California fires live updates: 18 arrests so far in Eaton, Palisades fires

A 12-hour curfew is in effect for all evacuated areas to protect the structures and prevent looting, Los Angeles officials said at a press conference Friday. Any violators of the curfew will be arrested.

"People may talk about no bail, but I assure you, if someone is caught you will not be cited and released -- you will be booked and go to jail," Los Angeles County Sherrif Robert Luna said at a press conference Friday.

Law enforcement will be strictly enforcing the curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., with exceptions allowed for disaster workers and credentialed media.

A super scooper plane fighting the Palisades Fire struck a drone on Thursday, leaving it out of commission until at least Monday as it gets repaired, officials said.

This was one of only two super scoopers available, officials said.

LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman warned that anyone flying a drone will be prosecuted.

"If you're thinking that it's fine to send a drone up in the area for your own amusement, or you want to get information that nobody else can get, and you do it in one of these areas that for which drones are not permitted … you will be arrested, you will be prosecuted and you will be punished to the full extent of the law," he said.

The Eaton Fire is now at 13,956 acres with 3% containment. The fire is believed to have damaged or destroyed 4,000 to 5,000 structures, according to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone.

There are currently 5,527 firefighters responding to the fire.

The fire did make a push toward Mount Wilson Observatory on Thursday, but the building did not suffer any damage. One firefighter was injured due to a fall while responding to the fire, but the firefighter is currently recovering.

The region is in a "much better posture" than it was earlier this week, Marrone said at a press conference Friday.

The red flag warning will continue until Friday at 6 p.m. PST, but firefighters will be preparing for the next red flag event expected to begin on Monday, Marrone said.

The Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades has now scorched over 20,000 acres -- larger than all of Manhattan, which is 14,600 acres.

Thanks to favorable wind conditions overnight, the Palisades Fire is 8% contained, LA City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said at a news conference early Friday.

Wind gusts are expected to increase Friday morning; firefighters are prepared, Crowley said.

The Palisades and Eaton fires have become the No. 1 and No. 2 most destructive fires in Southern California history in terms of structures burned.