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:
The fires that tore through urban Los Angeles County in January 2025 didn’t just destroy thousands of homes — they left thousands more filled with toxic smoke residue. Now, a state bill aims to set new standards for post-fire contamination testing and cleaning.
The details: Assemblymember John Harabedian, who represents Altadena, introduced AB 1642 this week. The proposed legislation calls on the state’s Department of Toxic Substances Control to set new standards for removing post-fire contamination from homes, schools and workplaces.
The problem: Public health departments have warned residents that smoke from the Eaton and Palisades Fires carried hazardous materials — including lead, asbestos and heavy metals — from burned homes into other nearby properties. But homeowners and renters living near the burn zones have in many cases had to battle their insurance companies and landlords for testing and remediation. One group found that even after cleaning, 63% of tested homes contained lead on their floors at levels far above EPA safety limits.
Read on… to learn how residents are reacting to the new bill.
The fires that tore through urban Los Angeles County in January 2025 didn’t just destroy thousands of homes — they left thousands more filled with toxic ash. Now, a state bill aims to set new standards for post-fire contamination testing and cleaning.
Assemblymember John Harabedian, who represents Altadena, introduced AB 1642 this week. The proposed legislation calls on the state’s Department of Toxic Substances Control to set new standards for removing post-fire contamination from homes, schools and workplaces.
“When it comes to our families' health we trust science, not insurance company guesswork,” Harabedian said in a news release. “Public health will be the standard, not the exception.”
Public health departments have warned residents that smoke from the Eaton and Palisades Fires carried hazardous materials — including lead, asbestos and heavy metals — from burned homes into other nearby properties.
But homeowners and renters living near the burn zones have in many cases had to battle their insurance companies and landlords for testing and remediation.
Resident groups and local scientists have been testing homes before and after professional remediation. One group found that even after cleaning, 63% of tested homes contained lead on their floors at levels far above EPA safety limits.
Nicole Maccalla, director of data science for the group Eaton Fire Residents United, praised the new legislative push. She said last year’s fires were categorically different from fires in more rural areas.
“They weren't just wildfires — they were actually urban fires,” Maccalla said. “We're really at the forefront here in California of trying to identify clear standards so that we can be sure families and residents are safe in their homes and neighborhoods.”
Currently, California law does not set uniform rules for re-occupying contaminated homes after fires based on risks to human health. Lawmakers are treating the bill as an urgency measure, meaning it would take effect immediately if approved.
If passed into law, the bill would instruct the California Department of Toxic Substances Control to establish emergency regulations around testing and removal of contaminants by July 1, 2027.
In response to the L.A. fires, state lawmakers have already clarified that landlords are responsible for cleaning contaminated apartments after disasters. This came in response to some tenants’ inability to get landlords to remediate their homes.
This week, Pasadena officials settled a lawsuit alleging the city failed to protect renters’ right to a habitable home following Eaton Fire contamination.
The settlement will require the city to carry out faster inspections and improve enforcement procedures. The deal is similar to another settlement tenant groups reached with L.A. County last year.
Topline:
The public can now see rescued green sea turtles at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach thanks to a newly built area dedicated to their rehabilitation. And for now, that includes the famous three-flippered turtle Porkchop.
The background: The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach isn’t just a major attraction for tourists and locals — it’s also a sea turtle rescue, endangered shark breeder, a frog nursery and more. The aquarium has long supported conservation efforts across the Pacific Ocean.
Read on... for more on a new dedicated rehab tank and its first turtle resident.
Topline:
The public can now see rescued green sea turtles at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach thanks to a newly built area dedicated to their rehabilitation. And for now, that includes the famous three-flippered turtle Porkchop.
The background: The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach isn’t just a major attraction for tourists and locals — it’s also a sea turtle rescue, endangered shark breeder, a frog nursery and more. The aquarium has long supported conservation efforts across the Pacific Ocean.
New sea turtle rescue: A new rehabilitation tank will allow the public to view green sea turtles rescued from L.A. County and beyond. The aquarium is one of two facilities in Southern California with the capacity to do such rehab for these turtles (the other being SeaWorld). Much of this work has been done out of the public’s view. The aquarium has rescued, rehabilitated and released local green sea turtles since 2000 — the most they’ve rehabbed in a year is 16, said lead veterinarian Dr. Lance Adams.
