Beleaguered firefighters continued to battle the stubborn Palisades Fire Sunday, aided by a pause in the gusty Santa Ana winds that have driven the destructive blaze since it broke out early last week.
The fire was still just 13% contained Sunday afternoon after burning 23,713 acres, and residents and officials were on edge with another strong wind event expected to blow in Monday and last until Wednesday.
"Heads up! Strong, locally damaging, NE/E winds will affect West LA Co. & much of Ventura Co thru Wednesday. Critical fire weather is expected, so PLEASE have multiple ways of getting notifications in case of new fires & prepare ahead of time," the National Weather Service's Los Angeles office posted Sunday afternoon on X.
Compounding the wind events, humidity continues to be low, and the region is suffering from an unusually long absence of rainfall. Forecasters said the Palisades area has not experienced any significant rain since last April, and no rain is forecast for the next two weeks.
At a Sunday afternoon news conference from Zuma Beach in Malibu, officials said they were as prepared as they can be for this week's expected wind event.
Nancy Ward, director of the California Office of Emergency Services, said state officials have pre-positioned additional engines, fire crews, bulldozers and water-dropping aircraft throughout the region.
New evacuations were underway after the fire made a dramatic shift overnight, moving northeast to threaten the Brentwood area and the western San Fernando Valley.
The massive mandatory evacuation zone was stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the west, the San Diego (405) Freeway to the east, San Vicente Boulevard to the south and the Encino Reservoir to the north.
Evacuation warnings were issued for the following two areas: Sunset Boulevard to the south, Mullholland Drive to the north, Bellagio Road/Roscomare Road to the east and the 405 Freeway to the west; and Mulholland/Sepulveda Boulevard to the south, the 405 Freeway to the east, Ventura Boulevard to the north and Louise Avenue to the west.
Video from Saturday showed firefighters battling steep terrain in an attempt to protect homes from encroaching flames in Mandeville Canyon northwest of the Getty Center and west of the 405 Freeway and in Brentwood, with some homes overcome by fire.
Authorities closed several off-ramps to the 405 Freeway to limit traffic in the West Los Angeles area Saturday morning, including Getty Center Drive, Skirball Center Drive, Sunset, Wilshire, Santa Monica and Olympic boulevards. Other road closures were in effect in the Palisades and Malibu areas, including a stretch of Sunset Boulevard, Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon Boulevard.
As of early Sunday morning, at least 5,316 structures had been destroyed, a number that includes automobiles, and at least 426 homes have been destroyed. Authorities said approximately 105,000 people are currently evacuated.
As of Sunday, The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed eight people dead in the Palisades Fire. Officials said the total could grow as more inspections are conducted.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office identified one victim as an 80-year-old man, who died at a local hospital. His identity was withheld pending notification of kin.
Evacuation centers were set up at the following locations:
-- Westwood Recreation Center, 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd.;
-- Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Recreation Center, 14201 Huston St., Sherman Oaks;
-- Lanark Recreation Center, 21816 Lanark St., Canoga Park;
-- Calvary Community Church, 5495 Via Rocas, Westlake Village;
-- Ritchie Valens Recreation Center, 10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd.;
-- Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green St.;
-- Stoner Recreation Center, 1835 Stoner Ave.;
-- Pan Pacific Recreation Center, 7600 Beverly Blvd.
Small animals were being taken at the following locations:
-- El Camino High School, 5440 Valley Circle Blvd, Woodland Hills;
-- Agoura Animal Care Center, 29525 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills;
-- Baldwin Park Animal Care Center, 4275 Elton St., Baldwin Park;
-- Carson Animal Care Center, 216 W. Victoria St., Gardena;
-- Castaic Animal Care Center, 31044 Charlie Canyon;
-- Downey Animal Care Center, 11258 Garfield Ave.;
-- Lancaster Animal Care Center, 5210 W Ave I;
-- Palmdale Animal Care Center, 38550 Sierra Hwy, Palmdale.
Large animals were being taken at the following locations:
-- Pomona Fairplex, 101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona;
-- Industry Hills Expo, 16200 Temple Ave., City of Industry;
-- LA Equestrian, 480 Riverside Drive, Burbank;
-- Castaic Animal Care Center, 31044 Charlie Canyon;
-- Pico Rivera Sports Arena, 11003 Sports Arena Drive.
The American Red Cross Sheltering Site was also assisting with a mobile animal shelter for small animals only.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Sunday that residents will not be allowed back to the evacuation areas until the red flag period has passed. Officials said 16% of damage inspections have been completed, and they were working on a process to allow affected residents to go online to view information about their homes.
Authorities were warning residents near the fire areas that air quality continues to be highly unhealthy. People were urged to suspend the use of leaf blowers, to stay inside with doors and windows closed as much as possible, and to wear masks if they do go outside.
A curfew continues to be in effect nightly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the mandatory evacuation areas in the Palisades and Eaton fire zones. Only firefighters, utility workers and law enforcement personnel are allowed in those areas.
L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna reported Sunday that approximately 29 people have been arrested so far, 25 in the Eaton Fire area and four in the Palisades Fire area, including one man in Malibu who was arrested for allegedly dressing as a firefighter in an attempt to burglarize a home.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sunday that he's deploying an additional 1,000 California National Guard members to Los Angeles County to support safety and security efforts in the wildfire areas, bringing the total deployment to approximately 2,500.
The fire erupted around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the area of Piedra Morada and Monte Hermoso drives as the area was under a red flag warning for critical fire danger due to a historic wind event that saw gusts of 80 mph. It continued to grow exponentially Tuesday and Wednesday thanks to heavy fuel loads and powerful Santa Ana winds.
