Los Angeles officials said multiple wildfires remained uncontained across the city and urged residents on Thursday to continue following evacuation orders.
Mayor Karen Bass delivered the message at a news conference Thursday along with police and fire leaders. Police have already arrested 20 people on suspicion of looting and robbery in evacuation areas, and announced that more arrests are expected.
“This is a historic firestorm that is completely unprecedented,” Bass said. “But we're all doing our best. We need to continue to work together. We need to evacuate when we're asked to evacuate. We need to help others, we need to help our neighbors. And first and foremost. , we need to stay united.”
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Malone announced that the Eaton and Palisades wildfires are 0% contained. The Eaton Fire grew to 10,600 acres, and the Palisades reached 17,234 acres.
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass chats with California Governor Gavin Newsom while surveying damage from 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 wildfire in Lydia is 40% contained, Marrone said. The fire was confined to only 348 acres. The Hollywood Hills and Sunset fire remains uncontained, but authorities said they were able to stop the fire from progressing.
“The cause of the fire remains unknown and remains under active investigation,” Marrone said.
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As of Thursday afternoon, about 180,000 people had been evacuated from their homes, and another 200,000 were under evacuation orders.
A super scooper plane drops water on a fire in the Palisades, Tuesday, January 7, 2025, in Pacific Palisades, California. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell also said he was “not satisfied” with current reports on the death toll from the firestorm. The current official tally is five people dead, and Mr McDonnell said he expected that number to rise.
Bass also noted that aircraft were once again able to participate in firefighting efforts on Thursday. Strong winds prevented planes and helicopters from flying over the fire Wednesday.
On Wednesday, January 8, 2025, the Sunset Fire caused a fire in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles, California. The most destructive storm to hit the Los Angeles area in 14 years has sparked wildfires and displaced thousands of residents. Dangerous wind gusts are expected to continue for at least two more days, threatening their lives. (Jill Connelly/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
After the press conference, the mayor faced pointed questions from reporters, who emphasized that he was out of the country at the time of the fire.
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“Do you think your leadership has been effective in responding to this disaster?” a reporter asked.
Bass insisted he was focused on saving lives, but said he would have time to examine how Los Angeles is preparing for the crisis at a later date.
