California wildfires: Death toll rises to 16 as catastrophic Palisades Fire expands
Officials in California say the number of people killed by wildfires raging across the Los Angeles area has risen to at least 16 as crews continue to attack the flames from the ground and the air. FOX Weather Meteorologist Marissa Torres was in Santa Monica on Sunday morning with the latest on firefighting efforts as deadly blazes continue to rage across the region.
LOS ANGELES – Firefighters were able to take advantage of relaxed weather conditions over the first half of the weekend to help their efforts to contain major wildfires around Los Angeles County but warned that an increase in winds was expected as we begin a new workweek.
Six major wildfires around the Los Angeles area have consumed more than 43,000 acres and destroyed at least 12,000 structures, with authorities paying close attention to the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have caused most of the destruction.
Thousands of firefighters from across North America have descended on the region as it experiences its worst disaster in history.
According to the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner, at least 16 people have died, with homicide detectives still unable to reach thousands of piles of rubble due to broken gas lines and debris.
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation told FOX Weather the agency stands at the ready to aid local authorities if requests should arise.
Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, California. (Robert Ray)
LOS ANGELES, USA – JANUARY 11: A view of wildfires in Mandeville Canyon, Los Angeles, United States on January 11, 2025. (Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, California. (Robert Ray)
Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, California. (Robert Ray)
Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, California. (Robert Ray)
Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, California. (Robert Ray)
Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, California. (Robert Ray)
Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, California. (Robert Ray)
A structure burns during the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. A fast-moving wildfire ripped through an affluent neighborhood in Los Angeles, forcing thousands of people to evacuate as the region braced for a brutal wind storm that could last well into the weekend. (Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg)
Fire whirl in Palisades Fire. (KABC)
LOS ANGELES, US – JAN. 11: A view of damage as firefighters are still battling to control huge wildfires in Los Angeles that have devastated several areas across the second-largest city of the US on January 11, 2025. At least six wildfires are still burning across the Los Angeles County and 11 people have died, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu)
“Thanks to the incredible work of our first responders and emergency personnel, we’re throwing everything at our disposal – including our National Guard service members – to protect communities in the days to come,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said. “And to those who would seek to take advantage of evacuated communities, let me be clear: Looting will not be tolerated.”
The National Weather Service in Oxnard issued a Fire Weather Warning through at least Wednesday, with Monday and Tuesday potentially seeing the most hazardous weather.
Meteorologists expected periods of northeasterly winds of 15-30 mph with gusts to 50-70 mph to develop in the regions of the San Gabriel, Santa Susana and the western Santa Monica Mountains.
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Additionally, daytime humidity values were expected to drop to 10-20%, which can make vegetation more susceptible to catching fire and burning more quickly.
“Severe weather is expected, especially Monday through Wednesday,” said Nancy Ward, director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. “In anticipation, we have surged even more resources that are poised and continued to be brought to the fight. I urge the people of Southern California to be vigilant and prepared for more high-risk fire weather ahead.”
Fire weather outlook. (FOX Weather)
Palisades Fire spawns ‘firenadoes’
Estimated structures lost: 5,300
Acreage: 23,654 (11% containment)
Cause: Under investigation
Helicopters flying around the Palisades Fire captured stunning videos of “firenadoes” spinning through uninhabited areas northwest of Los Angeles on Friday.
A wind shift during the early weekend allowed firefighters to conduct hundreds of water drops, which appeared to slow the fire’s forward progress.
Both public and privately hired firefighters were in structure protection mode around neighbors in Mandeville Canyon as the flames approached several residences.
FOX Weather’s Robert Ray was near the front lines and witnessed one home go up in flames despite firefighters’ best efforts.
The Palisades Fire is the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles’ history, far surpassing historical events.
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Authorities say they have been hindered in their search for victims by spot fires, downed powerlines and gas leaks.
Illegally flown drones have caused problems within the perimeter of the Palisades Fire. A firefighting aircraft collided with a drone on Thursday, forcing the plane to be grounded due to damage.
Shifting winds have caused the Palisades Fire in Southern California to spread eastward, threatening homes in the neighborhood of Mandeville Canyon.
Eaton Fire relaxes to allow for search-and-rescue efforts
Estimated structures damaged/destroyed: 7,000
Acreage: 14,117 (15% containment)
Cause: Under investigation
Firefighters were pleased with their progress Saturday in battling the Eaton Fire around Pasadena and Altadena but warned it may take many weeks to fully contain the blaze.
Ground conditions had improved enough that dozens of members of a search-and-rescue task force began the task of searching for victims among thousands of piles of rubble.
Hundreds of National Guard members were deployed to try to prevent looting and keep members of the public out of the active fire zone.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said around two dozen arrests had been made around the Eaton Fire in connection with looting and curfew violations.
FIREFIGHTING AIRCRAFT DAMAGED AFTER COLLISION WITH DRONE OVER LOS ANGELES’ PALISADES FIRE
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has reportedly taken the lead in investigating the exact cause of the fires in the greater Los Angeles area.
Authorities said they were working on a re-population plan, which is expected to be released in the coming days, allowing residents to assess their properties.
Wildfires continue to rage in Los Angeles County, with over 35,000 acres scorched. Tragically, the LA County Medical Examiner has confirmed at least 10 fire-related deaths. Of the five active fires, the Palisades and Eaton fires are the most extensive. FOX Weather Meteorologist Marissa Torres reports live from Altadena, California, where the Eaton Fire has advanced more than a mile into the town.
Clashing over funding begins
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Fire Chief Kristin Crowley appeared to be in a public spat over whether recent budget cuts impacted firefighters’ abilities to fight recent fires.
In an interview with FOX 11 Los Angeles, Crowley sounded the alarm over $17 million cuts that have left the agency less prepared for emergencies.
“My message is the fire department needs to be properly funded,” Crowley told FOX 11. “It’s not.”
During previous news conferences, the mayor of Los Angeles was steadfast in saying that cuts did not play a significant role in the response to the disaster.
“I think if you go back and look at the reductions that were made, there were no reductions that were made that would have impacted the situation that we were dealing with over the last couple of days,” Bass stated. “And then there was a little bit of confusion because money was allocated to be distributed later on, which was actually going to support salaries and other parts of the fire department that were distributed a little later.”
The two are reported to have met in private with the mayor saying their differences will be worked out, but both are currently focused on fighting the fires and saving lives.
Both the mayor and the governor have pledged investigations into the disaster, aimed at identifying response shortfalls and potentially offering recommendations to prevent a recurrence.