It’s been seven days since the Los Angeles wildfires broke out in Eaton on January 7. So far, state authorities reported 24 deaths: 16 in Eaton and eight in Palisades. This makes the Eaton fire the fifth deadliest in the history of California. Reports also mention 16 missing persons in Eaton, with the numbers expected to rise. As of now (January 13), more than 100,000 residents are under evacuation orders.
The L.A. wildfires have burned over 40,000 acres of land, consuming 12,000 structures, says LA county officials. CNN’s reports show that the Palisades fire ranks third in terms of structural damage with over 5,300 destroyed structures. The Eaton fire holds the next position with 4,000 structures burned.
Here’s an overview of the destruction and containment:
| Area | Land Burned | Fire Contained |
| Palisades | 23,700 acres | 13% |
| Eaton | 14,000 acres | 27% |
| Kenneth | 1,000 acres | 100% |
| Hurst | 800 acres | 89% |
| Lidia | 400 acres | 100% |
It’s still unclear how the wildfire started but experts are treating it as a natural disaster. California Wildland Fire Coordinating Group’s air resource adviser, Jane Croft, found high Lead and Arsenic readings in the materials burned in the Eaton fire. She pointed out that there was “a tremendous amount of particulates and pollutants” in the building blocks.
The strong Santa Ana winds have been fueling the fire to spread quickly. Energy experts in L.A. predict that utility companies keeping the power turned on near the Palisades and Eaton fires might have increased the risk and spread.
Shifting winds have been a constant hurdle for the L.A. firefighters as it’s difficult to predict wind currents and their directions. The Weather Prediction Center of the National Weather Service (NWS) anticipates fiercer winds starting late Monday. As a result, the authority has issued a “red flag warning” until 6 PM Wednesday.
A “red flag warning” is only issued in case of a “particularly dangerous situation.”
Weather experts expect wind speeds to drop on Thursday and stay light over Saturday and Sunday. Rich Thompson, on behalf of the NWS, explained, “For this weekend, things are looking much cooler—higher humidity, just your typical sea breeze winds.”
As usual, President-elect Donald Trump didn’t shy away from criticizing the public servants who are working round the clock to contain the L.A. wildfires. On his own social media site, Truth Social, Mr. Trump wrote: “The fires are still raging in L.A. The incompetent pols have no idea how to put them out.”
The local authorities and firefighters, on the other hand, are working heart and soul to contain the Los Angeles wildfires. National Interagency Fire Center’s operations section chief, Ernie Villa, reported five firefighters having been injured in the process. He believes Altadena faced the heaviest impact adding that, “In my career, I have never seen the amount of devastation and destruction that exists in here.”
Even private firefighters are working hand in hand with the 2,500 public service members including 1,000 National Guards deployed by Governor Gavin Newsom. On top of that, more than 1,000 prisoners have volunteered to mitigate the disaster as fast as possible.
Fire department officials in Palisades have successfully stopped the spread of the fire in the most critical northern edge. They’ve also managed to contain the spread in Mulholland Drive, Sylvia Park, and Topanga Oakes. However, the Palisades fire is still largely uncontained and officials are taking extra caution as Cal Fire’s Christian Litz states, “With the upcoming winds we’re being extra diligent out there.”
There’s been a “major impact” on Eaton’s water system because of the fire, according to Los Angeles Public Works Director Mark Pestrella. Pasadena Fire Department’s Chief Chad Augustine predicts that residents in 90% of the fire-affected areas can start drinking tap water today (Monday). They’re currently waiting for the “do not drink” order to be lifted.
Section Chief Ken Haskett of the Los Angeles County Fire Department told CNN that they estimate that, just in Palisades, more than 5,000 homes were destroyed. It’s alarming and a just cause to panic, but to ensure the firefighters can work effectively, Haskett urged, “I ask for people’s grace, please, and patience—we’re doing this as quick as possible.”