Porkchop, turtle ambassador: The aquarium’s first ambassador is an endearing three-flippered turtle that staff dubbed Porkchop (for her hefty appetite). She was rescued from the San Gabriel River last March after volunteers spotted her tangled in fishing line and caught on debris. One of her flippers had to be amputated, and a hook was removed from her throat, but she continues to recover well and staff members hope she can be released into the wild soon.
Go deeper: Meet Porkchop, the Aquarium of the Pacific's rescued green sea turtle
Topline:
Mayor Karen Bass and county Supervisor Kathryn Barger say President Donald Trump’s executive order on rebuilding after the Palisades and Eaton fires “political posturing.”
About the executive order: The order, signed last Friday, calls for federal regulators to step in and preempt state and local construction permitting processes after disasters like the January fires, instead allowing builders to self-certify their compliance with standards. The executive order also requires a federal audit of California’s use of FEMA grant funds.
Where Bass and Barger say Trump could help: Both officials called for Trump to release what Barger said is $34 billion in FEMA funding that has not been provided. Bass also encouraged Trump to help by pulling together the banking and insurance industries to help survivors.
But is it legal? Justin Levitt, a professor of constitutional law at Loyola Marymount University, said Trump does not have authority to nullify state and local building regulations without an act of Congress.
Read on... for more about the executive order and this morning’s conversation on AirTalk.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and county Supervisor Kathryn Barger say President Donald Trump’s executive order on rebuilding in the wake of the Palisades and Eaton fires "political posturing."
Trump also does not have authority to nullify state and local building regulations without an act of congress, according to Justin Levitt, a professor of constitutional law at Loyola Marymount University.
On Wednesday, the three joined AirTalk host Larry Mantle to discuss Trump’s executive order that was signed last Friday. The order calls for federal regulators to step in and preempt state and local construction permitting processes after disasters like the January fires, instead allowing builders to self-certify their compliance with standards. The executive order also requires a federal audit of California’s use of FEMA grant funds.
“ We always see this from the president,” Bass said, “which is posturing and using something in a political manner.”
Bass said she had complimented the Trump administration at the beginning of the disaster response for its “massive” deployment of Army Corps of Engineers, who helped in the debris removal process.
Both Bass and Barger, whose district includes Altadena, said local permitting processes already allow for self-certification. And both encouraged the president to help survivors by providing FEMA money that has not yet been reimbursed. Barger said that's to the tune of $34 billion.
“FEMA has put $170 million into Victims’ pockets via Individual Assistance,” a Trump spokesperson told LAist in an emailed response to Barger’s claim. “While FEMA is still processing California’s applications for cost-share State projects like infrastructure, essentially all FEMA money to individual victims and households has already been paid out.”
Instead of trying to sidestep local government policy, Bass said, Trump could lean on his connections with the insurance and banking industries to have them help fire survivors.
“He should say, ‘You guys need to put together a loan fund for people in the Palisades and Altadena and in Malibu. You guys need to extend forbearance,’” Bass said. “He could do that.”
Levitt said there's a history of presidential directives preempting local decisions, but that authority was given under existing federal laws. Levitt said he doesn’t see how any of those statutes apply in this case.
“ The big thing the president's focusing on is a purported takeover, declaring that people don't have to listen to state and local regulations when they're getting federal money, and that's just not true,” Levitt said.
If you have a tip, you can reach me on Signal. My username is jrynning.56.
He added that Congress could pass a new law that allows the federal government to step in. And he noted that Trump’s executive order did instruct federal agencies to ask Congress for new legislation.
“"Until Congress acts, the president's job here is to disperse the cash that local residents are owed, and that's about it," Levitt said.
Topline:
For years, the U.S. federal government participated in these calls, which are organized by the World Health Organization. Now, as the Trump administration says it has withdrawn from WHO over its handling of COVID, among other things, California is stepping in.
Why it matters: It is the first state to join WHO's Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network, also known as GOARN. Dr. Erica Pan, director of the California Department of Public Health, says she's been in touch with other states hoping to follow suit. Illinois, in a press release, said it's "making preparations" to join.
