California fires updates: Death toll in Los Angeles fires rises to 29

The additional fatality was attributed to the Palisades Fire, officials said.

Last Updated: January 28, 2025, 12:53 AM GMT

At least 29 people have died as multiple wildfires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds, rage across Southern California.

Thousands of firefighters have been battling wildfires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. The two largest fires, the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, remain active. One of the latest, the Hughes Fire in the Castaic area, has prompted evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people.

ABC News has kicked off "SoCal Strong" (#SoCalStrong), highlighting the impacted communities and offering fundraising opportunities for victims of the fires. The coverage will continue across multiple ABC News programs and platforms.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
Jan 24, 7:20 pm

Tracking ongoing California wildfires

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 23,000 acres and is at 87% 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 95% containment.

Jan 16, 2025, 4:50 PM GMT

Landslide spotted in Palisades burn area

A home that survived by the Palisades Fire has now been damaged by a landslide in the burn area.

A landslide damages a home in the Palisades Fire burn area.
KABC

A landslide damages a home in the Palisades Fire burn area.
KABC

Cal Fire said teams are in the fire zones analyzing the burn areas to determine places of concern.

Jan 16, 2025, 4:32 PM GMT

'At least a week out' from residents returning home: Sheriff

Search and rescue operations are ongoing, and residents forced to evacuate from the fires are still "probably at least a week out" from returning home, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.

The Walsh House, from the television series "Beverly Hills 90210" remains standing beside a fire-ravaged home in Altadena, Calif. on Jan. 15, 2025.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

"We still have a variety of work and structures to go through," Luna said, noting that some areas are being held because officials believe there may be deceased victims there and crews need to the right resources to process the scenes properly.

The "entire city family is working collaboratively to get you back into your homes and communities as soon and as safely as possible," LA City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley added.

The sheriff’s department currently has 31 active missing person reports: 24 from the Eaton Fire and seven from the Palisades Fire, Luna said. The LAPD has eight missing persons cases: five were most likely found dead and three remain missing, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said.

Jan 16, 2025, 3:51 PM GMT

Eaton Fire containment jumps to 55%

The Eaton Fire, which destroyed blocks of homes in Altadena, is now 55% contained.

Firefighters spray the rubble of fire-ravaged homes in Altadena, Calif., Jan. 15, 2025, that were demolished by the Eaton Fire.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

The Eaton Fire has damaged or destroyed 7,000 structures, making it the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history and second-most destructive in state history.

Jan 16, 2025, 8:30 AM GMT

Palisades Fire investigators have more than 150 leads

Officials giving an update on the Palisades Fire on Wednesday said they have generated more than 150 leads as they probe the cause and progress of the blaze.

Jose Medina, acting special agent in charge of the ATF Los Angeles Field Division, said investigators are scouring video from state owned cameras that were in place in the area, from residents in the area and from social media posts.

An aerial view shows the devastation from the Palisades Fire on beachfront homes on Jan. 15, 2025 in Malibu, California.
Jae C. Hong/AP

Investigators have conducted interviews with individuals that initiated the 911 calls and the first responders to the Jan. 7 blaze, as well as the fire that was started in the area and put out on Jan. 1, he said.

Medina appealed to any hikers who were on nearby trails around Skull Rock on the morning of Jan. 7 to contact investigators. "We are talking to individuals about not just what they saw, but what they smelled and they heard," he said.

"Even if you were in the area and saw or smelled nothing that too could be valuable information," Medina said.

Asked if rekindling of the Jan. 1 fire appeared the most likely cause, Medina said investigators "are not leading towards anything right now. We're taking everything in evaluating all the evidence we received, but it's too early on in the investigation to make any determination."

-ABC News' Lissette Rodriguez

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