Editor’s Note: To make donations to help out with recovery from the 2025 Los Angeles fires, visit the the city’s official donation website: LAWorks.com/2025Fires.
UPDATE JANUARY 16, 2025:
Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis issued an order on Wednesday prohibiting the cleanup or removal of debris from critical fire areas, including Pacific Palisades and Altadena, until a hazardous materials inspection is completed. Debris from the fires could contain asbestos, heavy metals and other hazardous substances.
Additionally, the Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) has declared a local public health emergency due to the widespread impacts of Eaton Fire, including the presence of ash and particulate matter in the air throughout the community.
“Ash and debris pose a significant potential current and future risk to health, safety, and the environment.,” the department said in a statement. “PPHD is declaring a local health emergency to ensure residents take appropriate measures to protect themselves from toxic ash and debris, as well as proactively positioning the city to access County, State, and Federal resources and programs that will be critical to the rebuilding process.”
PPHD is distributing free personal protective equipment (PPE) to those impacted by the Eaton Fire.
Nearly half of Pasadena school district employees lived in the evacuation zone, and officials are still assessing how many families and school staff members have lost their homes, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Officials of the schools that were destroyed or damaged are looking for new campus locations where they can hold classes. For some of the schools that can’t find locations big enough to hold all of their students, they are considering a hybrid class schedule where one group of students attends the first part of the week and another group attends the latter part of the week. When a group is off campus, the students will attend online classes.
UPDATE JANUARY 15, 2025 7:20 A.M. PACIFIC:
The death toll from the Los Angeles wildfires that started last week has increased to at least 25, with more expected. More than 6 million people are under critical fire threat. The current containment percentages are:
- Palisades Fire: 19%
- Eaton Fire: 45%
- Hurst Fire: 97%
- Auto Fire (in Ventura County): 47%
Experts say no “water system in the world” could have handled the Los Angele fires, reports CNN. The combination of wind gusts of 100 mph that prevented the deployment of water-dropping and fire-retardant-dropping aircraft at the start of the fires; multiple large fires; extremely low humidity; and practically no rain since last spring is being described as a “perfect storm.” Widespread destruction was inevitable, according to experts.
However, some things could have potentially decreased the fire storm’s impact, including more consistent vegetation management and better planning. The city’s aging infrastructure that didn’t comply with California’s strict building codes implemented in 2008 was another issue that contributed to the problem.
Many are also questioning the number of firefighters in Los Angeles, saying there aren’t enough of them. In December Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley sent a memo to Mayor Karen Bass saying that budget cuts and the elimination of “critical” civilian support positions “severely limited the Department’s capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies.” In 2023, Crowley also expressed concerns about climate change’s effects on the city’s ability to respond to severe fires, as well as the impact of more construction in fire-prone areas.
In a press conference that was held after the fires began last week, however, Bass countered that last year’s cuts wouldn’t have made an impact.
Both Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom have called for investigations.
UPDATE JANUARY 14, 2025 7:30 A.M. PACIFIC:
LAUSD will relocate the 410 students who attend Palisades Charter Elementary School to the Brentwood Science Magnet School. Marquez Magnet Elementary School’s 312 students will now attend classes at Nora Sterry Elementary, reports LAist. Both Palisades Charter and Marquez Elementary were destroyed by the Palisades Fire.
Due to Palisades Charter High School being heavily damaged by the blaze, the start of the second semester will be delayed to Jan. 21. LAUSD is in the process of determining where their classes will be held.
UPDATE JANUARY 12, 2025 8 A.M. PACIFIC:
The death toll from the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles County has increased to 24. Of those, 16 were confirmed from the Eaton Fire and eight from the Palisades Fire. The number of deaths is expected to increase in the coming days. Cadaver dogs are in the process of searching for human remains in the burned out homes and businesses.
The Los Angels County Office of Education is reporting that the following school districts and schools will be closed due to the fires and weather conditions in the area:
- La Canada Unified School District (closed until Jan. 15 and may reopen Jan. 16 if conditions are met)
- Pasadena Unified School District (closed through Jan. 17)
- Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District:
Santa Monica: All schools will reopen Jan. 14
Malibu: schools will remain closed Jan. 13-15
Los Angeles USD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho told reporters all of LAUSD’s campuses have been inspected and the air filters have been replaced. Most of the schools in the district reopened on Monday, January 13. However, the campuses in the highest impact areas that will remain closed due to mandatory evacuation orders are:
- Canyon Charter Elementary
- Kenter Canyon Charter Elementary
- Palisades Charter Elementary
- Marquez Charter Elementary
- Topanga Charter Elementary
- Lanai Road Elementary
- Paul Revere Middle School.
