This live blog has ended. Follow the latest updates on the California wildfires here
What we know about the California wildfires
- At least two people have been killed as fast moving fires are engulfing the Los Angeles area, prompting mandatory evacuations of more than 80,000 people.
- The Palisades Fire has already burned through more than 5,000 acres, while the Eaton Fire has destroyed 2,227 acres and the Hurst Fire has affected 500 acres. The Pacific Palisades is a neighborhood tucked between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
- The Eaton Fire sparked around 6:30 p.m. yesterday in the Pasadena and Altadena area, while the Hurst Fire ignited around 10:30 p.m. yesterday in Sylmar, north of San Fernando, and grew to 500 acres, according to Cal Fire.
- The fires were sparked by a combination of dry conditions and powerful winds and are having a huge effect far beyond the danger zones, with almost 300,000 energy customers in the dark this morning, according to PowerOutage.com.
Palisades firefighting effort puts 'tremendous demand' on water system
Janisse Quiñones, the chief executive officer and chief engineer of Los Angeles' Department of Water and Power, said there has been "tremendous demand on our [water] system in the Palisades," resulting in tanks being emptied three times in less than 24 hours.
"We pushed the system to the extreme, four times the normal demand was seen for 15 hours straight which lowered our water pressure. We were pushing 75 CFS (cubic feet per second) on our trunk line to try to keep water pressure in the system," she explained.
Yesterday there were reports of fire hydrants not expelling enough water or running dry.
Quiñones said three large water tanks, that fill about 1 million gallons each, ran out at 4:45 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. yesterday, and at 3 a.m. this morning.
"Those tanks help with the pressure on the fire hydrants in the hills of Palisades. And because we were pushing so much water in our trunk line and so much water was being used before it can get to the tanks, we were not able to fill the tanks fast enough, so the consumption of water was faster than we can provide in our trunk line," she explained. "I want to make sure that you understand there’s water in the trunk line it just can’t get up the hill because we can’t fill them fast enough.”
Today, she said, the department's operation personnel are at command posts with the fire department to provide as much water as possible.
“What are we doing now? We’re sending about 20 water tanks for our construction crew full of water to support the fire department. We identified other areas in our system where our tanks, our tankers, can refill. It takes about 30 minutes to refill about 4,000 gallons of water, and we’re constantly moving that water to the fire department to get them as much as we can," she said.
She urged Angelenos to conserve water at this time.
Residents in red flag zones watch and wait
Nicolas Haussecker, an investment portfolio manager, had not been worried about the blazes until last evening, when he spotted a growing fire in the distance from the window of his 31st floor apartment on the borders of the Brentwood and Sawtelle neighborhoods of Los Angeles.
“I continued to see it progressing,” he said of the Palisades Fire. “What started to be concerning was watching it roll over the hill and start to come down.”
Haussecker, who splits his time between San Francisco and Los Angeles, said he went to fill his car with gas and packed some of his belongings in the trunk — “just in case I did need to leave.” As of this morning, Haussecker’s neighborhood was a red flag zone, not an evacuation zone, so he was still home.
But he lives right on the edge of an area that does have an evacuation warning in place, so Haussecker is keeping an eye on the local news and on alerts he is receiving on his phone, especially as the air around him becomes increasingly smoky.
“As long as the wind is blowing out towards the ocean, I’m not super concerned,” he said.
Air quality reaches emergency levels in some areas
Air quality has reached hazardous levels in several Los Angeles and Pasadena neighborhoods, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s air quality index.
An index over 300 represents an emergency state, with air pollution levels that could increase health risks for all those exposed. Some parts of Los Angeles are seeing indexes above 500, while some Pasadena locations are seeing indexes of 600 to 1,200.
At those levels, the EPA advises people to avoid physical activity outdoors. Vulnerable groups, such as older adults, children, pregnant women or people with heart or lung disease, should keep overall activity levels low.
Large particles from wildfire smoke can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, while fine particles can make their way into the lungs and bloodstream. Short-term exposure to these tiny particles increases the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Longer-term exposure can increase the risk of asthma, preterm birth, lung cancer, dementia and lower IQ in children.
