APPLENEWS - STORY ADD
California fires live updates: LA mayor's office denies report fire chief was dismissed
Thousands of firefighters are battling the sprawling wildfires across LA.
Nearly a dozen people are believed to be dead -- with the Los Angeles County sheriff saying he expects that number to rise -- as devastating fires spread 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 LA area. The largest, the Palisades Fire, in Pacific Palisades, has scorched over 21,000 acres, destroyed thousands of structures and is 8% contained. The Eaton Fire, in Altadena, now stands at more than 13,000 acres and is 3% contained. More than 100,000 people are under evacuation orders.
David Muir anchors a special edition of "20/20" with continuing coverage of the deadly California fires. “American Catastrophe: LA Burning - A Special Edition of 20/20” starts tonight at 9/8c on ABC.
Key Headlines
- LA mayor's office denies report fire chief was dismissed
- Flare-up of Palisades Fire in Santa Monica mountains brings intense flames
- Firefighter finds woman's wedding ring in rubble
- 11 fire-related deaths reported to medical examiner
- Newsom calls for independent investigation into water supply
- 18 arrests so far in Eaton, Palisades fires
- More than 100,000 residents under evacuation orders
- Biden says death toll likely to increase
- Palisades Fire scorches over 20,000 acres, 8% contained
- Despite 'frustration' from erroneous alerts, public shouldn't disable phone messages: Official
Firefighter finds woman's wedding ring in rubble
Victoria DeSantis has seconds to evacuate her Altadena home this week from the Eaton Fire. She left so quickly, she left behind her wedding and engagement rings.
She returned to find her home of 20 years had turned into rubble. She sifted through the debris to find her melted engagement ring. She thought the wedding band had melted in with it as well.
A firefighter was on the ground with her and found the ring, seemingly untouched by the fire's wrath.
She says it was one bright light during a very dark week.
-ABC News' Zohreen Shah
11 fire-related deaths reported to medical examiner
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said Friday it is investigating 11 fire-related deaths reported to the department.
Five cases are from the Palisades Fire and six from the Eaton Fire, the department said.
So far, three of the cases have been confirmed to be human remains, the medical examiner said.
Palisades Fire now over 21,000 acres
The Palisades Fire has grown to 21,317 acres and is 8% contained, fire officials said Friday afternoon.
Newsom calls for independent investigation into water supply
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling for an independent investigation into the "loss of water pressure to local fire hydrants and the reported unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir," he said on X on Friday.
"We need answers to ensure this does not happen again and we have every resource available to fight these catastrophic fires," he said.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the Santa Ynez Reservoir in the Pacific Palisades had been closed for repairs at the time the destructive fire started.
Newsom called the reported lack of Santa Ynez Reservoir water supplies and the loss of water pressure to some fire hydrants during the fires "deeply troubling" in a letter to the heads of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and LA County Public Works.
"While water supplies from local fire hydrants are not designed to extinguish wildfires over large areas, losing supplies from fire hydrants likely impaired the effort to protect some homes and evacuation corridors," he stated in the letter, shared on X.