A state of emergency has been declared in California as wildfires whipped up by extreme winds continue to sweep through the Los Angeles hillside dotted with celebrity homes.
Two people have been killed in the ongoing fires, multiple injured, and thousands have fled their homes, authorities have confirmed.
More than 1,400 firefighters have been deployed and are working on four fires in LA County.
The four main wildfires are burning in the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, and Woddley and are estimated to have destroyed over 26,000 acres in total.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the flames had burned through at least 12,000 acres in the Pacific Palisades alone.
Around 70,000 people across LA have been told to evacuate, authorities said, adding that the Palisades fire has now burnt more than 1,000 structures.
A lack of water hampered efforts in the Palisades where according to Janisse Quinones, chief executive of the city’s water and power department, the municipal water system there relies on three large tanks that hold approximately a million gallons each.
The third and final tank was empty at around 3am local time she said, meaning firefighter were left with insufficient supply to battle the flames.
In Eaton, east of Los Angeles near Pasadena, the blaze had spread explosively since it sparked on Tuesday evening, covering more than 10,000 acres.
Two fatalities have been reported so far, with authorities adding that zero per cent of the blaze has been contained.
The erratic weather prompted Joe Biden to cancel plans to travel to inland Riverside County, California, where he was to announce the establishment of two new national monuments in the state.
Speaking at press conference, Biden said the government is doing “anything and everything” we can to “contain the fires”.
The president also announced the deployment of federal air tankers, firefighting helicopters, and dozens of fire engines to assist against the fires.
A Santa Ana windstorm is forecast to increase overnight and continue for days, which is expected to worsen the fire.
Locals were forced to abandon their cars and flee on foot to safety after roads became blocked by flames in the affluent area of Pacific Palisades, home to celebrities including Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.
Speaking of the Palisades fire, LA county fire chief Anthony Marrone said: “We have well over 5,000 acres that have burned, and the fire is growing.
“We have no percentage of containment. We have an estimated 1,000 structures destroyed.”
“There are not enough firefighters in LA County to address four separate fires of this magnitude,” he added.
Speaking at a news conference in Los Angeles, LAPD chief Jim McDonnell described the fires “a tragic time in our history”.
He added that the winds he had witnessed were like “something I’ve never seen before” and applauded the efforts of emergency crews risking their lives in the dark to protect the city and its residents.
Across the wider California area, 1.5 million customers were without power, according to tracking site PowerOutage.US.
In Los Angeles County, nearly a million had no power while in Orange County 162,428 customers were without electricity.
The city of Malibu urged its residents to be prepared to evacuate. Parts of Malibu and Santa Monica are already under evacuation orders, with local media reporting that the fire has spread north.
Nightmare Fuel
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) January 8, 2025
Two men and a dog trapped in a home surrounded by the Palisades fire. pic.twitter.com/YDCkFmLNbH
The blaze began shortly after the start of a Santa Ana windstorm that the National Weather service warned could be “life-threatening” and the strongest to hit southern California in more than a decade.
Residents of Pacific Palisades between Santa Monica and Malibu, including numerous A-list celebrities, were told “don’t wait, evacuate” as the blaze grew to 300 acres within four hours.
“Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW,” read one notice posted by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
What is a windstorm?
A windstorm is a weather phenomenon of sustained high winds.
Unlike hurricanes or tornadoes, windstorms are often caused by pressure differences in the atmosphere, leading to rapid air movement.
In Southern California, these conditions are frequently linked to Santa Ana winds – dry, gusty winds that originate inland and accelerate as they funnel through mountain passes and canyons toward the coast.
Santa Ana winds are created by high pressure over the Great Basin – the vast desert to the west of LA. The sinking air loses its moisture as it flows in a clockwise direction, surging past towering mountain ranges to the densely populated coastal areas of southern California.
Meanwhile, southern California is experiencing drought-like conditions, with scientists warning that global warming is intensifying these crises, creating the perfect storm for wildfires.
The Hollywood premieres of Unstoppable starring Jennifer Lopez and Ryan Gosling-produced Wolf Man were cancelled as residents were ordered to evacuate their homes.
