California wildfires live updates: Death toll rises to 24, most fatalities in Eaton Fire zone

California wildfire live updates: The number of people confirmed dead in Los Angeles rose to 24 on Sunday, authorities said.

The County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner published a list of fatalities without giving details of any identities.

Eight of the dead were found in the Palisades Fire zone, and 16 in the Eaton Fire zone, AFP reports.

California wildfire live updates: The fire on the western side of town has consumed 23,713 acres (9,596 hectares) or 37 square miles (96 sq km) and stood at 11% contained. Firefighters have its perimeters under control.

The Eaton Fire scorched another 14,117 acres (5,713 hectares) or 22 square miles (57 sq. km) – was contained to 27%, up from 15% a day earlier.

North of the city, the Hurst Fire was 89% contained, and three other fires that had ravaged other parts of the county were now 100% contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported. Areas within the containment lines may still be burning.

California wildfire live updates: Samantha Santoro (22), a first-generation college student at Cal Poly Pomona, remembered being annoyed when the initial news coverage of the wildfires focused more on celebrities. She and her sister, who attends UC Berkeley, worry how their Mexican immigrant parents and working-class neighbours who lost their homes in Altadena will move forward.

“We don’t have like, ‘Oh, I’ll just go to my second home and stay there,'” Santoro said.

California wildfire live updates: The release of a new Netflix series produced by the Duchess of Sussex will be postponed due to the devastation caused by the Los Angeles wildfires, the streaming platform has announced.

Eight-part series Love, Meghan, which will see the actress share cooking, gardening and hosting tips, will premiere on March 4 instead of January 15. “I’m thankful to my partners at Netflix for supporting me in delaying the launch, as we focus on the needs of those impacted by the wildfires in my home state of California,” Meghan said in a statement to Tudum, the official companion site to Netflix.

California wildfire live updates: In a post on X, Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau stated, “Canada is deploying 60 firefighters to help battle the California wildfire.”

California wildfire live updates: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in a post on X stated that firefighters from his country were on standby to help aid Los Angeles authorities fight the massive fires in the region.

“Today, I instructed Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs and our diplomats to prepare for the possible participation of our rescuers in combating the wildfires in California,” he said.

“The situation there is extremely difficult, and Ukrainians can help Americans save lives. We have offered our assistance to the American side through the relevant channels. 150 of our firefighters are already prepared,” he added.

California wildfire live updates: In a post on X, California governor Gavin Newsom stated that he would deploy 1,000 more national guard service members to Los Angeles as fires continue to rage, with strong gusts of wind fuelling the flames in the area.

“The now approx. 2,500 service members mobilized will continue to help keep the communities devastated by the fires safe,” he added.

California wildfire live updates: The release of Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle’s new Netflix show which was slated to release on January 15 has been postponed to March 4 due to the devastation caused by wildfires in her home state California.

“I’m thankful to my partners at Netflix for supporting me in delaying the launch, as we focus on the needs of those impacted by the wildfires in my home state of California,” Markle said in a statement.

California wildfire live updates: Governor Gavin Newsom has deployed 53 teams to inspect all structures in Los Angeles damaged by the six fires raging in the region.

He told CNN that the inspections will be conducted within two weeks so residents can work on matters of insurance and rebuilding.

California wildfire live updates: President Joe Biden on Sunday will hold a meeting virtually with “key officials” in a virtual briefing to aid in coordinating the response from the federal and local government towards the wildfires spreading across Los Angeles, California.

Vice president Kamala Harris, FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, US forest service chief Randy Moore, homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall and more are expected to be involved in the high profile meeting according to CNN.

California wildfire live updates: The Los Angeles county sheriff Robert Luna confirmed on Sunday that the number of missing people had risen to 16.

12 of the people missing were in Eaton and the other 4 in Palisades, two of the major areas where massive fires have ravaged the region, displacing thousands and leading to the death of 16 people.

