California fires live updates: 5 dead in LA fires as crews work to control new blaze

The Pentagon "will continue to stand ready to surge support as needed" to the wildfire response, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said during a press briefing in Germany on Thursday.

That includes offering "federal air assets that California can request to help fight the fire from the sky" and any assistance in personnel and equipment that can be surged from U.S. military bases in California, he said.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden directed the Department of Defense to provide additional firefighting personnel and capabilities, including ordering 10 Navy helicopters with water buckets from San Diego to head to Los Angeles to help put out the fires. Two Modular Air Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) units are also being deployed from each of the California and Nevada National Guards to spread fire retardant.

Asked why more troops and aircraft haven't been sent to assist California and whether it was because California hasn't asked, Austin reiterated that the "U.S. military stands ready to assist in any way that we possibly can to help the people of California" and pointed out that the state "has a lot of capability on its own."

He agreed that the fires are "pretty significant" and that while "few requests have been made thus far, we stand ready to surge capability in as quickly as possible."

Austin pointed out that the MAFFS systems have been sent and will be used when the winds allow.

"We're going to make sure that we remain closely linked to the director of FEMA and the leadership in California to ensure that if they have a need, then we're ready to respond," he said.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

Mayor Karen Bass deflected when asked about the city's preparation for the fires and her decision to travel to Ghana for its president's inauguration while serious warnings were in place for wildfires.

Bass said that should not be the focus at the moment.

"We have to protect lives, we have to save lives and we have to save homes. Rest assured, when that is done, we will absolutely do an evaluation to look at what worked, what didn't work," Bass told reporters Thursday.

"My focus right now is on the lives and on the homes," Bass said.

Bass was also asked about a reduction in budget for fire, to which she highlighted the serious budget deficit and said the numbers cited could be misleading because some funding could initially be held back. She said she did not believe reduced funding had any detrimental effect on fighting these wildfires.

"I'm not here to talk about our budget," Bass added.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said he is not able to confidently give an update on additional fatalities at this time, after reporting five deaths in the Eaton Fire on Wednesday.

"At one point, we'll be able to do a more thorough search of these impacted areas, some of them look like a bomb was dropped in them, where we will be able to bring in canines and other things to help us," he said.

Though Luna conceded he does expect the death toll to increase.

"Unfortunately, based on the preliminary information I've seen, at least in the two large fires that we're dealing with on each side of the county, unfortunately, I think the death toll will rise," he said.

The power, transportation and sewer systems have been "significantly damaged" in the fires, Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella said during the briefing, as they focus on utility restoration.

There is also a "tremendous amount of debris" that needs to be cleared, he said, warning that some debris may be hazardous and toxic.

He said the reservoirs are full and "continue to be ready and at the disposal of our firefighting friends," though the municipal water system "continues to suffer poor water quality" due to the ash and debris.

"I would just say, with all caution, anyone who's remained behind, if there is any residence in your area that is burned to the ground and you are still there, you should just go ahead and boil water," he said.