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.

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Jan 13, 2025, 6:28 AM

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
- 13% containment
- 8 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)
- 16 deaths
- 5 firefighter injuries

Hurst Fire in Sylmar

- 799 acres

- 89% contained

Kenneth Fire in West Hills

- 1,052 acres

- 100% contained

1:04 AM GMT

Most LAUSD schools reopening on Monday

Most Los Angeles Unified School District schools will reopen on Monday, the district's website says.

The district said some schools will remain closed due to mandatory evacuation orders. Those schools -- Canyon Charter Elementary, Kenter Canyon Charter Elementary, Palisades Charter Elementary, Marquez Charter Elementary, Topanga Charter Elementary, Lanai Road Elementary, and Paul Revere Middle School -- will reopen as soon as conditions allow.

The district said a decision regarding Roscomare Road Elementary and Community Magnet Charter, which are currently in an evacuation warning zone, will come no later than 5:30 a.m. Monday morning.

In a voicemail sent to Carpenter Community Charter families on Sunday, Principal Joseph Martinez said all air filters in the K-5 elementary school have been refreshed to ensure that the campus will have good air quality.

LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho is holding a news conference at 5 p.m.

The district has been busy preparing new classroom spaces for students of schools lost to the Palisades Fire.

Full statement from LAUSD: "We will reopen most schools and all offices on Monday, Jan. 13. Conditions have improved for a majority of areas across the Los Angeles region and the District is confident it is safe for students and employees to return to campuses.

We have considered a number of factors, including improved fire containment, air quality, wind conditions, utility availability, road accessibility, school-site readiness and staffing. Recognizing there are employees and families directly impacted by the fires, a number of resources have been prepared to help address ongoing needs, including employee assistance, securing substitute coverage, and managing other logistical challenges.

Open schools, including after-school programs, will operate on a full inclement weather schedule which limits outdoor and athletic activities. Masks will also be available for students and employees.

The District is able to resume school schedules and instruction thanks to the tireless work of District employees who cleaned schools, as well as first responders and local authorities who ensured the safety of our school communities.

However, there are some schools in the highest impact areas that will remain closed due to mandatory evacuation orders. These include Canyon Charter Elementary, Kenter Canyon Charter Elementary, Palisades Charter Elementary, Marquez Charter Elementary, Topanga Charter Elementary, Lanai Road Elementary, and Paul Revere Middle School. The schools will reopen as soon as conditions allow, at which time, we will notify families.

We are closely monitoring Roscomare Road Elementary and Community Magnet Charter which are currently in an evacuation warning zone. We will share a decision regarding those schools no later than 5:30 a.m. tomorrow morning.

The District remains committed to working with our community partners to provide families and employees with childcare, transportation, mental health resources, and other essential services.

We will be monitoring conditions throughout the evening and overnight. A 10 p.m. update will be posted at lausd.org. Should anything change, we will begin notifying families and employees of any changes by 5:30 a.m. on Monday."

12:26 AM GMT

Among estimated 5K+ burned structures, official tally at 604 so far in Palisades Fire

So far, authorities say 604 structures have been tallied as destroyed in the Palisades Fire, but that number is expected to rise.

According to the command center, the official count is underway. So far, they have inspected 929 structures.

Homes and vehicles destroyed by the Palisades Fire line a mobile home park along the Pacific Coast Highway on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles.
Homes and vehicles destroyed by the Palisades Fire line a mobile home park along the Pacific Coast Highway on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Los Angeles.

Officials say the number will rise and this count is only in the beginning stages.

12:11 AM GMT

Red flag alert will stay in effect through Wednesday

The National Weather Service issued another red flag warning in Southern California on Sunday.

This is the fourth time in three months the NWS Los Angeles has issued the high-level alert, with the last one occurring last week when winds went up to 100 mph and the fires in Los Angeles County began.

Winds are expected to gust from 45 to 70 mph Tuesday morning through Wednesday morning.

The red flag warning is the highest level alert the agency is capable of issuing and is intended to invoke the highest level of urgency and attention.

Those rare alerts are typically issued for events that come about every five to 10 years.

Jan 12, 2025, 11:56 PM GMT

Package and postal pickup to be available for Pacific Palisades residents in West LA

Parcel and postal pickup for Pacific Palisades residents will be available starting Monday at Rancho Park Post Office located at 11270 Exposition Boulevard in West Los Angeles.

Parcel and postal pickup for Palisades residents will be available starting Monday at Rancho Park Post Office.