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LA fires live updates: 9 people charged with looting, DA says

A man has also been charged with arson for a fire in Azusa.

ByKevin Shalvey, David Brennan, Emily Shapiro, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: January 14, 2025, 4:01 AM EST

At least 24 people have died and more than a dozen others remain unaccounted for as multiple wildfires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds, rage across the Los Angeles area.

Thousands of firefighters are battling wildfires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. About 92,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders and another 89,000 are under evacuation warnings.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
Jan 13, 11:28 am

Status of Palisades, Eaton fires

The Palisades Fire, which began in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, has destroyed about 5,000 structures. It's covered more than 23,000 acres and is at 14% containment.

The Eaton Fire north of Pasadena also began on Jan. 7 and has destroyed or damaged around 7,000 structures. It's burned over 14,000 acres and is at 33% containment.

2 hours and 34 minutes ago

Firefighters stop forward progress of Auto Fire

Firefighters stopped forward progress of the Auto Fire in Ventura County late Monday night, the Ventura County Fire Department said, with the blaze mapped at 55.7 acres with 0% containment.

Firefighting teams "remain on scene mopping up hotspots and working to increase containment," the department said. "The fire was confined to the river bottom and no structures were threatened. The cause of the fire Is under investigation."

-ABC News' Marilyn Heck

2 hours and 58 minutes ago

LA mayor issues executive order to expedite rebuilding

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order late Monday that her office said "will expedite the rebuilding of homes, businesses and communities" devastated by local wildfires.

Firefighters hose down hotspots in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 13, 2025.
John Locher/AP

"This order is the first step in clearing away red tape and bureaucracy to organize around urgency, common sense and compassion," Bass said in a statement. "We will do everything we can to get Angelenos back home."

The order was issued as dangerous wind conditions threatened additional homes across the Southern California area.

"This unprecedented natural disaster warrants an unprecedented response," Bass said.

A mayor's office press release said the executive order will coordinate debris removal from all impacted areas, expedite all building permit activity and take immediate action to make 1,400 units of housing available.

The order also set a one-week deadline for all city departments to list relief needed from state and federal authorities.

-ABC News' Tristan Maglunog

Jan 13, 2025, 7:25 PM EST

More firefighting resources being deployed ahead of extreme fire weather

Additional firefighting resources will be allocated in advance of the extreme fire weather forecast this week in Southern California, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office announced Monday.

That includes more than 300 additional firefighting personnel and 135 engines -- making for more than 15,000 personnel total and 1,900 fire engines, water tenders, aircraft and bulldozers combined in the ongoing fire response, the office said.

Jan 13, 2025, 7:07 PM EST

How the Palisades Village managed to survive the firestorm

The Palisades Village is largely unscathed amid the devastating Palisades Fire, even as buildings across the street burned to the ground.

That's because the owners of the outdoor mall hired private tankers to fend off the flames as the fire encroached, ABC News Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman reports.

Tankers could be seen on Monday preparing for the next Santa Ana wind event forecast for this week.

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