Huge billows of smoke could be seen blowing from the hills from miles away as flames encroached on nearby homes.
The fire was fueled by Santa Ana winds that blow warm and dry air from the inland deserts toward the coast.
Actor Steve Guttenberg, who lives in the Pacific Palisades, urged people who abandoned their cars to leave their keys behind so he can move them out of the way for firetrucks.
“This is not a parking lot,” Guttenberg told KTLA. “I have friends up there and they can’t evacuate – I’m walking up there as far as I can moving cars.”
The Hills stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag say they have lost their home in wildfires in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood of Los Angeles.
The pair, who married for the second time in 2009, documented the escalation of the blaze on their Snapchat stories, while Pratt posted videos of firefighters dropping water from aeroplanes on Instagram.
Pratt, 41, can be seen packing his things as the fire spreads and making “one last coffee before the house potentially burns down” in the posts.
Where are the wildfires?
Four wildfires are spreading across Los Angeles.
The first fire started in the Pacific Palisades area on Tuesday.
A second, named the Eaton Fire, about 30 miles north east in Altadena, started near a nature preserve at around 6.30pm local time (2.30am UK time).
A third blaze in Sylma, in the north of the city, has been dubbed the Hurst Fire.
The most recent of all the wildfires, the Woodley Fire, is currently burning over 75 acres of terrain.
The smallest of the five, the Tyler Fire broke out in Riverside County – the state’s fire authority says it’s now 100 per cent contained
Some evacuees walked away from the wildfire, while others got stuck in traffic in their cars.
Before the disaster began, the National Weather Service had issued its highest alert for extreme fire conditions for much of Los Angeles County from Tuesday through Thursday, predicting wind gusts of 80-130kph (50-80mph) with isolated winds of 80-100kph (50-60mph) in the mountains and foothills.
That is combined with low humidity and dry vegetation due to a lack of rain.
“In other words, this is about as bad as it gets in terms of fire weather,” the Los Angeles office of the National Weather Service said on X.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said that southern California was facing a “critical” weather event as “strong Santa Ana winds and low humidity” were causing “extreme wildfire risks”.
It comes less than a month after residents in Malibu were evacuated from a wind-driven blaze dubbed the Franklin Fire, which saw more than 4,000 acres burn and stars including Dick Van Dyke, Cher and Jane Seymour forced to leave their homes.
Celebrities flee Los Angeles and Malibu
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill is among celebrities who have spoken out about the fire. He said he was evacuated from Malibu and told residents to “stay safe”.
On his social media, he said: “Personal Fire Update: 7pm – Evacuated Malibu so last-minute there small fires on both sides of the road as we approached PCH (Pacific Coast Highway).”
From there he went to his daughter Chelsea’s house in Hollywood with his wife Marilou and their dog Trixie. He said: “8:15pm – Marilou, Trixie & I arrive at Chelsea’s house in Hollywood. Most horrific fire since ’93. Stay safe.”
Actor Chris Pratt encouraged people to “come together” and “support one another” amid the destruction.
The Guardians of the Galaxy star posted on Instagram: “Please send prayers and strength tonight to everyone in Los Angeles affected by these devastating fires … Thank you to the brave firefighters and first responders who are working tirelessly to protect lives, homes, and wildlife as they battle fast-moving wildfire fueled by fierce winds.
“You are true heroes, and we are endlessly grateful for your sacrifice and courage.”
Actor Josh Gad, who voices Olaf in the Frozen films, said: “My deepest gratitude and appreciation goes out to our brave fire and rescue and police forces who are doing everything in their power to keep the residents of Los Angeles safe right now.”
Actor James Woods, known for Once Upton a Time in America and Casino, shared security camera footage of flames engulfing a nearby home and at the bottom of his balcony on X.
“We were blessed to have LA fire and police depts doing their jobs so well. We are safe and out…Can not speak more highly of the LA fire and LAPD,” the Golden Globe and two-time Emmy-winning actor said.
