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With fire danger still high, authorities implore you to follow evacuation orders. Lives are at stake
People evacuate Temescal Canyon during the Palisades Fire on Tuesday.
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Robyn Beck
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AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
Heroic rescues. Heartbreaking tragedies. And no need for many of them, emergency response leaders say. Officials continue to implore people to heed evacuation mandates and be prepared to flee when a warning is issued.
By the numbers: Tens of thousands of residents remain under evacuation orders or warnings across Los Angeles County as of Sunday morning
Why it matters: If people heed warnings to leave, it prevents the need for miraculous rescues or heartbreaking tragedies.
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"I know it's chaotic, it's stressful, it's not easy. Important paperwork, your medication, your pets, maybe supplies for your pets. Those kind of things, have those ready to go," L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said this weekend at a news conference. "You've heard me say it the last couple of days, every miraculous story of a rescue or tragedies that we're encountering? The majority are people who did not heed the warning to leave."
The shells of cars along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu on Thursday.
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David Pashaee
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AFP via Getty
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The remains of homes in Altadena near Marathon Road are seen from space after the Eaton Fire.
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Satellite images ©2025 Maxar Technologies
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How many people usually stay behind? Research suggests that during every big wildfire, about 10% of residents stay behind. An additional 25% linger after the call, and when they finally evacuate ahead of the oncoming flames, it's far riskier than if they had left early. Some stay behind to try to save their homes. Here's our explainer on why experts do not want you to do this.
Some caveats: It's not clear what percentage of people who stay behind might face particularly difficult circumstances evacuating — in particular, people with disabilities.
What will make it easier to evacuate?
- Before: Your very short guide to getting packed up right now to evacuate
- During: A very short guide for how to leave your house if you need to evacuate
- After: I had to evacuate my home, what do I do next?
Do you have a question about the wildfires or fire recovery?
Check out LAist.com/FireFAQs to see if your question has already been answered. If not, submit your questions here, and we’ll do our best to get you an answer.
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