Topline:
Containment of the massive Palisades Fire increased to 63% Tuesday as red flag conditions are expected to return.
Where things stand: The fire continues to spread across the Santa Monica Mountains, growing to more than 23,700 acres, according to CalFire.
This is a developing story and will be updated. For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:
Containment of the massive Palisades Fire increased to 63% Tuesday as red flag conditions are expected to return.
The death toll in the fire that devastated whole neighborhoods rose Tuesday to 11 people. Authorities continue to search the ruins with cadaver dogs.
As of Wednesday morning, sheriff's officials said in areas they patrol they are still investigating six missing people reports in the Palisades Fire.
LAPD officials said they've investigated 38 reports of missing people in the Palisades Fire, and 30 have been found safe. Authorities said they believe that of the eight still missing, three are "most likely" among the dead who have not yet been positively identified and five remain missing.
Roughly 5,000 structures are estimated to have been destroyed, about 700 damaged.
The Sheriff's Department said Thursday afternoon that some evacuation zones will be reopened to residents effective noon on Thursday, Jan. 16.
The following zones will be reopened to residents:
"Resident access will be through the intersections of Mulholland Highway/Old Topanga Canyon Road, Civic Center Way/Malibu Canyon Road, and Mulholland Drive/Topanga Canyon Road," according to the LASD update.
On Friday, some areas under evacuation orders were open for residents.
Orders reduced to warnings:
Areas reopened to only residents:
The sheriff's department said evacuees should have proof of residency when they try to re-enter and that only residents are currently allowed back in.
Here's what to know about returning home after a fire evacuation.
We have some respite from fire weather conditions through Saturday.
This week, L.A. Councilmember Traci Park, who represents the area, told LAist 89.3's AirTalk program that officials will be asking "some very hard questions about what happens and what we are going to do to ensure that something like this never happens again."
"Because frankly," she added, "much of what occurred — even though this was an unusual weather event — what's predictable? The Pacific Palisades is in the very high fire severity zone."
Firefighters have been injured, as have a significant number of residents who didn't evacuate in time, according to authorities. That's in addition to at least 11 reported deaths.
After days of 0% containment, that number moved to 6% a week ago. Last Friday, it was at 22%.
We should note that the estimate of more than 5,000 structures damaged or destroyed is still preliminary and could change. The case is the same for the number of deaths — it takes time to identify remains and L.A. County Fire Department noted there have been more than a dozen missing person reports in their jurisdictions in both the Eaton and Palisades fires.
CalFire also cautioned against believing inaccurate social media posts. One claimed that people can come to California to join clean up efforts, but authorities warned this is false.
L.A. County's medical examiner has confirmed 11 deaths in the Palisades Fire. One victim, Charles Mortimer, 84, died at a hospital.
Officials are mapping where homes and businesses have been lost.
Curfews are now in place for fire areas from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. until further notice.
The L.A. County Sheriff's department said they have made at least 22 arrests for people violating those curfews in the Palisades and Eaton fire areas, mostly on suspicion of looting.
Authorities warn that anyone who violates the curfew is subject to arrest for a misdemeanor offense, and may face jail time, fines, or both, officials said.
" All these individuals were not supposed to be there, meaning they had no business being there ," said LA County Sheriff Robert Luna at a press conference Saturday morning. "You go out there and you violate this curfew, you are going to spend time in jail. You're not going to get cited and released."
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass declared a state of emergency Tuesday night. Newsom also proclaimed a state of emergency in Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Tuesday after meeting with fire officials in Pacific Palisades.
President Joe Biden approved a Presidential Major Emergency Declaration on Wednesday to support the response to the wildfires. He said on social media that he’s directed the Department of Defense to provide additional personnel, and ten Navy helicopters with water buckets are on the way.
Driven by strong winds, it turned into a nightmare scenario that many hoped would never come to pass: an unstoppable fire tearing through densely packed coastal neighborhoods positioned between steep mountains and the Pacific Ocean, with few ways in and out.
