California fires updates: Death toll in Los Angeles fires rises to 24

Thousands of firefighters are battling the sprawling wildfires across LA.

ByJon Haworth, Emily Shapiro, Nadine El-Bawab, Meredith Deliso, Ivan Pereira, David Brennan, and Bill Hutchinson
Last Updated: January 12, 2025, 8:26 PM EST

At least 24 people are believed to be dead and more than a dozen others remain unaccounted for as multiple fires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds, continue to rage across Southern California, leaving fire crews scrambling to contain the historic destruction.

Thousands of firefighters are battling several sprawling wildfires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. The largest, the Palisades Fire, in Pacific Palisades, has scorched nearly 24,000 acres, destroyed thousands of structures and is 11% contained. The Eaton Fire, in Altadena, now stands at more than 14,100 acres and is 27% contained. The Hurst Fire near Sylmar has burned 799 acres and is 89% contained.

About 105,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders and another 87,000 are under evacuation warnings.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Jan 22, 10:08 am

Status of Palisades, Eaton fires

The Palisades Fire, which began in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, has destroyed or damaged more than 6,000 structures. It's covered more than 23,700 acres and is at 68% containment.

The Eaton Fire north of Pasadena also began on Jan. 7 and has destroyed or damaged more than 10,000 structures. It's burned over 14,000 acres and is at 91% containment.

Jan 10, 2025, 7:22 PM EST

Firefighter finds woman's wedding ring in rubble

Victoria DeSantis has seconds to evacuate her Altadena home this week from the Eaton Fire. She left so quickly, she left behind her wedding and engagement rings.

Victoria DeSantis poses with her wedding ring that had been lost in the rubble of her home in Altadena, Calif.
Courtesy Victoria DeSantis

She returned to find her home of 20 years had turned into rubble. She sifted through the debris to find her melted engagement ring. She thought the wedding band had melted in with it as well.

A firefighter was on the ground with her and found the ring, seemingly untouched by the fire's wrath.

She says it was one bright light during a very dark week.

Victoria DeSantis poses with her wedding ring that had been lost in the rubble of her home in Altadena, Calif.
Courtesy Victoria DeSantis

-ABC News' Zohreen Shah

Jan 10, 2025, 6:14 PM EST

Palisades Fire now over 21,000 acres

The Palisades Fire has grown to 21,317 acres and is 8% contained, fire officials said Friday afternoon.

The remains of homes are seen following the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles, Jan. 10, 2025.
David Ryder/Reuters

Jan 10, 2025, 5:08 PM EST

Newsom calls for independent investigation into water supply

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling for an independent investigation into the "loss of water pressure to local fire hydrants and the reported unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir," he said on X on Friday.

"We need answers to ensure this does not happen again and we have every resource available to fight these catastrophic fires," he said.

A firefighter pulls a hose while battling the Eaton Fire on Jan. 8, 2025, in Altadena, Calif.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Times reported that the Santa Ynez Reservoir in the Pacific Palisades had been closed for repairs at the time the destructive fire started.

Newsom called the reported lack of Santa Ynez Reservoir water supplies and the loss of water pressure to some fire hydrants during the fires "deeply troubling" in a letter to the heads of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and LA County Public Works.

"While water supplies from local fire hydrants are not designed to extinguish wildfires over large areas, losing supplies from fire hydrants likely impaired the effort to protect some homes and evacuation corridors," he stated in the letter, shared on X.

Jan 10, 2025, 4:56 PM EST

More than 100,000 residents under evacuation orders

Approximately 100,053 residents remain under evacuation orders in the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Kenneth and Lidia fires, according to Los Angeles County Assistant Sheriff Myron Johnson.

Another 166,800 residents are under evacuation warnings, he said.

People arrive at an evacuation center in the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, Calif., as they flee wildfires in the Los Angeles area, Jan. 10, 2025.
Agustin Paullier/AFP via Getty Images

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