Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
Firefighters across SoCal battle new fires as red flag warning conditions subside
Apparatus sits on Sepulveda Boulevard as fire burns along the 405 Freeway on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, in Los Angeles.
(
Mark J. Terrill
/
AP
)
This is a developing story and will be updated. For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:
Firefighters across Southern California were gain the upper hand on new fires that cropped up heading into what forecasters say could be a rainy weekend.
Extreme dry conditions, low humidity and increasing winds made the chances of fires starting and spreading high before the weekend.
Days after the Palisades and Eaton fires ravaged the Los Angeles area — and as crews try to get a handle on the Hughes Fire in Castaic — firefighters were actively working these flames:
Sepulveda Fire (contained)
Firefighters made quick work of a brush fire that broke out overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning — prompting evacuation warnings along the 405 Freeway in the Sepulveda Pass. Within hours, forward progress of the brush fire was stopped at about 45 acres, officials reported.
Evacuation warnings for Bel Air and Brentwood residents went into place early Thursday morning, but have since been lifted.
Sponsored message
The fire was still 100% contained as of Friday afternoon.
-
Biologists have attached tiny, solar transmitters to the monarch butterflies, allowing researchers and everyday visitors to help track the butterflies’ movements in real time. -
Echoing state and local officials, a new analysis agrees: hydrant failures in the Palisades fire were ‘the rule rather than the exception.’ -
California’s snowpack is about 20% of normal for this time of the year, according to the state’s snow-tracking website.
Hughes Fire
Firefighters continue to make progress in containing the massive Hughs Fire that broke out Wednesday near Castaic Lake, growing to more than 10,000 acres and forcing mass evacuations.
Thousands of people remain under evacuation warnings even as containment reached 56% as of Friday morning.
For more on the fire, read our story here.
Laguna Fire
#lagunafire; Forward progress on the Laguna Fire has been stopped as of approximately 11:30am. The fire has been held to 50 acres. Nearly 200 firefighters remain on scene working to mop up remaining hot spots and work to increase containment. The evacuation order for CSUCI has… pic.twitter.com/hbeUPw35rr
— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) January 23, 2025
Sponsored message
A fire broke out near CSU Channel Islands near Camarillo on Thursday morning and eventually grew to about 93 acres. After firefighters said they were able to make progress on stoping its spread, it was at 70% contained by Friday afternoon.
The Ventura County Sheriff's Department announced evacuation orders for the university and University Glen as a precaution, although the fire was moving in the opposite direction.
The evacuation order for CSUCI was also reduced to a warning, and no structures were destroyed or damaged by the fire.
Listen to our Big Burn podcast
Listen
39:42
Get ready now. Listen to our The Big Burn podcast
Jacob Margolis, LAist's science reporter, examines the new normal of big fires in California.
Fire resources and tips
Check out LAist's wildfire recovery guide
Sponsored message
If you have to evacuate:
- Why fire officials don't want you to stay and defend your home
- How to get packed up
- How to leave your house
- What evacuation terms mean and how to sign up for alerts
Navigating fire conditions:
- How to drive in high winds and fire danger
- How to prep for power outages
- How to navigate poor air quality
How to help yourself and others:
- Resources for fire victims, evacuees and first responders
- If you want to help fire victims, resist the urge to volunteer
- How to help find lost pets
How to start the recovery process:
- What to do — and not do — when you get home after a wildfire
- How to make an insurance claim
- How to safely clean up wildfire ash
What to do for your kids:
- How to talk to children about wildfires and losing a home
- What parents should know about wildfire air quality
Prepare for the next disaster:
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
