Overview: Wildfires continue to spread in Los Angeles, with over 23,700 acres of Pacific Palisades land burned and over 14,100 acres of Altadena and Pasadena land burned. Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency and secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the fire. Mayor Karen Bass has received criticism for not being in California to address the wildfires when they first started. Local businesses and commercial businesses are offering temporary aid to those affected by the wildfires in LA County.
Alyssah Hall
The tragic and unexpected Los Angeles wildfires continue to spread and leave SoCal residents in a panic.
State officials gave an update regarding the current state of the fires that have spread across Los Angeles. State officials hosted a press briefing on Jan. 11, giving an update on the progress of the fires, with 13,000 people working on the fire response.
However, as the Santa Ana winds continue to pick up, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Director Nancy Ward warned residents.
“But I’m afraid we’re not out of the woods,” Ward stated. The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning, reporting between 45-70 miles per hour gusts and “critical fire weather” to be expected.
On Jan. 7, a wildfire started in Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood located in the western region of Los Angeles. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, due to the powerful gusts from the Santa Ana winds and a prolonged dry season, the fire quickly spread. Southern California has experienced no rainfall over the last eight months, and is currently experiencing a severe drought as the wildfires continue to rage, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Jan. 7, and met with first responders in the Pacific Palisades area.
In a press release, Newsom announced that “California has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the fire burning in Pacific Palisades.”
As of Jan. 12, over 23,700 acres of Palisades land has been scorched with wildfire, Incident reports from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) noted 11% containment.
In addition to the Palisades Fire, other fires erupted immediately after, including the second largest wildfire, the Eaton Fire in Altadena and Pasadena. As of Jan. 12, the Eaton fire has spread over 14,100 acres and is at 27% containment. The cause of the Eaton Fire is still under investigation.
“The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner is working with local law enforcement and fire departments to respond to reported fatalities due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles County,” according to the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner. 24 fire-related death notifications were shared by the LA County Department of Medical Examiner as of Jan. 12, 16 of these deaths are due to the Eaton Fire and 8 are a result of the Palisades fire.
Along with Newsom, LA Mayor Karen Bass has received a lot of criticism from Angelenos and others. Bass’s criticism, however, stems from not being in California to address the wildfires when they first started. Bass made it back to LA on Wednesday as the wildfires intensified. An online petition has since been created demanding Bass’ resignation and has received more than 113,000 signatures.
Throughout the week, there have also been several smaller fires in the Inland Empire such as the Overlook Fire, Cantu Fire, Mission Fire, Shady Fire and Commercial Fire, all of which are said to now be inactive.
Residents in the Inland Empire are also experiencing the impact of the LA County fires, as thousands of locals experienced deliberate power shut offs by Southern California Edison in order to not overload the electric grid.
Many local LA businesses and commercial businesses like Planet Fitness, Verizon and Airbnb are offering temporary aid to those affected by the wildfires in LA County.
For other tips and examples of what to do and how to prepare before and during an emergency evacuation, visit the websites of Listos California and the Los Angeles Fire Department.
When immediate evacuation is necessary during wildfire season, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) advises people to: keep a pair of old shoes and a flashlight handy for a night evacuation. The department also encourages people to keep the six “p’s” ready: people and pets; papers, phone numbers and important documents; prescriptions, vitamins and eyeglasses; pictures and irreplaceable memorabilia; personal computers (hard drive and disks); and “plastic” (credit cards, ATM cards or cash).
“If you’re told to evacuate, leave early enough to avoid being caught in fire, smoke, or road congestion. Don’t wait to be told by authorities to leave. In an intense wildfire, they may not have time to knock on every door. If you think it’s time to leave, don’t wait — get out,” according to the LAFD.
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) in partnership with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) tweeted a link to a list of shelters and other resources in LA County and Riverside County. This list has eight locations so far with one in Riverside County located at Hamilton High School, 57430 Mitchell Rd, Anza, CA 92539.
To stay up to date outside of the news, there is a live incident feed of the fires in Southern California on Riverside County Fire’s website, LAFD or download the Watch Duty app, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that alerts users of current wildfires in their area.