Topline

At least two people have died in the three major wildfires that broke out around Los Angeles County on Tuesday, officials said, while strong winds continue to spread the uncontained flames – which led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.

Important facts

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How big is the Palisades Fire?

The Palisades Fire began around 10:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday and has burned more than 2,900 acres as of 5:30 a.m. PST on Wednesday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which has issued evacuation orders for Palisades residents and those , who live along a stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway. About 30,000 residents in the Palisades and surrounding areas are under evacuation orders, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department, as Cal Fire reported 0% fire containment early Wednesday.

How big is the Eaton fire?

The second fire, called the Eaton Fire, started Tuesday evening in Eaton Canyon near the San Gabriel Mountains and grew rapidly overnight, covering 2,227 acres as of Wednesday morning with 0% containment. The Eaton fire also triggered a series of mandatory evacuations in the surrounding Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre areas. City officials said at least 550 homes in Pasadena were affected by the evacuation orders, which cover large swaths of the city’s northern neighborhoods as well as most of eastern Altadena and almost all of the Sierra Madre.

How big is the Hurst fire?

The Hurst Fire was reported later Tuesday evening after it broke out near the Los Angeles-area suburban Sylmar neighborhood, north of the rest of the city. Shortly after the report, the Los Angeles Fire Department issued evacuation orders for the area, warning of “rapid spread.” As of Cal Fire’s last update at approximately 5 a.m. PST on Wednesday, the Hurst fire also grew rapidly to 500 acres, 0% of which was contained.

How will the Santa Ana winds affect the fires?

Officials expressed concerns that fast winds in the area could worsen the wildfires on Wednesday. Wind gusts of up to 100 mph were reported early Wednesday near Altadena and other surrounding areas. The National Weather Service forecast wind gusts of 50 to 80 mph in parts of Southern California and gusts of up to 100 mph in the mountains and foothills through Wednesday night. The conditions are the result of a wind pattern called the Santa Ana winds or “devil winds.” These are often fast, dry, warm winds that originate inland around Nevada and Utah and blow toward the coastal regions of Southern California.

How many people were injured by the fires?

At least two civilians died in the Eaton fire, but their cause of death is unknown, Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said during a news conference Wednesday. Marrone said there were also “a large number of significant injuries to residents who were not evacuated.” A 25-year-old firefighter suffered a serious head injury while battling the Palisades fire on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Fire Department told NBC News. There were “several burn victims” who were treated by medical officials, although the number of people treated was not immediately known.

Which celebrities have been affected by the fires?

Actor Mark Hammill wrote on Instagram on Tuesday that he had evacuated his home in Malibu, while singer Mandy Moore said she had been evacuated with her children and animals and said she felt “disappointed by the destruction and loss” caused by the forest fires were caused. Vice President Kamala Harris’ home in Los Angeles was evacuated, although no one was in the house at the time of the order, spokesman Ernesto Apreza said. Keith Wasserman, founder of real estate investment firm Gelt Venture Partners, said he would pay “any amount” for private firefighters to protect his Pacific Palisades home, sparking backlash from some users on X. Other celebrities who reportedly have homes in affected areas under evacuation orders include Adam Sandler, Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.

Which schools are closed due to the wildfires?

Several schools in the affected region were closed Wednesday, including six schools in the Los Angeles Unified Schools District such as Palisades Charter Elementary School. All schools in the Pasadena Unified School District will remain closed Wednesday to “allow our crews time to assess and repair the damage caused by the Eaton fire.” Several other area school districts also canceled classes Wednesday, including Glendale Unified School District, Alhambra Unified School District, South Pasadena Unified School District, South Pasadena Unified School District and Burbank Unified School District. Pepperdine University’s campuses in Malibu and Calabasas were closed Wednesday because of nearby fires, the university said, although the flames did not pose an immediate threat to either campus.

Which events are canceled due to the wildfires?

The Screen Actors Guild canceled its in-person awards nomination ceremony Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution” because of the wildfires. Nominations will be announced Thursday on the SAG Awards website, the guild said. Universal Studios said its Hollywood park would close Wednesday due to “extreme winds and fires,” adding that it expected to reopen Thursday.

Did the fires cause power outages?

More than 220,000 homes and businesses in Los Angeles County were without power early Wednesday morning, according to PowerOutage.US. The LA Department of Water and Power said its crews were responding to impacts from the storms and wildfires.

Will the fire impact flights from Lax and other airports?

According to FlightAware, there were no significant flight delays or cancellations as of Wednesday morning at Los Angeles International Airport, located about 30 kilometers south of the Pacific Palisades. The much smaller Hollywood Burbank Airport is experiencing some flight disruptions: About 9% of departures are canceled and another 16% are delayed on Wednesday.

What other areas in Southern California are at risk of fire?

The National Weather Service fire outlook warns of elevated to critical fire weather across much of Southern California on Tuesday. The critical fire weather warning area will expand by 278 square miles on Wednesday for a total of 5,035 square miles in the region. The NWS also issued an extreme fire warning – the highest fire danger – from Wednesday through Thursday for a 1,463-square-mile swath of land that includes areas such as Santa Clarita, Simi Valley, Altadena, Moorpark and Santa Paula.

Crucial quote

“California has deployed more than 1,400 firefighters and hundreds of emergency responders to battle these unprecedented fires in LA. “Emergency officers, firefighters and first responders are on deck throughout the night doing everything we can to protect lives,” Newsom said on X.

Important background

The emergence of weather conditions reminiscent of La Niña, a climate phenomenon associated with drier conditions and drought in the southern portions of the United States, likely contributed to the prime fire conditions throughout Southern California. Los Angeles in particular has experienced an overwhelming amount of precipitation in addition to a dry winter over the last eight months. The last time the city recorded more than a tenth of an inch of rainfall was last May, according to the Los Angeles Times, contributing to the drought. The mix of dry conditions and strong winds is the main driver of Tuesday’s fires and also contributed to another fire in the Pacific Palisades in 2021 that burned more than 1,200 acres.

Further reading

With negligible rain in 8 months, Southern California is trending toward drought (LA Times)

Residents flee on foot as Palisades Fire sets hillside homes ablaze (LAist)