While the full extent of the damage is not yet known, it's clear that the storied coastal stretch of Pacific Coast Highway between Santa Monica and Malibu will never be the same. Long standing businesses, including the Reel Inn, a seafood restaurant located across the street from Topanga State Beach, have been destroyed.
The fire was reported around 10:20 a.m. on Tuesday and immediately began heading toward the community of Pacific Palisades, driven by 70 mph wind gusts. The fire grew from 10 acres to 200 acres in just minutes.
During the early hours of evacuations, some residents fleeing the fire were told by officers to abandon their cars and walk to safety.
Many were seen holding bags and pets as they made their way towards the ocean. Abandoned vehicles were then bulldozed to make room for emergency vehicles.
Total destruction in Malibu. These were beachfront homes on Pacific Coast Highway. #palisadesfire pic.twitter.com/DhQnJMmoUW
— Liz Kreutz (@LizKreutzNews) January 8, 2025
Evacuation zones are changing fast, so check out the most up to date, interactive map here.
Authorities on Tuesday announced certain areas would open for repopulation:
LA County Sheriff's Eaton Fire Update for Tuesday, January 21st, 2025: Repopulation and Safety Guidelines
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) January 21, 2025
LASD announced evacuation warnings have been lifted for the following evacuation zone communities impacted by the Eaton Fire, effective 12:00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 21st,… pic.twitter.com/ArKB0lIkfh
Officials are pleading with people to avoid the wildfire areas, especially if you don’t live there.
Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Rec Center, 14201 Huston St., Sherman Oaks
Lanark Recreation Center, 21816 Lanark St, Canoga Park
Westwood Recreation Center: 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd. (accepts small animals)
Pasadena Convention Center: 300 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91101
El Camino Real Charter High School: 5440 Valley Circle Blvd., Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Pierce College: 6201 Winnetka Ave. Woodland Hills, CA 91371 (accepts large animals)
Los Angeles Equestrian Center: 480 Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91506 (accepts large animals)
Agoura Animal Shelter: 29525 Agoura Rd, Agoura Hills, CA 91301 (accepts small animals)
Santa Monica-Malibu USD has been closed since Thursday.
"We watch with all of you in disbelief the devastation and displacement caused by the Palisades fire, which continues to grow and evade containment," Superintendent Antonio Shelton wrote in a statement.
Nearly two dozen school districts are totally closed due to the wildfires — you can find a full list here.
The Los Angeles Unified School District also closed Thursday.
Palisades Charter Elementary School and Marquez Charter Elementary School were destroyed by the fire, an LAUSD spokesperson confirmed Wednesday afternoon.
LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said that Palisades High suffered significant damage due to the fire.
Many roads in the area are closed or restricted, including long stretched of Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon Road. For the most recent information, check out Sigalert.com or this Los Angeles County Public Works map.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power replaced its boil water notice with a "Do Not Drink Notice" for the Palisades-area 90272 ZIP code and the area north of San Vicente Blvd. That means people in those areas should not drink or cook with tap water until the notice is lifted. Residents are still advised to limit water use to assist with firefighting efforts.
L.A. County Water Works District 29 has also issued a boil water advisory, according to L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. This includes the Sunset Mesa community from Topanga Beach and Coastline Drive, to Shore Heights Drive, and from Topanga Canyon Road to Carbon Canyon Road in Malibu. You can call (800) 475-4357 for more information.
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If you have to evacuate
If you have more time:
Things to consider
Navigating fire conditions
How to help yourself and others
Understanding how it got this bad
Topline:
An atmospheric river is expected to hit Southern California next week, bringing several inches of rain to the region — just in time for Christmas.
Why it matters: The moderate to strong storm could dump 2 to 4 inches of rain on L.A., Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, while the mountains and foothills could see double that amount.
Why now: The storm is expected to peak Tuesday evening into Christmas Eve, according to the National Weather Service, lingering into Thursday and Christmas Day.
