Raging Los Angeles fires sweep into the Hollywood Hills; at least 5 are dead

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Here’s what we know so far about the patchwork of wildfires blazing across Los Angeles. Keep reading for more information, and check back throughout the day for updates.

• The Eaton and Palisades fires are the largest of the five wildfires raging in LA, burning more than 29,000 acres. The Sunset Fire is the newest, erupting in the Hollywood Hills late Wednesday.
• The fires have forced mass evacuations and destroyed homes, businesses and landmarks, including religious institutions and historic sites.
• More than 7,500 personnel are battling the blazes; President Biden has made a federal disaster declaration to help fund recovery efforts.
• The National Weather Service has extended its red flag warning through 6 p.m. PT Friday for LA and Ventura counties, warning of high winds and low humidity that could stoke new and existing fires.

Nearly 30,000 acres remained burning early Thursday across Los Angeles County as firefighters struggled to control a patchwork of deadly blazes that has forced mass evacuations and leveled entire communities.

At least five people have died as new fires broke out late Wednesday in Los Angeles County, totaling about more than 29,000 acres burned.

LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said about 130,000 people in the area have been ordered to evacuate or told to prepare to evacuate.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said a critical risk of fire remained in the area, as high winds, dry vegetation and low humidity are contributing to the infernos.

Here’s what else to know.

The scope of the fires

The Eaton and Palisades fires are the most widespread, burning 10,600 and more than 17,000 acres, respectively.

The Sunset fire broke out Wednesday night, encroaching on the Hollywood Hills and prompting mandatory evacuations in notable parts of the area, such as Mulholland Drive, Hollywood Boulevard and Runyon Canyon Park. By early Thursday morning, most of the evacuation zone had been lifted, said the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Aerial footage from news helicopters showed many homes on fire, all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

Only two fires have been somewhat contained — Lidia (40%) and Woodley (100%) — according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection — Cal Fire.

Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued in association with the fires.

An evacuation order signals the fire poses an “immediate threat to life” and mandates evacuations, while an evacuation warning carries a “potential threat to life and/or property” and suggests that those with pets and livestock, and those who would need more time to evacuate, do so, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, better known as Cal Fire.

Cheryl Heuton and her husband left their home in Pasadena with just toothbrushes, laptops and old stuffed animals that belonged to their children when they were younger.

“We just finished cleaning up from the Rose Parade of all things, and now this,” she said. “We had the big thing that showed off how wonderful life is here followed immediately by something showing off how awful life can be.”

They returned home to a damaged backyard, but the house was still intact, Heuton said.

Local, state and federal responses

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said more than 7,500 personnel are responding to the fires across local, state and federal agencies. They are using helicopters, water tenders, air tankers and dozers to fight the fires.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is urging residents to conserve water as much as possible, and said police are assisting in handling evacuation traffic.

“We are working urgently to close roads, redirect traffic and expand access for LAFD vehicles to respond to the growing fire,” she said on X.

Bass returned from a delegation trip from Ghana Wednesday, and rebuffed criticisms that she should have returned sooner.

She said she took the fastest way home and was in contact with authorities during her return trip.

All schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District will be closed Thursday, and some LA County school districts have already announced plans to remain closed Friday.

“The confluence of factors — wind, fire and smoke — have created dangerous, complex situations that present unsafe conditions for our school communities,” the district said.

Two LA elementary schools were destroyed in the fire.

Five schools were damaged in Pasadena, and the Pasadena Unified School District has closed all its schools for the rest of the week.

On Wednesday, President Biden made a major disaster declaration, which provides federal funding to affected residents, by way of “grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.”

“Southern California, we are with you. And we’re not letting up,” said the president, who on Wednesday canceled a planned trip to Italy to focus on the fire response.

Homes and cultural landmarks are among the buildings destroyed

Damage appears to be extensive, with Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone estimating Wednesday that over 1,000 structures had been destroyed.

The buildings impacted so far include homes, businesses and cultural institutions.

LA landmarks including the historic Ranch Motel, Will Rogers' ranch house, the Bunny Museum and Altadena Hardware have been destroyed by flames, according to a tracker from LAist, as were beloved restaurants Fox’s and Reel Inn.

Religious sites like the Altadena Community Church, Masjid Al Taqwa and Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center have also been lost.

As the fires engulfed residential areas and fueled evacuation orders, a growing number of celebrities — including Mandy Moore, Billy Crystal, Cary Elwes and Paris Hilton — shared from afar that their homes were among those destroyed.

“Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience,” Hilton wrote on Instagram.

Fire danger is predicted to continue through Friday

The NWS has extended its red flag warning through 6 p.m. PT on Friday for portions of LA and Ventura counties.

“Gusty winds and very dry conditions will continue to fuel fire starts and existing fires,” it said, referring to the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires already burning in the area.

The NWS is forecasting widespread wind gusts of 35 to 55 mph and extremely low humidity, a combination conducive to fueling flames.

Winds have gradually weakened since their peak earlier Wednesday, when the NWS recorded speeds as high as 90 mph in Henninger Flats and 89 mph at Saddle Peak.

This week’s wildfires have been fueled by Santa Ana winds, dry, gusty winds that blow toward the coast. They are relatively common in the region, but not at this strength.

“The typical strengths of the winds are on the order of, say, 30 to 60 mph when they occur, a couple times a year,” Ariel Cohen, chief meteorologist for the NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, told NPR’s Morning Edition.

“Every once in a while we get a much stronger Santa Ana wind event like what we had over the past 24 to 36 hours, in which case we ended up with a widespread, life-threatening and destructive windstorm.”

A wind advisory will remain in effect until at least 2 p.m. PT on Friday. The NWS advises residents to stay at least 100 feet away from downed power lines and call 911.

Resources to stay safe

➡️ Trying to stay safe in a wildfire? There’s an app that can help

➡️ LAist‘s very short guide to driving in high winds and fire danger

➡️ How to keep yourself safe from wildfire smoke

➡️ High winds and fires mean power outages. Here’s how to prep

Elise Hu contributed reporting.