The winds died down Saturday morning, but another round of gusty northeast winds was expected Sunday, then a stronger offshore wind event will likely develop between Monday night and Wednesday. Low humidity and lack of rain were combining with strong winds to create the dangerous fire conditions, with forecasters calling this January the driest start to a rainy season on record in Southern California.
Water and fire-retardant-dropping aircraft made numerous runs on the blaze in hopes of halting its forward advance.
Although the campus is not currently under an evacuation order, an evacuation warning has been issued to a zone adjacent to UCLA, and officials were asking those on campus to remain vigilant and "be ready to evacuate, should the alert be extended to our campus."
The cause of the fire was unknown. During a briefing Saturday morning, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said authorities have not determined whether any of the fires ravaging the county were intentionally set, but LASD detectives were working with the L.A. county and city fire departments, the Los Angeles Police Department, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to determine their cause.
"We don't want any gaps in information any and every clue is important," Luna said. "If anybody out there has any information on anything suspicious, maybe there's a conversation, maybe there's a social media post, something that you think just doesn't sound right, get it to us."
The deaths from the Palisades Fire were in addition to 16 confirmed deaths in the Eaton Fire in Altadena. On Thursday, representatives of the Los Angeles County Office of Medical Examiner removed remains from the ruins of a home in the vicinity of Duke's restaurant in Malibu. Officials from the sheriff's department told reporters at the scene that deputies received a missing person report, prompting them to conduct a welfare check at the burned- out home, where the remains were discovered.
Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart issued a statement saying the "tragic news weighs heavily on our hearts."
"This is a painful reminder of the profound impact this fire is having on our community," Stewart said. "Malibu is more than a city -- we are neighbors, friends and family. Even when we don't know someone's name, their loss is felt by all of us. In times like this, we must come together, support one another and show the resilience that defines our community."
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said another death occurred at a home in the 15300 block of Friends Street in Pacific Palisades. He said police and the medical examiner responded to the scene, and determined the death was "fire- related." No other details were released.
"It is safe to say the Palisades Fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles," LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley said Thursday morning.
Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said there were a "high number of significant injuries to residents who did not evacuate, in addition to first responders who were on the fire lines."
Those looking for someone impacted by any of the fires in Los Angeles County were asked to contact the Red Cross at 800-675-5799.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger signed an emergency proclamation in response to the fire, and the city of Los Angeles also issued an emergency declaration. Newsom later signed a state of emergency proclamation, and President Joe Biden gave approval to federal funding to help cover costs of the firefighting effort. Biden announced Thursday that the emergency funding, which normally covers 75% of costs relating to firefighting and recovery efforts, will cover 100% of the costs for 180 days.
The Getty Villa museum in Pacific Palisades was not damaged but will remain closed until at least Thursday. Katherine Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust, issued a statement Tuesday evening saying that the staff and art collection at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades "remain safe," although "some trees and vegetation on site have burned."
The Villa houses a treasured collection of Greek and Roman antiquities.
Getty officials also said their Brentwood museum near the San Diego (405) Freeway was closed "out of caution and to help alleviate traffic in the area."
As is standard during high-fire-danger conditions, Southern California Edison customers in some areas were having their power turned off under the utility's Public Safety Power Shutoffs program. The program is designed to de- energize power lines that could potentially be damaged and spark a wildfire during red flag conditions.
As of Sunday morning, 36,737 Edison customers were without power.
"PSPS numbers will continually change as field reports and system updates are completed," the utility stated. Updated information about power cuts is available at sce.com/outage-center/outage-restoration-time.
Additional information is available at: https://www.sce.com/outage- center/outage-restoration-time.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said that as of early Sunday morning 16,091 of its customers were without power. Further updates are available at https://findenergy.com/providers/los-angeles-department-of-water- power/power-outage.
The utility disputed reports that fire hydrants in the Palisades were broken during the first days of the fire, hampering firefighting efforts.
"This was an unprecedented hurricane wind-driven wildfire in an urban area. Our crews and our system was prepared, but overwhelmed by the massive demand as firefighting continued," the DWP said in a statement.
"Any assertion that fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades were broken before the Palisades fire is misleading and false. LADWP works with LAFD who is responsible for inspecting fire hydrants citywide. LADWP repaired every hydrant needing repairs as reported by LA Fire Department inspectors. LADWP's fire hydrant repair list was current and updated, and all reported fire hydrants were fully operational in the Pacific Palisades and in L.A.'s Westside communities prior to the fire.
"No power was lost to LADWP pump stations during the fire, and water supply remained strong to the area," the statement continued. "Water pressure in the system was lost due to unprecedented and extreme water demand to fight the wildfire without aerial support. This impacted our ability to refill the three water tanks supplying the Palisades causing the loss of suction pressure. This impacted 20% of the hydrants in the area, mostly in the higher elevations. As soon as LADWP identified the risk of losing water in the tanks and water pressure in the system, we immediately deployed potable water tankers to sustain support for firefighting efforts.
The agency further explained that "LADWP was required to take the Santa Ynez Reservoir out of service to meet safe drinking water regulations. To commission the support and resources to implement repairs to Santa Ynez, LADWP is subject to the city charter's competitive bidding process which requires time.
"The water system serving the Pacific Palisades area and all of Los Angeles meets all federal and state fire codes for urban development and housing. LADWP built the Pacific Palisades water system beyond the requirements to support the community's typical needs. As we face the impacts of climate change and build climate resilience, we welcome a review and update of these codes and requirements if city water systems will be used to fight extreme wildfires. LADWP is initiating our own investigation about water resiliency and how we can enhance our posture to respond to the impacts of climate change."
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office reports that 16 have died as a result from the fires and 16 remain missing. No juveniles have been reported among the missing, according to the LASD Sheriff Robert Luna.
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