LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – The Palisades Fire, the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history, continued to grow Friday despite limited containment.
The fire has burned 19,978 acres in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu and other parts of the Santa Monica Mountains, according to the latest Cal Fire update released at 1:57 a.m. The fire broke out Tuesday morning and was fanned by Santa Ana’s hurricane-force winds, quickly consuming residential and commercial areas.
More than 5,000 structures were lost, many of them homes and stores.
Houses are seen burning, but some are still standing, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Thursday, January 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The damage is estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars.
Tens of thousands of people remain under evacuation orders or warnings. Evacuation orders extended throughout the Pacific Palisades and into the Pacific Ocean, including areas of Santa Monica, Malibu, and Topanga. Calabasas residents and businesses remained under evacuation orders Friday.
Palisades Fire Boundaries and Evacuation Areas for Thursday, January 9, 2025. (CalFire)
The cause is still under investigation.
Firefighters were finally able to make headway in battling the Palisades fire Thursday. After two days without containment, authorities, along with more than 3,000 firefighters, raised containment to 6% after winds subsided enough for fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters to limit the fire’s progress.
In Southern California, at least 10 people died in both the Palisades and Eaton fires in Altadena and Pasadena.
Two of the 10 people are confirmed to have died in the Palisades fire, including one who was found in the rubble of a burned building in Malibu.
A man was arrested Thursday afternoon on suspicion of arson in the Woodland Hills neighborhood after another wildfire, the Kenneth Fire, broke out near a home on the north side of the 101 Freeway. Residents saw the man trying to start a fire and he was taken into custody.
Cal Fire issued an ominous warning regarding future firefighting efforts and the possibility of more wildfires:
“Wind and topographic uplift continues for the Palisades Fire. Short-range sightings continue to be observed,” Cal Fire said in a bulletin. “Typical mid-January weather is expected on Saturday. Light to moderate Santa Ana winds are expected from Sunday through the middle of next week. Strong winds possible on Tuesday. “Severe weather conditions remain likely.” Fire weather conditions will continue into next week. ”
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