Dozens of people accused of looting homes and businesses amid the Palisades Fire in the upscale coastal Los Angeles County neighborhood have been pictured in mugshots.
The alleged criminals were mostly men but included at least one woman. None lived in the evacuation zone and appeared to have traveled to the Pacific Palisades neighborhood to take advantage of the devastation, officials said on Tuesday.
More than 40 people have been charged with burglary, drug possession and other offenses.
Ten burglary suspects were taken into custody in the Pacific Palisades evacuation zone and six of them had ‘burglary tools’ on them, according to Santa Monica cops. Three of their mugshots have been released including that of Joshua Kaliel Love who allegedly was holding a window-breaking instrument, a dagger, a window punch, gloves and narcotics.
Residents around the Palisades Fire on Tuesday were told to ‘evacuate now’ ahead of strong winds expected to sweep Los Angeles over the next 24 hours.
The winds could spark new extreme fire activity as firefighters work to increase containment of multiple ongoing wildfires.
‘This is a particularly dangerous situation,’ said Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath during a press conference in the morning.
‘From now through tomorrow, the strongest winds will be this evening, and we ask everyone to get prepared now to evacuate.’
Firefighters in Los Angeles are preparing for what could be the most dangerous days of the disaster, one week after fires first broke out across Southern California.
Almost the entire area of Los Angeles is under a fire warning of some sort, ranging from ‘elevated’ to ‘extreme’.
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LAFD Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said: ‘This setup is about as bad as it gets. We are not in the clear.’
Strong winds are beginning to pick up and will last into late Wednesday night, prompting fears of even worse damage.
More than 9,000,000 people live in the area covered by the fire warnings – more than in London.
The dry Santa Ana wind gusts will range from 30 to 50 mph, with gusts of up to 75mph in certain areas.
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Palisades fire activity ‘very little’ around the perimeter
Burning from the Palisades Fire has slowed as firefighters have continued efforts to contain the inferno and winds were weaker than forecast on Tuesday.
‘I’m happy to say that there’s very little activity around the fire’s perimeter when it comes to visible flames,’ said LA County Fire Battalion Chief Christian Litz on Tuesday.
‘However, we do have a lot of heat along the edges, so we’re working very hard to mitigate any of those sources so we don’t have any unwanted activity.’
The fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood is 17% contained, per Cal Fire.
Auto Fire 25% contained as firefighters top its growth
The Auto Fire, which started on Monday night in Ventura County, is 25% contained as of mid-afternoon Tuesday, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection incident page shows.
Firefighters have kept the blaze from growing and are building on the containment line, Ventura County Fire Department spokesperson Scott Dettorre told CNN.
Palisades Fire may have started near another blaze on New Year’s Day
The Palisades Fire looks to have ignited within 300 feet of a prior fire that started on New Year’s Day before being extinguished, according to satellite analysis by CNN.
Images from the European Space Agency and video from ALERTCalifornia on January 7 showed the fire in the Pacific Palisades less than 300 feet from a burn scar from the New Year’s Day fire.
‘The proximity of the two fires has led to questions as to whether winds could have rekindled smoldering debris from the New Year’s Day fire to trigger the Palisades Fire that began January 7,’ reported CNN.
In addition, the news outlet obtained Los Angeles County dispatch audio in which one firefighter said over the radio: ‘The foot of the fire started real close to where the last fire was on New Year’s Eve.’
The cause of the Palisades Fire remains under investigation.
Pictures show devastation of iconic school featured in films
New photos show the high degree of fire damage to Palisades Charter High School, which was where Carrie, Teen Wolf and other films were shot.
Winds ‘lighter than expected’ but threat isn’t over
Winds so far on Tuesday have not been as strong as forecast earlier, but the threat is not over. Los Angeles officials had warned residents of 75mph winds that could persist over the next 24 hours, and even called on people near the Palisades Fire to ‘evacuate now’.
Gusts that were 60mph to 70mph in the Santa Monica, San Gabriel and Santa Susanna mountains early Tuesday have not maintained speed in the coastal and valley areas, where they have decreased to around 30mph.
‘Winds starting off generally a little lighter than expected as previous models were a little heavy handed for today,’ stated the National Weather Service in Los Angeles.
‘Some consideration will be given to modifying the current hazards, including possibly the PDS (particularly dangerous situation red flag warning) areas.’
But PDS red flag warnings in the area remain.
40,000 fire victims have applied for federal assistance
About 40,000 people have applied already for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to FEMA Region 9 regional administrator Robert Fenton, Jr.
FEMA has given more than $8million in assistance for immediate needs. Individuals can receive up to $43,600, Fenton said during a press conference on Tuesday.
He urged victims to file insurance claims separately, as FEMA cannot cover 100% of their losses.
Eva Longoria pledges $1,000,000 to fire relief
Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria and her foundation are donating $1,000,000 to aid those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires.
Longoria has pledged some of the £41 million she received from the Courage and Civility Award she got from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in March.
The money will support the Latino Community Foundation and the California Community Foundation’s wildlife recovery fund.
Longoria, who donated clothes and ’emptied out my pantry’ to help those affected, evacuated her home during the warnings but later returned. ‘A lot of people weren’t so lucky,’ she said in an Instagram video.
Former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro confirmed the star and her Eva Longoria Foundation would channel money from the Bezos prize to support victims of the fire.
Longoria, 49, previously said she would match $50,000 to the charity This Is About Humanity in their efforts to support frontline workers and families impacted by the fires.
Madlib’s home and 30-year record collection destroyed
Hip-hop producer Madlib lost his family home and his record collection spanning more than three decades to the Los Angeles wildfires.
‘We are reaching out with heavy hearts to ask for your support in helping legendary producer Madlib and his family rebuild after losing their home, decades of music, and equipment in the devastating LA fires,’ Madlib and his manager Stacy Epps wrote on Instagram on Monday.