The details: Bryan Lewis, a meteorologist with the NWS Oxnard office, said forecasters also are expecting gusty winds across the region, along with a chance of thunderstorms.
Confidence is high in a return of rain to Southwest California next week with rainfall likely peaking Christmas Eve thru Christmas Day (Dec 24-25). While the most likely outcomes are shown in the graphic, there is still some uncertainty with the details. Stay tuned. #LARain #CAwx pic.twitter.com/MudoabhNm4
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) December 17, 2025
What's next: There’s also a growing potential for moderate to heavy showers continuing into next weekend, although Lewis said the details and timing could change as the storm approaches.
Go deeper: Why your skis and snowboard might not get much of a workout this winter
Topline:
A years-long effort to bring fast, reliable internet to Catalina Island cleared a major vote today after the California Public Utility Commission awarded $37 million to install subsea fiber internet infrastructure between Orange County and the island.
Why it matters: Catalina Island is home to more than 4,000 residents, and it draws thousands of tourists each year, but the internet connection on the island is often slow and unreliable.
Why is the internet connection so erratic? Residents don’t have access to fiber internet on the rural island and larger communications companies don’t serve the area because it’s too expensive.
Read on … for more on what we know about the project so far.
A years-long effort to bring fast, reliable internet to Catalina Island cleared a major vote today after the California Public Utility Commission awarded $37 million to install subsea fiber internet infrastructure between Orange County and the island.
More than 4,000 residents on Catalina Island don’t have reliable internet. That’s because the rural island doesn’t have fiber broadband infrastructure, and large communication companies don’t serve the area because of high costs.
“We currently operate off of a microwave tower, and it’s time that Avalon had nothing better than the rest of the mainland, but the same,” Avalon City Councilmember Lisa Lavelle said during public comment.
Lance Ware, CEO of AVX Networks, the telecom company tasked with building Catalina Island’s broadband infrastructure, said this project is significant to the quality of life for island residents.
“No one thought Catalina really was worthy,” Ware told LAist. “It really took a long time to convince the grant makers that this is a very much underserved community … not only digitally red lined, but forgotten about from an infrastructure perspective, and I mean that beyond communications.”
The impact to the community is almost immeasurable, he added.
“The access to that technology, workforce development, economic development and just the potential outcomes change massively for everybody involved,” Ware said. “Our ability to deliver world-class health care and public safety is huge.”
The commission distributed more than $96 million in federal grant funds during Thursday’s meeting to five groups for high-speed broadband projects, including AVX Networks.
The planned proposal includes building a fiber-optic network above and underground from Catalina Island to the Orange County coast.
When it comes to internet connection, the entire island is unserved, according to the commission’s agenda report. That means it has zero access to broadband internet.
According to records, the undersea cables will run under the San Pedro Channel from two points on the island to landings near Huntington Beach. Those cables will then connect to the Middle Mile Broadband Network in Stanton.
The grant will cover 100% of the project costs, records show.
Grantees are required to follow a set of rules to receive funds, and that includes committing to providing internet service at affordable rates.
Ware said AVX Networks will have a low-income plan at $40 a month at 100/100 Mbps — this is the download and upload speed of the service.
“We chose to go symmetrical, which means the upload is the same as the download,” Ware added. “For people doing video streaming or telemedicine or FaceTime, even, or e-learning, it's really important to have symmetrical bandwidth.”
AVX Networks also has committed to maintaining those rates for at least 10 years, the commission agenda reported.
Next, the company needs to get permits for building out the project and surveying a route on the sea floor for the cables.
Topline:
The city of Anaheim spent around $17 million on credit card purchases from places like Target, Walmart and Amazon over the past two years, recently obtained records show, but the system hasn't been audited since 2018.
Why it matters: The absence of audits was a central issue former purchasing agent Kari Bouffard included in a tort claim in June alleging she was fired for raising concerns that the city’s top finance official, Debbie Moreno, was enabling fraud, wasting millions of taxpayer dollars and lying to the City Council.
