Thousands remain evacuated as crews work to contain Los Angeles County wildfires

ABC7 Eyewitness News
Stream Southern California's News Leader and Original Shows 24/7

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.

Key Headlines in the last 24 hours

Here's how the news is developing.
KABC logo
Jan 16, 2025, 3:24 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
  • 22% containment
  • 9 deaths
  • 5,316 structures burned

Eaton Fire in San Gabriel Valley

  • 14,117 acres
  • 55% 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
  • 98% contained

Auto Fire

  • 61 acres
  • 85% contained

Kenneth Fire in West Hills

  • 1,052 acres
  • 100% contained

Anabel Munoz Image
Jan 16, 2025, 8:49 PM GMT

Family loses 5 generations of memories in Eaton Fire

A family in Altadena is mourning the loss of five generations of memories that were destroyed in the deadly Eaton Fire.

Janice Jackson, 77, was born in Pittsburgh, but moved to Altadena as a teenager in 1964. Her mother was the second Black woman to live in the community, according to her family.

"That's the residence that my mom, the family lived in, the one that I was in, and that's gone," said Jackson.

Janice Jackson was born in Pittsburgh, but moved to California as a teenager in 1964. Her mother was the second Black woman to live in the Altadena community, according to her family.

She went on to say, 'I left things at the house. My daughter said, 'Let's go back.' I said, 'We'll get it tomorrow.' So many of us did that. Tomorrow didn't come."

There were five generations of memories in the home, including many with her 68-year-old brother who has special needs, who loved to come home for the holidays.

Now, much of her family is displaced and navigating through the insurance process.

Click here for the full story.

KABC logo
Jan 16, 2025, 8:28 PM GMT

Residents impacted by fires can stay at Hilton hotels for free for 1 week

People who have evacuated due to the wildfires can apply to stay at Hilton hotels for free, for up to one week.

Hilton is working with 211LA to provide vouchers for 20,000 hotel rooms.

L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said this program is "sorely needed."

211 will verify that applicants live in an evacuation zone before distributing vouchers.

If you would like to apply, you can go to 211LA.org.

Those who have been impacted by the fires can apply to stay at Hilton hotels for free, for up to one week.

MORE: SoCal Wildfires - How You Can Help

Jan 16, 2025, 7:46 PM GMT

Wrongful death lawsuit filed against SoCal Edison

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against Southern California Edison over the Eaton Fire.

The suit was announced Wednesday on behalf of Evelyn McClendon's family. The Altadena woman is one of at least 16 people who lost their lives in the fire that erupted Jan. 7.

The suit alleges the utility failed to turn off its electrical equipment despite warnings about dangerous fire weather conditions.

KABC logo
Jan 16, 2025, 6:16 PM GMT

Pacific Palisades home spared by fire split apart by landside

A home that was spared by the Palisades Fire has now been damaged by a landslide in the burn area.

Cal Fire authorities said the agency's teams are in the fire zones analyzing the burn areas to determine places of concern.

A landslide damaged a home in the Palisades Fire burn area.
A landslide damaged a home in the Palisades Fire burn area.
A landslide damaged a home in the Palisades Fire burn area.
A landslide damaged a home in the Palisades Fire burn area.

L.A. County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella addressed landslide concerns in the burn areas during a Thursday morning press conference.

"Both areas suffered watershed damage ... to such a significance that we expect massive debris-laden flows when it rains," Pestrella said.

He explained that the current flood control system is designed to handle debris flows, but "in an event that we have major rain, we do expect that all areas will be impacted by debris flows that will be hazardous to human health."

"In order to address this, we are developing plans for both areas to capture and hold this debris back as much as we can during a rain event," Pestrella said.

The possibility of rain is in the forecast at the end of January, Pestrella added.

Fierce winds and devastating wildfires have shifted land in the burn areas of the Eaton and Palisades fires, raising the risk of mudslides and debris flows, the director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works said.