Not quite a member but still a participant: That doesn't mean California, for example, could become a full-fledged WHO member. Many forums and meetings hosted by WHO are limited to member states — meaning national governments. But some parts of WHO, like GOARN, are open to a broader array of groups, including nonprofit and multinational organizations, academic centers and different levels of governments. Like American states.
Read on... for what this means for California.
At 5 a.m. California time, when it is still dark outside, a member of the state's Department of Public Health gets on a weekly call.
The topic? Health emergencies all over the world.
For years, the U.S. federal government participated in these calls, which are organized by the World Health Organization. Now, as the Trump administration says it has withdrawn from WHO over its handling of COVID, among other things, California is stepping in.
It is the first state to join WHO's Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network, also known as GOARN. Dr. Erica Pan, director of the California Department of Public Health, says she's been in touch with other states hoping to follow suit. Illinois, in a press release, said it's "making preparations" to join.
"The Trump administration's withdrawal from WHO is a reckless decision that will hurt all Californians and Americans," said California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a statement. "California will not bear witness to the chaos this decision will bring."
This move by states to take things into their own hands is part of a broader trend, according to Dr. Gavin Yamey, a professor of global health and public policy at Duke University.
"I think this is a very smart and savvy play," says Yamey. "The federal government has reneged on its public health protection responsibilities, and you're seeing states taking steps so they still are part of the international response to outbreaks and emerging threats."
That doesn't mean California, for example, could become a full-fledged WHO member. Many forums and meetings hosted by WHO are limited to member states — meaning national governments. But some parts of WHO, like GOARN, are open to a broader array of groups, including nonprofit and multinational organizations, academic centers and different levels of governments. Like American states.
GOARN is made up of over 350 such groups that work together to detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks and public health emergencies. The network was created in 2000 after leaders realized that a lack of coordination was hindering outbreak response. Since its creation, GOARN has helped organize, analyze and respond to emergencies like SARS, Ebola and mpox.
Members of GOARN participate in weekly calls, get regular outbreak updates and also get access to WHO Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources platform, which "is continuously scanning global open sources for signals of outbreaks and health events," says Pan. "We're just now getting training and onboarding."
Pan says participating in the network and platform brings better awareness of global health threats — and lets the state respond accordingly. "[It] helps us anticipate threats earlier," says Pan, noting a drop-off in federal health guidance, including the lack of a national flu vaccination campaign this flu season.
Indeed, the U.S. federal government has said it does not plan to continue participating in groups like GOARN. In a statement sent to NPR earlier this month, the U.S. State Department wrote: "The United States will not be participating in regular WHO-led or managed events."
Instead, the U.S. is taking a different approach, pursuing health and aid agreements directly with individual countries. These agreements often include sharing disease outbreak information.
"The United States is charting its own course on global health engagement, grounded in accountability, transparency, and the expertise of America's public health institutions," said a statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to NPR. "States do not set U.S. foreign policy."
Not everyone agrees with this stance.
Some conservative voices have urged the U.S. to continue participating in certain WHO forums, particularly those that provide information, data and assessments for emerging infectious disease outbreaks. For example, Brett Schaefer — a senior fellow at the right-leaning thinktank the American Enterprise Institute — said, even as the U.S. withdraws from WHO, the U.S. should continue to participate in initiatives like the Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources platform "to make sure that you have full, robust access to the information."
This type of international platform would be "a very difficult thing for the U.S. to replicate or to try and build outside of the World Health Organization — also [it'd be] somewhat inefficient," says Schaefer.
However, he said over email that the jury is still out on California's decision to join GOARN. "It's interesting but unclear at this point," he wrote, noting that WHO has not clarified California's status. He added: "It also could just be a PR stunt by Newsom."
WHO did not respond to NPR's requests for comment on California's participation in GOARN or any other parts of WHO as well as on other states that have reached out to join.
This new model does have a potential downside — a split between states that join part of WHO and states that don't, says Yamey: "You could end up having this awful, tragic divide" where some state leaders have access to better, more up-to-date outbreak information for making public health decisions than leaders in other states, he says.
Pan says California is hoping to partner with other states that don't join GOARN. "Our intent is really to — acknowledging that we are the biggest state with the largest state health department — step up and provide some leadership."
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