In the aftermath of a wildfire, research shows that exposure to smoke has been associated with higher rates of emergency room visits for heart disease, blood clots and even strokes. This is in part because wildfire smoke can make blood more likely to clot.
For those who aren’t in an evacuation zone, staying inside and closing doors and windows can help minimize indoor pollution. The state EPA recommends using an indoor air cleaner anytime the air quality index exceeds 150, or if you see or smell smoke.
Wildfire smoke can travel hundreds or thousands of miles, so even those far from the fires may be exposed. Health experts recommend tracking the air quality in your ZIP code via a smartphone or the EPA’s website, AirNow.gov.
Evacuation orders and warnings
Eaton Fire: Evacuation orders in place in Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre. In total, 32,500 residents are under evacuation orders and 13,186 structures have been deemed at risk, L.A. County Sheriff Robert G. Luna said.
Some 38,600 residents are under evacuation warnings and 14,342 structures at risk.
The Altadena sheriff's station itself was evacuated after it caught fire.
Luna said that two arrests were made this morning for looting.
“If you are thinking about coming into the any of these areas to steal from our residents, I’m going to tell you something. You’re going to be caught, you’re going to be arrested, and you’re going to be prosecuted. Don’t do that. Stay out of these areas,” he warned.
Palisades Fire: Evacuations in effect in Calabasas, Malibu, parts of Los Angeles, Pacific Palisades and Topanga Canyon.
In total, 37,000 residents under evacuation orders and 15,000 structures at risk. Further, 20,000 residents are under evacuation warnings and 6,500 structures at risk.
L.A. County Fire requests aid from other counties, states
Los Angeles County Fire has requested mutual aid from Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, and first responders are on the way from Nevada, Oregon and Washington state to help tackle the infernos burning across the City of Angels.
L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said last night he requested 50 engine strike teams from the State Office of Emergency Services composed of 250 fire engines and more than 1,000 personnel.
He warned that the National Weather Service has predicted a continued red flag weather event with strong winds and low humidity “placing all residents of Los Angeles County in danger.”
2 fatalities reported in Eaton Fire
The Eaton Fire located in the Angeles National Forest and Altadena area of Los Angeles County and Pasadena has killed two people, L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said.
The fire has burned more than 2,200 acres and continues to grow at zero percent containment, he said. In addition to the two civilian fatalities, there have been “a number of significant injuries” and more than 100 structures have been destroyed.
The cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation, and more than 500 personnel are assigned to the blaze.
Palisades Fire burns 'well over 5,000 acres', fire official says
The Palisades Fire has burned well over 5,000 acres and is growing at zero percent containment, L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said in a briefing this morning.
An estimated 1,000 structures have been destroyed, he said.
While there are no reported fatalities from the Palisades Fire, there have been a high number of “significant injuries to residents who did not evacuate,” in addition to first responders on the fire line.
Tyler Fire in Riverside County 50% contained
The Tyler Fire in Coachella spans 11 acres and is 50% contained with the forward progress successfully stopped, according to an 8 a.m. local time (11 a.m. ET) Cal Fire update.
The fire had ignited at 3:30 a.m. local time and was previously 15 acres. The cause is under investigation.
Two structures were destroyed and no injuries were reported.
Destruction in Palisades Village
Reporting amid fiery scenes on Pampas Ricas at the intersection of Sunset and Chautauqua I can see most of the houses on Sunset from Chautauqua to the Village have burned down on both sides of the street.
Ralphs has burnt down, Gelson's has burnt down, the car wash, the library, whole area where the park is in the Huntington, many of the streets are on fire, Alphabet Streets. I just hope everybody got out O.K. and everybody is looking after one another.
Woodley Fire ignites
Another fire has emerged in Los Angeles County.
The Woodley Fire ignited around 6:15 a.m. and stretches 75 acres in the area of North Woodley Avenue and the Sepulveda Basin in the San Fernando Valley.
It’s being driven south by strong winds, and poses a threat of crossing Burbank Boulevard, according to Cal Fire.