'Not out of the woods': Fire-scarred LA braces for another round of dangerous winds

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LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- At least 25 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 to rage across Southern California, leaving fire crews scrambling to contain the historic destruction.

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Jan 15, 2025, 7:58 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
  • 19% containment
  • 9 deaths
  • 5,316 structures burned

Eaton Fire in San Gabriel Valley

  • 14,117 acres
  • 45% 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
  • 97% contained

Auto Fire

  • 61 acres
  • 47% contained

Kenneth Fire in West Hills

  • 1,052 acres
  • 100% contained

ByMax Zahn ABCNews logo
1 hour and 2 minutes ago

LA fire costs could reach $30 billion for insurers

Multiple fires raging across the Los Angeles area will cost insurers as much as $30 billion, Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs estimated in a report released this week.

After accounting for non-insured damages, the total costs will balloon to $40 billion, the report said.

The ongoing fires, according to analysts, appear to already be the costliest wildfire event in California history.

READ MORE | LA fire costs could reach $30 billion for insurers

Ari Rivera, rear, Anderson Hao hold each other in front of their destroyed home in Altadena, Calif., Jan. 9, 2025.
Ari Rivera, rear, Anderson Hao hold each other in front of their destroyed home in Altadena, Calif., Jan. 9, 2025.
1 hour and 2 minutes ago

Winds pick up across Los Angeles, Ventura counties

A "particularly dangerous situation" with a red flag warning is in effect for parts of L.A. County and most of Ventura County on Tuesday, weather officials said, with winds threatening to further fuel the region's wildfires.

The warning went into effect at 4 a.m. and will last through noon Wednesday. Winds are forecast to gust between 45 mph to 70 mph, with relative humidity as low as 8%.

The PDS warning stretches across a large swath of Southern California. Though it doesn't include the area where the Palisades Fire is burning, but does get very close to the Eaton Fire in the Altadena area.

The highest wind gusts reached 72 mph in the San Gabriel Mountains early Tuesday and 50 mph in the Malibu area.

The strongest gusts are expected Tuesday morning and early afternoon, which will then be followed by a break in the evening. More gusty winds are expected Wednesday morning.

ABC News contributed to this reporting.

Jaysha Patel Image
1 hour and 2 minutes ago

Forward progress stopped for Ventura County fire

Firefighters have stopped forward progress of a new brush fire that broke out overnight in Ventura County. The Auto Fire burned 56 acres in the Santa Clara River bottom amid red flag conditions across Southern California.

Officials reported that the blaze was fully contained, but later said it stands at 0% containment.

The fire danger posed by the return of strong Santa Ana winds is expected to remain through Wednesday afternoon.

A new fire erupted overnight amid dangerous red flag conditions across Southern California. The Auto Fire burned 56 acres in Ventura County before firefighters stopped its forward progress.
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1 hour and 2 minutes ago

Mayor Bass issues executive order to clear way for residents to rebuild homes

Mayor Bass issued an executive order that will help clear the way for Los Angeles residents to rapidly rebuild the homes they lost in the fires. It also lays the foundation for businesses to plan their rebuild.

"This unprecedented natural disaster warrants an unprecedented response that will expedite the rebuilding of homes, businesses and communities," Bass said. "This order is the first step in clearing away red tape and bureaucracy to organize around urgency, common sense and compassion. We will do everything we can to get Angelenos back home."

The executive order will help coordinate debris removal from impacted areas, clear the way to rebuild homes as they were, make 1,400 units of housing available and establish a framework to secure additional relief and resources, according to a news release.