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A series of wildfires are searing through the Los Angeles area, forcing many to evacuate their homes.
Follow along here for the latest updates.
10:50 a.m. Where are the fires currently burning?
Palisades fire: West of Los Angeles, by the sea. It has burned about 4.5 square miles (11.6 square kilometers).
Eaton fire: Altadena area, north of Pasadena. It has burned about 1.6 square miles (4 square kilometers).
Hurst fire: In the San Fernando Valley. It has burned about 500 acres (202 hectares).
Tyler fire: In Coachella, near Joshua Tree National Park. It has burned about 15 acres (6 hectares).
All four fires are currently at zero per cent containment.
10:30 a.m. EST: Eaton fire grows
Fire crews assigned to the Eaton fire burning in Pasadena are working to contain the blaze. Much of the city is under an evacuation order.
The fire rapidly grew to more than 3.13 square miles (8.11 square kilometers) overnight amid dangerous fire weather conditions caused by strong winds and low levels of relative humidity.
10 a.m. EST: Winter fires not unprecedented
California’s wildfire season typically begins in June or July and runs through October, according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association, but January wildfires are not unprecedented — there was one in 2022 and 10 in 2021, according CalFire.
Recent data show the season is beginning earlier and ending later due to rising temperatures and decreased rainfall tied to climate change. That means rains that usually end fire season are often delayed, meaning fires can burn through the winter months, the association says.
The Associated Press
9:40 a.m. EST: ‘Persons trapped’
L.A. firefighters have responded to several calls for house fires with people trapped inside, according to online response tracker LA Fire Alerts.
The latest involves a home on the north side of L.A. “Deputies on scene of a house fire with persons trapped,” reads the post on X.
A rec centre in Westwood – a busy neighbourhood home to the sprawling UCLA campus, shops and offices – has been turned into an evacuation shelter.
A map published by the Los Angeles Fire Department shows active evacuation zones as of 9:44 a.m. EST.
9:35 a.m. EST: Canada updates travel advisory
Canada has updated its travel advisory to the United States, warning of blocked roads, heavy smoke, power outages and deteriorated air quality.
A life-threatening windstorm warning has been issued for Jan. 8 and 9 in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
Firefighters are still battling the fire.
One lifelong Malibu resident tells CNN: “I’ve seen tons of fires. This is nothing. I was scared for my life. It’s terrifying.
9:10 a.m. EST: More than 30,000 people flee
A major blaze in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood – an upscale quarter home to several celebrities – and at least two others in the L.A. area has pushed the number of those seeking shelter above 30,000, Reuters reports.
Numerous buildings were destroyed and nearly 3,000 acres burned in the Pacific Palisades. Weather conditions are expected to deteriorate further through today. The governor has declared a state of emergency.
8:50 a.m. EST: Evacuee recounts escaping fire
The Associated Press
Sheriece Wallace was unaware there was a fire burning around her in that area until her sister called at the moment a helicopter made a water drop over her house.
“I was like, ‘it’s raining,’” Wallace said. “She’s like, ‘No, it’s not raining. Your neighborhood is on fire. You need to get out.’”
“As soon as I opened my door, it was like right there,” she said. “The first thing I did was looked at the trees to see where the wind was blowing. Because it hit me. It blew me back.” She was able to leave.
8:30 a.m. EST: Ripping winds worsen blaze
Winds blowing overnight sped to 112 km/h by the morning. Some areas – mainly in the mountains and foothills – could see winds up to 160 km/h, according to the National Weather Service in Los Angeles. Some of those areas haven’t seen rain in months.
The weather service warned: “This will likely be the most destructive windstorm seen (in) 2011.”
8 a.m. EST: Over 1,400 ‘boots on the ground’
Hundreds of additional fires have been dispatched to fight the fires.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on X that the firefighters were heading south to “join 1,400+ boots already on the ground.”
“Thank you to our first responders quickly jumping into these firefights,” he wrote.
With files from The Associated Press