Additionally, Roscomare Charter Elementary and Community Magnet Charter was closed on Monday, January 13. “As part of the District’s Continuity of Learning efforts, students will continue to have digital access to academic resources. More information is available at www.lausd.org/learningcontinues,” LAUSD officials said in a statement.
LAUSD employees who have been displaced or lost their homes are being allotted five extra personal days to get their personal lives in order. Additionally, they can apply for $500 financial assistance.
Youth ages 5 to 17 who are under mandatory evacuation orders or are significantly impacted by the fire can be signed up for Care Camps offered at five Los Angeles County Parks:
- Pamela Park: 2236 Goodall Avenue, Duarte CA, 91010
- Arcadia Park: 405 South Santa Anita Avenue, Arcadia CA 91007
- LA County Arboretum: 301 N Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007
- Crescenta Valley Park: 3901 Dunsmore Ave, La Crescenta, CA 91214
- Descanso Gardens: 1418 Descanso Dr, La Canada-Flintridge, CA 91011
For more information, visit parks.lacounty.gov/care-camps/.
Another rounds of Santa Ana winds is forecast Monday through Wednesday, which could kick up flames. Currently, the Palisades Fire is 14% contained, the Eaton Fire is 33% contained, and the Hurst Fire is 89% contained.
Firefighters from across the country and even Mexico, as well as the National Guard are helping to put out the fires and assist with public safety.
UPDATE JANUARY 10, 2025 1:35 P.M. PACIFIC:
At least 8 people have now been confirmed killed in the wildfires that erupted earlier this week: six in the Eaton Fire, and two in the Palisades Fire. CS initially reported there were four deaths resulting from the Palisades Fire. Authorities have warned that the death toll could increase as recovery workers go through the rubble of the destroyed homes and businesses.
The fires continued to burn in Los Angeles County on Friday. Additionally, up to 10,000 structures have been destroyed by the Palisades Fire, and more than 7,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed by the Eaton Fire. At about 10:30 a.m., another wildfire, named the Archer Fire, broke out in the Granada Hills area of Los Angeles County. A mandatory evacuation order was issued but then downgraded to a warning a short time later.
Here are the containment percentages for the major wildfires in the area:
- Eaton Fire: 3%
- Palisades Fire: 8%
- Kenneth Fire: 35%
- Hurst Fire: 37%
- Lidia Fire: 75%
- Sunset Fire: 100%
Air quality for the entire region, including areas that have not directly experienced the wildfires, is extremely poor.
UPDATE JANUARY 9, 2025, 5:50 P.M. PACIFIC:
Another wildfire has erupted in Los Angeles County and is growing quickly. Called the “Kenneth Fire,” it broke out just after 3:30 p.m. local time on Thursday and is located in the West Hills area, near Calabasas. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for the area.
With regards to the Palisades Fire, officials confirmed that two people were killed in the blaze. It’s also now estimated that more than 5,300 structures were damaged or destroyed. It is now the most destructive fire is Los Angeles’ history. The Palisades and Eaton Fires are still at 0% containment, with both blazes continuing to grow.
The Eaton Fire is believed to have destroyed up to 5,000 structures.
UPDATE JANUARY 9, 2025, 1:40 P.M. PACIFIC:
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent says the following K-12 campuses have been completely destroyed by the wildfires that broke out in Los Angeles County on Tuesday and Wednesday: Palisades Charter High School, Marquez Charter High School, and Palisades Charter Elementary School.
Pasadena USD Superintendent says the following campuses in her district have been damaged: Elliot Arts Magnet School, Aveson Charter School, Loma Alta Elementary School and Noyes Elementary School. Franklin Elementary was about 80% damaged. At least two private schools are destroyed: St. Mark’s School and Pasadena Waldorf School.
The Westside Waldorf School was destroyed in the Palisades Fire, with the campus posting the following message on its website: “Every family in our community has been marked safe and sound. The full damage to our McComb Pacific Palisades campus is still unknown, but we have confirmation that our Grades campus is unsalvageable, with other parts still actively burning. Many dear members of our community have lost their homes, and most have been displaced due to evacuations. We are filled with gratitude for the strength of our community and the heroism of the firefighters and rescue operations. If you would like to know how you can help, please reach out to [email protected].”
The Village School was also destroyed by the Palisades Fire.
Additionally, the AltaMed’s Pasadena office was destroyed by the Eaton Fire. However, everyone was safely evacuated.