They shared a fundraiser to help Madlib and his family rebuild from their loss. Fellow artists including Flying Lotus and Freddie Gibbs helped spread the word.
Madlib lost rare vinyl records, CDs and cassettes from around the world.
Residents urged to wear respiratory masks
People in areas impacted by ash from the wildfires should wear proper respiratory masks to help protect against potential health problems,
People living in areas hit with ash from the wildfires have been urged to wear respiratory masks like the N95 and P100.
‘These masks are specifically designed to reduce the exposure to harmful fine particles found in the ash and smoke, which can penetrate deep into your lungs and cause serious health problems,’ said Dr Anish Mahajan, who is chief deputy director for Los Angeles County’s public health department, during a press conference on Tuesday morning.
He said that cloth face coverings, bandanas and even medical masks do not cut it in terms of protection.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued a windblown dust advisory for the region.
Trump ‘has absolutely been invited’ to tour wildfire areas
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said President-elect Donald Trump has been invited to tour places ravaged by wildfires, despite his criticism of Democratic leadership in the preparation and response.
‘I have talked to key members of the incoming administration,’ Bass told reporters after a news conference on Tuesday morning.
‘He has absolutely been invited.’
Trump’s team has been discussing visiting California as soon as next week.
Bass said she would ‘evaluate everything’ after the worst of the fires have passed.
‘Well, I mean, you know, everything could be better,’ she said. ‘There is no question about that.’
Time has come to ‘think about how we rebuild’
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass encouraged residents to think about how they can start ‘moving forward’ and rebuilding from the wildfires devastation.
‘We’re going to make it through these next few days, but we want to begin to think about how we rebuild,’ said Bass during a press conference on Tuesday morning.
She announced a new Disaster Recovery Center for Palisades and Hurst fire victims to receive assistance if they lost important documents like driver’s licenses or birth certificates, and need help applying for disaster relief loans.
Three arrested for arson and dozens more for other violations
Three people have been arrested after being caught allegedly starting fires in Los Angeles since Sunday, said LA City Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell.
One individual was taken into custody by North Hollywood cops on Sunday night after allegedly sparking fires with a barbecue lighter. The individual had an outstanding felony warrant for arson.
Two more arrests were made on Monday. West Valley cops apprehended an individual who was seen lighting a fire on a bush which firefighters were able to extinguish, said McDonnell. And West Los Angeles cops responded to a call for a person who set a trash can on fire, which was also put out by firefighters.
Additionally, 40 others have been arrested around the county including for looting, flying drones illegally and violating curfew orders, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.
At least two dozen missing but no new remains found
There are at least two dozen missing persons cases including 18 from the Eaton Fire and six from the Palisades Fire, according to Los Angeles sheriff’s officials who are investigating.
All the people reported missing are adults.
‘The good news was that no other remains were found yesterday,’ said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna during a press conference on Tuesday morning.
‘Hopefully, that happens again today.’
Firefighters working ‘tirelessly’ to increase containment
Firefighters are working nonstop to make progress on containment as winds threaten to increase. The Palisades Fire is 17% contained at 23,713 acres, said LA City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley during a press conference on Tuesday morning.
‘Firefighters will continue to work tirelessly throughout the day to increase containment lines, to prevent further spread and address any flare-ups,’ she said.
The Eaton Fire is 35% contained and has charred over 17,000 acres.
Meanwhile, the Hurst Fire is nearly fully contained at 97% and has burned 799 acres.
FEMA says wildfires misinformation spread is deliberate
There is a deliberate spread of misinformation on government assistance around the Los Angeles wildfires akin to Hurricane Helene, according to Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell.
’We are seeing that,’ said Criswell when asked by President Joe Biden during a White House briefing on Tuesday.
Biden also asked US Forest Service Chief Randy Moore about disinformation and he said: ‘There’s always rumors with large fires like this, Mr President.’
President-elect Donald Trump is among right-wing members who have accused Democratic leadership in Los Angeles of not being adequately prepared to fight the fires.
New fire breaks out in San Diego
Calfire has posted on X: ‘We are at scene of a vegetation fire near Pamo Road and West Haveford Road in the community of Ramona.
‘The fire is currently half an acre with a moderate rate of spread, there is a potential to stop the fire with the initial dispatched resources.’
San Diego is about 100 miles south of Los Angeles, but still under a fire warning.
It’s about 7am in California right now, and smoke is visible on the horizon as many fires continue to burn in Los Angeles.
Strongest winds and where they’ve been reported
The National Weather Service of Los Angeles is closely monitoring the incoming Santa Ana winds.
The heavy winds are expected to last until Wednesday night.
So far, the worst gusts have been recorded at
- Julians Ridge – 56 mph
- N3 Highway – 58 mph
- Sandstone Peak – 60 mph
- Millcreek RAWS – 62 mph
- Magic Mountain Truck Trail – 72 mph
‘Historic’ destroyed – and 1/3 of members lose homes
Altadena Community Church has been destroyed in the wildfires, leaving a third of its congregants without homes.
Organist Evan Griffith said the church’s organ, which dates back to 1948, was also lost in the fire.
He told the BBC: ‘It’s especially devastating for folks who have lost their homes to lose their spiritual home as well.’
Human remains are being found ‘every day’ in Altadena
LAPD Sheriff Robert Luna said his deputies are finding burned remains of fire victims ‘every day’ in Altadena, which has seen some of the worst damage from the fires.
‘It is a very grim task,’ he said.
High winds and dry conditions burned down most of Altadena. A viral video was shared online of burning embers blowing past a McDonald’s sign in the LA enclave.
Watch: fire chief gives warning ahead of high winds
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