Officials in Los Angeles Many say wildfires remain out of control across the city and urged residents to comply with ongoing evacuation orders Thursday.
Mayor Karen Bass delivered the letter alongside police and firefighter chiefs at a news conference Thursday. Police said they have already arrested 20 people for looting and robbery in evacuation zones, and more arrests are expected.
“It's certainly an unprecedented, historic firestorm,” Bass said. “But we're all on deck. We need to continue to cooperate. We need to evacuate when we're told to do so. We need to help others, help our neighbors. Above all, we need to stay united.”
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone announced that the Eaton and Palisades wildfires were 0% contained. The Eaton Fire reached 10,600 acres, and the Palisades Fire reached 17,234 acres.
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks with California Governor Gavin Newsom while surveying damage during the Palisades Fire on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Jeff Gretchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images))
Another wildfire in Lydia is 40% contained, Marrone said. This fire was limited to only 348 acres. The fire is in Hollywood Hills Hurricane Sunset is still out of control, but officials said they have succeeded in stopping its forward progress.
“The cause of the fire is still unknown and is still under active investigation,” Maron said.
As of Thursday afternoon, nearly 180,000 people had been evacuated from their homes, and another 200,000 were under evacuation warnings.
A Super Scooper drops water on the Palisades Fire on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Pacific Palisades, California. (Brian Van Der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell also noted that he was “not satisfied” with current reports of deaths from firestorms. The current official number is five deaths, and McDonnell says he expects that number to rise.
Bass also noted that aircraft were once again able to join firefighting efforts on Thursday. High winds prevented planes and helicopters from operating over the fires on Wednesday.
A fire burns during the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. The most devastating wind storm to hit the Los Angeles area in 14 years is fueling wildfires and forcing thousands of residents to flee for their lives, with… Expect dangerous winds to continue for at least two more days. (Jill Connelly/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Confront the mayor Sharp questions from reporters after the briefing, with inquiries highlighting that she was out of the country when the fires broke out.
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“Do you believe your leadership was effective in responding to this disaster?” one reporter asked.
Bass said her focus is on saving lives, but she said there will be time to investigate Los Angeles' preparedness for the crisis later.