Several other healthcare facilities in the Los Angeles area have closed temporarily in response to the wildfires, including:
Kaiser Permanente in the following locations:
- Sylmar Medical Offices
- Pasadena Medical Offices
- Pasadena Vision Essentials
- Thousand Oaks Hillcrest Drive Medical Offices
- Santa Monica Medical Offices
- Rosemead Target Clinic
UCLA Medical Center clinics in the following locations:
- Alhambra
- Calabasas
- Malibu
- Pacific Palisades
- Pasadena
- Santa Monica
- Simi Valley
- Thousand Oaks
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center outpatient offices and surgery centers in the following locations:
- Santa Monica
- Brentwood/West Los Angeles
- Pasadena
Some Providence locations that provide outpatient services.
Adventist Health Urgent Care, Orthopedics and Pediatrics office in Montrose
LOS ANGELES – Wind gusts of nearly 100 mph whipped through Los Angeles County on Tuesday and Wednesday, sparking several wildfires in Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena, Pasadena, Sylmar, the Sepulveda basin, near Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, and in the Runyon Canyon area. The wildfires continued to burn on Thursday.
Currently, the four largest wildfires are the Pacific Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and Malibu, the Eaton Fire in Altadena and Pasadena, the Hurst Fire in Sylmar, which started just above the Olive View UCLA Medical Center, and the Lidia Fire, which broke out east of Simi Valley on Wednesday afternoon. At about 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the Sunset Fire erupted in the Runyon Canyon area of the Hollywood Hills, and a mandatory evacuation was ordered.
Additionally, smaller fires erupted all over Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside counties.
Tens of thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate their homes, and at least five people have died in the Eaton Fire. More than 1,000 homes, businesses, and other buildings have been destroyed in the Palisades Fire, and around 1,000 structures were damaged or destroyed by the Eaton Fire . Many residents who didn’t evacuate were seriously injured, as were some firefighters. The winds downed trees and power lines, with more than 245,000 residents without power.
There currently is zero containment of most of the large fires, except for the Lidia Fire, which is 40% contained, and the Hurst Fire, which is 10% contained.
Related Article: How Pepperdine University Protects Its Campus from Wildfires
Several Palisades Charter High School buildings and the baseball field were torched. The school has long been a popular location for Hollywood movie and television productions. The Westside Waldorf School and Village School were both destroyed by the Palisades Fire. Additionally, Marquez Elementary and Palisades Charter Elementary were damaged in that blaze.
In Alhambra, five Pasadena USD campuses have been damaged by the Eaton Fire, including the Elliot Arts Magnet School and Franklin Elementary, in which 80% of the campus sustained damages. Pasadena City College sustained minor damage and will remain closed until Monday. The Pasadena Preschool Academy was destroyed.
Wildfires Force School Cancellations
The following Los Angeles County School Districts and schools will be totally or partially closed on Thursday, with some remaining closed through Friday:
- Alhambra Unified School District
- Arcadia Unified School District
- Azusa Unified School District
- Burbank Unified School District
- Compton Unified School District
- Duarte Unified School District
- Garvey School District
- Glendale unified School District
- Glendora Unified School District
- La Canada Unified School District
- Las Vírgenes School District
- Los Angeles Unified School District
- Monrovia Unified School District
- Mountain View School District
- Pasadena Unified School District (and for the rest of the week)
- San Gabriel Unified School District
- Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District
- San Gabriel Unified School District
- Simi Valley Unified School District
- South Pasadena Unified School District
- Temple City Unified School District
Additionally, the wildfires prompted the cancellation of classes at Pepperdine University, Glendale Community College, and UCLA. Caltech also canceled classes and instructed its students to shelter in place.
In Altadena, the Eaton Fire destroyed The Terraces at Park Marino assisted living center early Wednesday. About 95 residents were evacuated from the facility in wheelchairs, hospital beds, and even office chairs. Any available vehicle was used to evacuate the residents, including an armored vehicle normally use to transport SWAT officers.
The wildfires are the result of several factors: the worst high-wind event in Southern California since 2011 as well as a lack of rainfall and very low humidity levels. Downtown Los Angeles has only received 0.16 inches of rain since May 6, 2024. Climate change is exacerbating both wet and dry weather extremes.
In a press conference, fire officials said that Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s firestorms were unprecedented and that LA County had enough firefighters to handle two wildfires at the same time, but not six.
The high winds that initially fanned the flames died down somewhat on Wednesday and Thursday, allowing water-dropping aircraft to respond. The winds are expected to decrease even more over the next few days, however, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley warned that, “We are absolutely not out of danger yet. These fires are stretching the capacity of emergency services to the maximum limits.”
Air quality for the entire area is extremely poor.
