the Los Angeles area are located in a roughly 25-mile band north of downtown.
Jan 16, 2025, 2:15 PM GMT

Palisades Fire now 6% contained, Newsom says

The Palisades Fire that's burned more than 19,000 acres is now 6% contained, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

"Thank you to our brave firefighters working around the clock to combat the blaze fueled by hurricane-force winds," wrote Newsom in a post on X. "Please continue to heed emergency orders from local officials and first responders."

Earlier on Thursday, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley announced two people died in the Palisades Fire.

The destructive blaze burned more than 5,000 structures.

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Jan 16, 2025, 2:15 PM GMT

CA National Guard deploying to LA County to support law enforcement

The California National Guard is deploying to Los Angeles County to support law enforcement efforts in the region, the governor's office announced Thursday.

"Thanks to the incredible work of our first responders and emergency personnel, we're throwing everything at our disposal -- including our National Guard servicemembers -- to protect communities in the days to come," Newsom said in a statement. "And to those who would seek to take advantage of evacuated communities, let me be clear: looting will not be tolerated."

According to the governor's office, the Guard members "will be stationed at traffic control points to ensure the safety of the surrounding community. In addition, their support helps build capacity of local law enforcement to support their respective areas."

Twenty people have been arrested so far for allegedly looting homes evacuated by residents fleeing wildfires, L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said Thursday.

City News Service contributed to this report.