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California fires live updates: LA area faces 'particularly dangerous situation'

"Be ready to evacuate if you get the order," Gov. Gavin Newsom said.

Last Updated: January 13, 2025, 6:04 AM EST

At least 24 people are believed to be dead and more than a dozen others remain unaccounted for as multiple wildfires, 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. About 105,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders and another 87,000 are under evacuation warnings.

Latest headlines:

3 hours and 19 minutes ago
Forecast calls for 'Particularly Dangerous Situation' for fires, Newsom warns

Here's how the news is developing.

Jan 13, 3:34 am

Tracking ongoing California wildfires

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection listed three ongoing wildfires in the Los Angeles area as of Sunday night.

The Palisades Fire began in the Pacific Palisades area of the city on Jan. 7. It is at 23,713 acres in size with 13% containment. Approximately 5,000 structures have been destroyed.

The Eaton Fire north of Pasadena also began on Jan. 7. It is burning at 14,117 acres with 27% containment on Sunday. Around 7,000 structures are believed to have been damaged or destroyed.

The Hurst Fire in Sylmar, northwest of San Fernando, began on Jan. 7 and has burned 799 acres. It is at 89% containment.

35 minutes ago

68 arrested, many for burglary, in fire evacuation zones, police say

At least 68 people have been arrested in fire evacuation zones, according to law enforcement officials, as police work to secure devastated parts of Los Angeles and firefighters continue to battle wildfires.

Members of the Los Angeles Police Department watch over homes burned by the Palisades Fire on Jan. 12, 2025 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.
Apu Gomes/Getty Images

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said it recorded 29 arrests -- 25 in the Eaton Fire area north of Pasadena and four in the Palisades Fire area in western Los Angeles.

The Santa Monica Police Department reported 39 arrests in evacuated areas in its jurisdiction on Saturday night, including 10 for burglary and six for possession of burglary tools. None of those arrested lived in the area, the department said.

-ABC News' Marilyn Heck

3 hours and 19 minutes ago

Forecast calls for 'Particularly Dangerous Situation' for fires, Newsom warns

Gov. Gavin Newsom warned late Sunday that the week was beginning with a forecast for a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" for new wildfires, even as the firefight against the several fires still burning continued.

"Emergency responders are ready tonight. Pre-positioned firefighters and engines are spread around Southern California," he said on social media. "Stay safe. Be ready to evacuate if you get the order."

Firefighters work to clear a firebreak as the Palisades Fire, one of several simultaneous blazes that have ripped across Los Angeles County, burns in Mandeville Canyon, a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, Jan. 12, 2025.
Ringo Chiu/Reuters

The warning, which comes from the National Weather Service, says that the fire risk is high in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties amid strong winds, a lack of recent rainfall and relatively low humidities. The warning begins Monday night and runs through Wednesday morning, the service said.

It's is the fourth of its kind in three months, Newsom said. The first came ahead of the Mountain Fire in Ventura, which destroyed 243 structures. The second preceded the Franklin Fire in Malibu, which destroyed 20 structures.

And the third preceded the Palisades and Eaton Fires, which have now destroyed thousands of homes and structures, he said.

Jan 12, 2025, 8:26 PM EST

Death toll in Los Angeles fires rises to 24

There have been at least 24 fire-related deaths in the Palisades and Eaton Fires, according to the latest tally from the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner.

The number of fatalities is expected to rise as officials continue to battle the dual fires.

According to the medical examiner, there have been 16 confirmed deaths linked to the Eaton Fire and eight fatalities due to the Palisades Fire.

Jan 12, 2025, 7:34 PM EST

Los Angeles Unified School District reopening some schools Monday

Los Angeles Unified School District announced some schools are reopening Monday, depending on the location of the institution and the weather conditions.

LAUSD said school principals will contact communities directly.

ABC News confirmed that some community members received calls on Sunday about schools reopening.

The district has over 1,500 schools serving roughly 600,000 students in grades K–12. Schools across the district have been closed due to fires since Thursday.