About the purchases: LAist requested and reviewed credit card monthly billing statements for all city-issued credit cards for the past two years. The statements show city employees spent tens of thousands of public money at places like Target, Walmart and Amazon. as well as on “food, office and other operational supplies for city business purposes,” according to Lyster. The statements do not show details about specific purchases.
Read on... for details about the purchases.
The city of Anaheim spent around $17 million on credit card purchases from places like Target, Walmart and Amazon over the past two years, recently obtained records show, but the system hasn't been audited since 2018.
Anaheim spokesperson Mike Lyster, who along with city leadership did not answer detailed questions about the purchases, confirmed the lack of audit.
The absence of audits was a central issue former purchasing agent Kari Bouffard included in a tort claim in June alleging she was fired for raising concerns that the city’s top finance official, Debbie Moreno, was enabling fraud, wasting millions of taxpayer dollars and lying to the City Council.
In the legal claim, Bouffard says when she raised concerns over the lack of an audit with the city’s audit team, which then wanted to audit the credit card program, she alleges Moreno told her: “Do not let them in the door.”
“I found her response unprofessional, dismissive, and deeply concerning, particularly given her role as Finance Director and her responsibility to support accountability and internal controls,” Bouffard wrote.
In October, Lyster confirmed an external legal team is conducting “an independent outside review” of the allegations in the tort claim. But he did not answer questions about who the firm is or how much that contract has cost the city.
LAist requested and reviewed credit card monthly billing statements for all city-issued credit cards for the past two years. The statements show city employees spent tens of thousands of public money at places like Target, Walmart and Amazon on “food, office and other operational supplies for city business purposes,” according to Lyster. The statements do not show details about specific purchases.
The Amazon purchases totaled around $1.7 million of public money over the two years, according to the data. Anaheim provided a breakdown of the Amazon purchases that did not include details about what was bought at the online marketplace.
Lyster said Anaheim monitors credit card purchases appropriately.
He confirmed credit card purchases were last audited in 2018 by the city’s Internal Audit team.
“There was no larger concern with any of the findings, and we reject any mischaracterization and misinformation about oversight of the city’s purchasing cards,” Lyster said in a statement.
Lyster told LAist the city’s purchasing agent, who until recently was Bouffard, can “pursue audits at any time,” but one has not been done recently. In the tort claim, Bouffard said she raised concerns with Moreno over “lack of time and staffing within the Purchasing Division to adequately manage and audit the program.” Moreno’s solution, she said, was a temporary staffer — “an insufficient solution given the scope of responsibilities,” Bouffard wrote.
Lyster also said the financial firm KPMG conducts an annual audit of a sample of credit card transactions. LAist asked Lyster for a copy of the KPMG sample audit, but he did not share it.
Anaheim’s credit card spending amounts to about $800,000 a month.
Amazon: $1,726,954.00
Restaurant spend: $804,038.12
Home Depot: $666,982.97
Office Depot: $557,071.43
Grainger: $344,650.22
Hilton: $138,993.06
Target: $136,050.68
Sam’s Club: $119,924.50
Walmart: $57,306.85
Costco: $42,857.63
In-N-Out: $21,020.98
Walmart: $57,306.85
Source: Monthly billing statements obtained via public records request
The city of Irvine, also one of OC’s most populous cities, spends around $500,000 on credit cards every month, according to city spokesperson Kristina Perrigoue. Those purchases are audited monthly, Perrigoue said. Irvine’s purchasing staff randomly selects one department per month to audit and they audit a sample of purchases.
“We take the five users with the highest number of transactions and audit all their transactions for the prior month,” Perrigoue said.
Earlier this year, Anaheim grappled with how to close a $60 million budget shortfall after spending more than they were generating in revenue. City leaders closed the deficit with proceeds from capital bonds and by pulling money previously set aside to repay debt. The City Council recently declined to put a gate tax at its entertainment venues, including Disneyland, to voters. Instead, the majority of the council decided to meet at a future date to discuss revenue generating ideas. At that meeting, Mayor Ashleigh Aitken called for “tightening our belts” to boost revenue.