Luna urged people to report those who are missing to local law enforcement. He also told CNN, that none of the missing people were minors, although there were several more missing reports which were yet to be counted.

California wildfire live updates: California governor Gavin Newsom on Sunday signed an executive order which suspended some environmental permits to help victims of the fires in Los Angeles rebuild faster.

During a press meet, as quoted by NBC, he said, “We want you to come back, rebuild with higher quality building standards, more modern standards; we want to make sure that associated costs with that are not disproportionate, especially in a middle-class community like this.”

California wildfire live updates: In a post on X, mayor Karen Bass announced that donation drop off points had been created to help secure aid for communities most impacted by the fires raging in the city.

“There has been an outpour of support of Angelenos wanting to donate resources to residents impacted by the wildfires. To reach community needs, the city is announcing donation drop-off location,” she said.

California wildfire live updates: During a press conference on Sunday, Los Angeles county fire chief Anthony Marrone stated that, “All of the reports that I’ve received is that the LA county water system is ready and it will be prepared to assist us in fighting a wildland fire.”

According to him, seventy water tenders have arrives in order to get the fires under control before they are further fuelled by strong gusts of wind.

California wildfire live updates: California governor Gavin Newsom took to X to confirm that the Kenneth, Sunset and Lidia fires blazing in the Los Angeles county had been 100 per cent contained. He also gave an update on the three other fires active in the region.

The Hurst Fire has been contained up to 89 percent, Eaton up to 27 per cent and Palisades up to 11 per cent.

California wildfire live updates: “The winds are potentially getting dangerous and strong again,” Deanne Criswell, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), told CNN.

California wildfire live updates: Investigators are considering an array of possible ignition sources for the massive wildfires that killed 16 people and annihilated thousands of structures, including houses and businesses, in California’s Los Angeles area. Read more

California wildfire live updates: Journalists T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach defended David Muir after he faced severe criticism for pinning his jacket while reporting the Los Angeles wildfires. The former ABC News anchors discussed the viral moment on Friday’s episode, titled Does This Make Me Look Fat? of their podcast Amy & T.J. Read more

California wildfire live updates: Miley Cyrus has expressed her support and empathy for those impacted by the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, drawing from her own experience of losing her home to a similar disaster. In a heartfelt message shared on social media, the singer reflected on the emotional toll of such devastation. Read more

California wildfire live updates: Actor Roopal Tyagi had been in Los Angeles just before the devastating wildfire swept through the area, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Reflecting on her recent visit, Roopal recalled witnessing the fire from her flight back home, an experience that has left her with a lingering sense of guilt. Read more

California wildfire live updates: Joshua Jackson, best known for his role in Dawson’s Creek, is the recent one among the celebrities who have been impacted by the devastating wildfires sweeping through the Los Angeles area. According to Page Six, the actor’s childhood home in Topanga Canyon has been destroyed by the flames that have been raging since earlier this week. Read more

California wildfire live updates: As the 67th Annual Grammy Awards approach, there is growing concern over the impact of the devastating wildfires sweeping through Los Angeles. With the ceremony set for Sunday, February 2, at Crypto.com Arena in downtown L.A., many are wondering whether the ongoing crisis could lead to a delay or change of plans for music’s biggest night. Read more

California wildfire live updates: Jess Ross, who previously lived with her family in the Pacific Palisades, in Los Angeles, for between 15 to 20 years, moved to Scotland’s capital Edinburgh in January 2020.

Ross said, “It’s heartbreaking to see the place where I met my husband, where our babies grew up, all just wiped out and the playgrounds, the trees they used to climb, schools they went to just gone, obliterated.”

California wildfire live updates: The pressing fire danger in Southern California will continue through Sunday with the critical fire risk zone covering an area encompassing more than 8 million (80 lakh) people, reports ABC News.

California wildfire live updates: “He [Rory Sykes] said, ‘mom leave me’ and no mom can leave their kid. And I’ve got a broken arm, I couldn’t lift him, I couldn’t move him,” Shelly Sykes told the Australian media. Read more