Los Angeles officials say several wildfires in the city are still out of control and urged residents Thursday to comply with ongoing evacuation orders.
Mayor Karen Bass delivered the message along with police and fire leaders at a news conference Thursday. Police said they have already arrested 20 people for looting and burglaries in evacuation areas, and more arrests are expected.
“This is absolutely an unprecedented historic firestorm,” Bass said. “But we are all hands on deck. We must continue to work together. We must evacuate when asked. We must help others, help our neighbors. And first and foremost, we must stay united.”
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone has announced that the wildfires in Eaton and the Palisades are 0% contained. The Eaton Fire has spread to 10,600 acres, and the Palisades has reached 17,234 acres.
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass talks with California Governor Gavin Newsom as she surveys damage during the Palisades Fire on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images))
Another forest fire in Lidia is 40% contained, Marrone said. That fire was limited to just 348 hectares. The fire in the Hollywood Hills and Sunset remains out of control, but officials said they have successfully halted forward progress.
“The cause of the fire remains unknown and is still under active investigation,” Marrone said.
About 180,000 people were evacuated from their homes as of Thursday afternoon, and 200,000 others are under evacuation warnings.
A Super Scooper aircraft drops water on the Palisades Fire on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell also noted that he was “not satisfied” with the current reporting of fatalities from the firestorms. The current official count is five deaths, and McDonnell says he expects that number to rise.
Bass also noted that aircraft will be able to participate in firefighting again on Thursday. Due to the strong winds, planes and helicopters were unable to operate above the fires on Wednesday.
Fire burns during the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. The most destructive wind storm to hit the Los Angeles area in 14 years fuels wildfires and displaces thousands of residents hurried. their lives, with dangerous wind gusts expected to continue for at least two more days. (Jill Connelly/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The mayor confronted pointed questions from reporters after the briefing, with investigations revealing she was out of the country when the fires started.
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“Do you think your leadership was effective in responding to this disaster?” a reporter asked.
Bass argued that her focus was on saving lives, but said there would be time to examine at a later date how Los Angeles was prepared for the crisis.
