California fires live updates: At least 10 fire-related deaths, medical examiner says

The fire which ignited Thursday afternoon is spreading in the West Hills area.

ByRiley Hoffman, David Brennan, Kevin Shalvey, Nadine El-Bawab, Meredith Deliso, and Leah Sarnoff
Last Updated: January 10, 2025, 12:26 AM EST

At least 10 people are believed to be dead -- with the LA County sheriff saying he expects that number to rise -- as a series of devastating fires grow uncontained across Southern California amid dry and windy conditions, leaving officials scrambling to contain the historic destruction.

Thousands of firefighters are battling at least five sprawling wildfires spread around the Los Angeles area. The largest, the Palisades Fire, in Pacific Palisades, has scorched over 19,000 acres, destroyed thousands of structures and remains zero percent contained. The Eaton Fire, in Altadena, now stands at more than 13,000 acres and zero percent contained. More than 180,000 people have been ordered to evacuate as the infernos spread.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday approved a federal major disaster declaration for Los Angeles County.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Jan 08, 2025, 6:52 PM EST

Malibu 'extremely hard it' by Palisades Fire: LAFD

Malibu took an "extremely hard hit" Wednesday afternoon in the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Lyndsey Lantz told ABC News Live as the fire continued to burn uncontrolled.

The Palisades Fire is moving both east and west amid high winds, which are hindering firefighting efforts, Lantz said.

"We don't have a handle on it yet," Lantz said.

The remains of houses along the Pacific Ocean burned by the Palisades wildfire in Malibu, California, Jan. 8, 2025.
Caroline Brehman/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The fire department has been "overrun" by calls for service, with call volume increasing almost threefold in addition to the fires, Lantz said.

"We have a lot of agencies helping us, coming in from all over California and the western U.S.," she said. "We are extremely grateful for all of that help. But we are fighting against these winds right now ... and still trying to prioritize life safety before we really have any hope of getting a handle on these flames right now."

Jan 08, 2025, 5:52 PM EST

Death toll increases to 5 in Eaton Fire: Sheriff

Five people have now died in the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna confirmed to ABC Los Angeles station KABC.

Previously, two deaths were reported.

People embrace as they evacuate following powerful winds fueling devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area, at the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Jan. 8, 2025.
David Swanson/Reuters

Jan 08, 2025, 5:41 PM EST

5th fire now burning in Los Angeles County

A fifth fire is now active in Los Angeles County.

The Lidia Fire, which started Wednesday afternoon, has grown to 50 acres in Acton and has spread to the Angeles National Forest with 0% containment, officials said.

In this screen grab from a video, a structure burns in the Lidia Fire, in Acton, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025.
KABC

In this screen grab from a video, the Lidia Fire burns in Acton, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025.
KABC

Jan 08, 2025, 5:39 PM EST

LA district attorney addresses looting, scams: 'You will absolutely be punished'

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman had a message for those considering taking "criminal advantage" of the devastating wildfire event through looting or scams.

"If you think for a moment that you can take advantage of this right now or over the next weeks, months or years, you are wrong," Hochman told ABC Los Angeles station KABC on Wednesday. "If you go ahead and you want to loot, if you want to steal, if you want to engage in scams on vulnerable people who have just lost their house and their businesses, we're going to arrest you, we're going to prosecute you and you will absolutely be punished."

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman speaks with KABC, Jan. 8, 2025.
KABC

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department already arrested two individuals for looting Wednesday morning, the district attorney said.

"Again, the thought that they would want to take advantage of people in their most vulnerable situation when they've just lost a house or business, when they're literally evacuating for their lives, is despicable," Hochman told the station.

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