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

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

ByKevin Shalvey, David Brennan, Emily Shapiro, Meredith Deliso, Riley Hoffman, and Julia Reinstein
Last Updated: January 27, 2025, 7:53 PM EST

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, 2:20 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 22, 2025, 8:14 PM EST

Hughes Fire expands over 9,400 acres with 0% containment

During a press briefing Wednesday evening, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone shared an update on the weather-driven Hughes Fire, which has expanded over 9,400 acres with no containment.

Firefighters work as the Hughes Fire burns in Castaic Lake, Calif., on Jan. 22, 2025.
David Swanson/Reuters

Marrone called the situation in Santa Clarita "dynamic and difficult to contain" in the dry, windy weather conditions.

The fire chief said the light to moderate Santa Ana winds are continuing to spread the blaze, but so far, no structures have been damaged or destroyed.

Approximately 31,000 people have been affected by evacuation orders and another 23,000 are under evacuation warnings.

A red flag fire warning for Los Angeles and Ventura counties has been extended until Friday at 10 a.m., officials said.

Jan 22, 2025, 6:55 PM EST

Hughes Fire now over 8,000 acres

The Hughes Fire has now burned 8,096 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties since igniting late Wednesday morning near Castaic Lake, according to Cal Fire.

A firefighter truck backs up from flames of smoke from the new Hughes Fire at the Lake Hughes Road in Castaic, a northwestern neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 22, 2025.
Apu Gomes/AFP via Getty Images

Jan 22, 2025, 6:26 PM EST

24k under evacuation order amid Hughes Fire

More than 24,00 people have been ordered to evacuate due to the Hughes Fire.

Another 30,000 people are in evacuation warning zones.

A plume of smoke is seen from the new Hughes fire in the Sylmar neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Jan. 22, 2025.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

Inmates at the Pitchess Detention Center, in Castaic south of the fire, are being moved out of the jail in a partial evacuation, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed to ABC News.

Jan 22, 2025, 5:31 PM EST

I-5 shutting down in fire area

Interstate 5 is closing indefinitely in the area of the Hughes Fire in Castaic, officials said.

The closures are at State Route 126 for northbound traffic and Grapevine Road for southbound traffic, California Highway Patrol said.

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