LAist review of the credit card purchases showed significant spending at vendors — some with which Anaheim has cooperative agreements with.
Cooperative agreements allow agencies like the city of Anaheim to pre-negotiate pricing so they get the best deals.
Anaheim’s credit card policy states that the credit card can only be used for the small dollar purchase of supplies or off-site services. Typically, for bigger purchases, cities turn to cooperative agreements.
“The vast majority of city purchasing — most purchases more than $10,000 — is done by purchase order or contract,” Lyster told LAist.
Credit cards, Lyster said, “provide an efficient, cost-effective way of making smaller purchases, rather than use of petty cash, direct payments, cash advances and check requests, which can be more cumbersome, administratively costly and bring their own risks of misuse.”
“There are cases where a purchase order or contract would be unnecessary and excessive, adding time and cost and impacting timely service to our community,” he continued.
LAist has shared our findings with Aitken, City Manager Jim Vanderpool and all council members. We have also reached out to Moreno for an interview. We will update this story if we hear back.
Here are some of our key findings from Anaheim’s credit card purchases:
City employees spent more than $800,000 on restaurants in Southern California and elsewhere over two years including around $60,000 at K&A Restaurant and over $20,000 on In-N-Out. Some restaurants from the credit card statement include Aloha Steakhouse in Ventura County, Tacos 1986 in Pasadena and BaBaLoo Lounge in Palm Desert.
Lyster told LAist the restaurant spends “are catering expenses for events or meals for special work operations.”
He said the city also provides meals when they “bring together a large contingent of our own police officers and those of other agencies to work demonstrations, high-profile dignitary visits or other occasions,” especially for work in the evening or on weekends.
Lyster added that the council meetings are also catered and the city hosts community events where they cater food for the public.
LAist’s review of the credit card purchases showed thousands of dollars spent at hotels, including the Grand Hyatt in Nashville, Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and a pet hotel in Oxnard.
“The vast majority of this spending is for employee development to ensure our people are continually learning and aware of best professional standards,” Lyster said about the hotel charges. “This is an investment in our workforce that brings better service to our community.”
Lyster attributed this spend to “food and supplies.”
The Community Services Department, he said, buys “food and crafts and other supplies” for the city’s Fun on Wheels program, the Mobile Library and family resource centers.
He declined to answer questions on whether employees submit a request for the purchase of goods and services and how the city tracks if these purchases are used for public benefit. The requests, called requisitions, are typical first steps in the purchasing process detailing quantity, description and use, Bouffard told LAist. When she worked at the county, all purchases went through this “checks and balances process,” she said.
Lyster didn’t confirm if the purchases at these vendors were made using a purchase order.
He confirmed Anaheim has accounts with Grainger, Office Depot and others, but not if the city’s credit card purchases at the vendors are made through the dedicated account.
LAist correspondent Jordan Rynning contributed to this report.
Topline:
California regulators voted to lower how much profit the state’s big four investor-owned utilities can make — but only slightly.
The proposal: The decision lowers the maximum allowed profits for the state’s four investor-owned utilities — Southern California Edison, So Cal Gas, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Gas & Electric — by about 0.3%. That’s less than the 0.35% reduction originally proposed.
The vote: In a 4-1 decision, the state’s five governor-appointed commissioners approved the proposal to lower the payout to shareholders from the state’s major utility companies. They argued the decision strikes a balance between the effort to lower energy bills with the need to keep the utilities financially stable, especially as they work to harden an aging power grid against worsening wildfire conditions. Commissioner Darcie L. Houck was the sole no vote.
The response: Critics say the reduction should go further to meaningfully reduce energy bills, pointing out that the companies have reported record or near-record profits in recent years. The utility companies argued that lowering their returns on equity too far below national averages would hurt shareholder investment and their credit, driving up customer costs over time.
Go deeper: Will California OK lower utility company profits? How a pending vote could affect your electric bill
