Los Angeles wildfires, day 11: What’s the latest and what do investigations show? | Climate crisis news

Although the dangerous weather conditions that sparked the devastating fires in Los Angeles have subsided, forecasters warn that another round of Santa Ana winds is expected early next week.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said Thursday evening that the death toll had risen to 27. Authorities warned that the number could rise further as search and rescue efforts continued.

According to local media reports, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has received more than 150 tips on what caused the Palisades fire.

Here’s what we know:

What are the latest developments on the ground?

Number of dead and missing

• The fires killed at least 27 people, while 31 others are still missing. Entire neighborhoods were destroyed, and the authorities said it would take months to clean them up.
• Ten of the deaths were related to the Palisades Fire, and 17 deaths were related to the Eaton Fire.
• About 82,400 people remain under evacuation orders, with another 90,400 under evacuation warnings.

Active fires

• Barrier fire: It has burned approximately 9,596 hectares (23,713 acres) in and around the Pacific region and is 27 percent contained.

No growth has been reported in the past 72 hours.

• Eaton fire: This fire has burned more than 5,713 hectares (14,117 acres) and is now 55 percent contained, an increase of 10 percent since yesterday.

The City of Pasadena has declared a local public health emergency in response to the ongoing impact of the Eaton Fire.

“Ash and debris pose a significant current and future potential risk to health, safety and the environment,” Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) He said in a press release. “PPHD is declaring a local health emergency to ensure residents take appropriate measures to protect themselves from toxic ash and debris.”

• Automatic fire: This started in Ventura County and is now 85 percent contained. Firefighters halted their advance, limiting the burn area to 25 hectares (61 acres).

According to Cal Fire, more than 5,000 firefighters are battling the blazes, including reinforcements from Israel that arrived Thursday and crews from Canada and Mexico.

Recent fires

• Hearst fire: The fire, which has scorched 324 hectares (800 acres) in the San Fernando Valley, is now completely contained.
• Little Mountain Fire: San Bernardino police officers investigating the Little Mountain Fire, which has burned 14 hectares (34 acres), reported the arrest of a man on two felony charges, including reckless arson. According to local media reports, the fire has been completely contained.

What to expect on Friday?

The Los Angeles area is seeing improving weather conditions, which is aiding firefighting efforts against ongoing wildfires.

The National Weather Service indicated that strong Santa Ana winds, which greatly contributed to the rapid spread of the fires, are expected to subside by the end of the week. This shift is expected to increase moisture in the Pacific Ocean, creating more favorable conditions for containment.

Firefighters use this period of calmer weather to reinforce containment lines around major fires. However, authorities warn that while progress is being made, the situation remains dynamic, and residents should remain alert to any changes.

Looking ahead, meteorologists warn of the possibility of strong winds returning early next week, which could worsen fire conditions.

“There is certainly a high potential for critical fire conditions to develop sometime next week,” Palisades Fire Incident Meteorologist Rich Thompson said at a news conference Wednesday evening.

Good news: We expect the much-needed respite from fire weather concerns to end this week. The bad news: Next week is a worry. While we are confident that we will not witness a repeat of what happened last week, dangerous weather conditions are expected due to the fires. #cawx #PalisadesFire #EtonFire pic.twitter.com/zhXmHUWtgp

– NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 15, 2025

What do we know about investigating the cause of the fires?

Utility equipment is under inspection

Southern California Edison (SCE), the electric utility in Los Angeles, is Under investigation For his possible role in starting the Eaton fire.

At least four lawsuits have been filed alleging that SCE equipment may have started the fire. Among the petitioners is Jeremy Gorcey, whose home in Altadena was destroyed by the Eaton Fire, according to CNN. He filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Monday, saying SCE is responsible.

Gorci pointed to photos taken by Altadena residents Jennifer Errico and Marcos Errico as evidence. They took pictures of a small fire under transmission lines in Eaton Canyon.

However, Marcos Errico said he was not sure if SCE was responsible for the fire.

“I saw a glow in the hills right above our house,” Errico told CNN. “As I got closer, I could see directly across from us on the ridge in Eaton Canyon, there were a series of transformer towers with power lines extending into the mountains. “At the base of one of them, there was just a small ring of flame around the entire base,” he added.

The company defended its decision to keep the transmission lines in operation, noting that the wind speed was slightly below the limit required for closure. However, safety auditors have raised concerns about SCE’s fire risk modeling, suggesting their assessments may not adequately take extreme wind events into account.

Fire on New Year’s Day

Some Pacific Palisades residents have expressed concerns that the devastating Palisades fire may be linked to a smaller fire that occurred on New Year’s Day, likely ignited by fireworks, in the same area.

According to authorities, the previous fire broke out six days earlier in the same vicinity, and was contained within hours by local firefighters.

The close timing and location of the two fires raised questions about whether strong winds might have reignited flaming debris from New Year’s Eve fireworks, potentially sparking the Palisades Fire.

However, earlier this week, Los Angeles City Fire Chief Christine Crowley stated that there is currently no evidence linking the two incidents. “We don’t have any information to suggest there’s a connection, but that’s the benefit of bringing in outside resources to examine all the details,” she added.

According to Cal Fire officials, about 95 percent of California’s wildfires are caused by human activity, whether through arson, downed power lines or incidents like backyard barbecues or fireworks celebrations.

Form an investigative task force

In response to the complex nature of these investigations, leaders of federal and local law enforcement agencies joined to create a joint regional arson task force.

This multi-agency team will investigate the origins of the fires, while also processing case leads, developing and sharing crime intelligence, and supporting the effective prosecution of crimes associated with the Los Angeles County wildfires.

The working group will focus on four main areas: robbery, burglary and identity theft crimes; Crimes related to arson; illegal drone activity; and financial fraud targeting disaster victims and individuals seeking to make charitable donations.