While meteorological officials warn of dangerous fire conditions brought on by strong winds, firefighters continue to fight the Eaton Fire, which has scorched over 14,000 acres.
Cal Fire Incident Commander Gerry Maga stated during a news conference on Wednesday that containment has increased to 45% and that the fire has not grown.
Whole communities in Altadena and Pasadena have been devastated by the Eaton Fire. More than 7,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed by the fire, according to Anthony Marrone, chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Already, the Eaton fire is among the state’s top five most damaging wildfires.
Red flag warnings are still in effect, and firefighters are still on high alert. Since strong Santa Ana winds with gusts of up to 70 mph are predicted in some places, the National Weather Service issued a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” warning. Rapid-fire growth is still a major worry.
A windblown dust and ash advisory has been issued by the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Public health officials are concerned that dangerous ash particles may be dispersed by wind gusts.
Marrone reassured the public that personnel are ready in case fresh flames start, even if this wind event will not be as strong as the “life-threatening” windstorm that occurred when the Eaton Fire began.
16 fatalities have been linked to the Eaton Fire, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. It’s still unknown how many people perished in the fire. The Palisades and Eaton fires have claimed 25 lives.
Victor Shaw, 66, was one of the Eaton Fire victims identified by the medical examiner. According to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, teams did not find any additional human remains on Wednesday.
In addition to actively addressing the 20 missing persons reports from the Eaton Fire, the sheriff’s department is still searching through the rubble for any more remains.
Although they hope not to locate any more remains, Luna stated that it is quite likely that they will.
According to Marron on Wednesday, the LAFD has finished 45% of the damage inspections.
Officials from Los Angeles County have released early maps that display the Eaton and Palisades fire damage assessments. According to Marrone, as teams advance, the maps are updated every day.
Structures with substantial to moderate damage, those that have been destroyed, those that have been impacted, and those that have not sustained any damage are all indicated on the color-coded maps. The maps are available for viewing at recovery.lacounty.gov.
Eaton Fire breaks out
Cal Fire and LACoFD firefighters reported the Eaton Fire at approximately 6 p.m. on Tuesday near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive in the Altadena area.
Homeowners were forced to evacuate as the fire swiftly swept across the hillsides.Residents’ footage shows shops and residences totally destroyed by fire.
The burn area was enlarged by wind-driven embers. The fire had made “significant progress,” heading north into Mt. Wilson, by Thursday afternoon. According to Marrone, no structures or observatory employees were hurt.
According to Cal Fire, six firemen were hurt. How the firefighters were hurt remains unknown. According to LA County Fire, one of its firemen was admitted to the hospital Thursday afternoon in a stable condition.
Evacuation orders and curfew
According to Luna, 90,400 households are still under evacuation advisories and 82,400 residents are still under evacuation orders due to the Eaton and Palisades fires.
Due to the flames, an estimated 331,335 persons have been impacted by evacuation recommendations. For comparison, SoFi Stadium can accommodate 331,335 people three times over.
Repopulation into fire zones will not occur until regions are cleared and judged safe, according to statements made by Marrone at multiple press conferences.
“You can rest confident that we will keep fighting these wildfires both on the ground and in the air until they are completely contained. As we start repopulating evacuated areas, we stand with you all,” Marrone stated.
In addition to providing essential services, the Pasadena Convention Center was transformed into an evacuation shelter.
Small animals impacted by the fire are being accepted at Pasadena Humane. Large animals are welcome at the Pomona Fairplex and Industry Hills Expo Center.
In order to deter looting and other crimes while residents are away from their homes, a curfew was imposed last week in mandatory evacuation zones. Luna asked National Guard members for help in stepping up security patrols. 36 persons have been taken into custody in or close to the Eaton Fire zone, he said.
Nathan Hochman, the district attorney for Los Angeles County, has stated unequivocally that his office will not tolerate any criminal activity in areas affected by the fire. According to him, everyone detained in those locations will face all possible legal charges and prosecution.
You may view a complete list of evacuation orders at fire.ca.gov.
School closures
Since the Eaton Fire began, the Pasadena Unified School District has been shuttered. Until Friday, district schools will not be open.
“My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by these terrible disasters. The safety and well-being of our community continue to be our top priorities, and we are here to support you,” the PUSD stated.
Students who relied on school meals were informed that they may pick up their Grab & Go lunches at Willard on Madre Street, McKinley School on Oak Knoll Avenue, or Madison Elementary School on Ashtabula Street.
All of the schools in the Glendale Unified School District were closed until January 10. Students were welcomed back to campus on Monday.
Road closures
Federal assistance and executive orders
Following Governor Gavin Newsom’s declaration of a state of emergency due to the wildfires, the Federal Emergency Management Agency stated that they have authorized a Fire Management Assistance Grant. Additionally, a Major Disaster Declaration was granted by President Joe Biden.
“At the time of the request, the fire was threatening approximately 8,200 homes in and around Altadena and Pasadena, California, population 40,000,” according to the FEMA statement.
For residents in areas devastated by fire, FEMA provides help; to apply, go to disasterassistance.gov.
Since the flames began, Newsom has issued a number of executive orders to expedite debris clearance and aid in Los Angeles’ quicker reconstruction.
The story is still evolving. For more information, check back.