The high winds that have fanned enormous fires in the Los Angeles area, killing ten people, destroying entire communities, and causing anxiety in the country’s second-largest metropolis are expected to subside on Friday, firefighters hope.
Among the deceased are four men who were either unable to flee or had remained to protect their homes in Altadena, a neighborhood close to Pasadena that is populated by middle-class and working-class families, many of whom are Black and have lived there for many generations.
The San Fernando Valley’s Kenneth Fire broke out Thursday afternoon. The fire extended into neighboring Ventura County, but firefighters’ massive and forceful reaction prevented it from getting worse.
Since the fires started to spread across a heavily populated 25-mile area north of downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, they have destroyed over 10,000 houses and other structures.The biggest fires still have no known cause.
Here’s the most recent:
Incarcerated people help fight fires
Almost 800 prisoners have been temporarily released to help firefighters contain the catastrophic wildfires in Southern California.
These prisoners are a member of 35 fire camps located across California that are part of the minimum-security Conservation Camp Program. More than 1,800 crew members who are incarcerated work in the camps, offering vital assistance in times of need, such as floods and fires.
Drone crash grounds firefighting plane
According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, a private drone struck a firefighting jet Thursday, forcing it to be grounded. There were no injuries.
Flying a drone while fighting a fire is a federal offense.
Some journalists covering the fires have lost their homes
When Jacob Soboroff, an NBC News correspondent, pulled his SUV onto the Pacific Palisades street where he was raised, he had no idea what to anticipate.
On Wednesday, he discovered a burning ruin where his childhood house once stood. There was nothing save the ruins of a brick wall and chimney. In the Los Angeles area, where Soboroff is one of many journalists reporting and living the story, it was one of the innumerable buildings burned by the flames.
He shattered the so-called fourth wall by sharing his story across multiple NBC News platforms on Wednesday and Thursday, giving viewers a close-up look at what the tragedy was like.
In the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Thursday, January 9, 2025, some homes remain intact while others have been torched. (Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo)
National Guard troops on the ground
The National Guard was called in to help defend property in the fire evacuation zone, and by dawn on Friday, troops were patrolling Altadena’s streets.
At junctions in the city that were severely damaged by the Eaton Fire, troops in camouflage were stationed close to Jeeps, Humvees, and other military vehicles.
In the locations where the fire raged, at least 20 people have been arrested for theft and looting.
In order to facilitate arrests, Los Angeles County officials said they intend to implement an evening curfew.
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