LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office confirmed that the death toll from the wildfires ravaging the area has increased to 16.
The total number of confirmed deaths stands at 16 and the cases remain under investigation. Five of the deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 11 resulted from the Eaton Fire, the coroner’s office said in a statement Saturday night.
The previous number of confirmed deaths was 11, but officials said they expected that number to rise as cadaver dogs search razed neighborhoods and teams assess the devastation. Authorities have established a center where people can report missing persons.
Firefighters raced Saturday to contain wildfires before returning winds that could push flames toward the J. Paul Getty Museum and the University of California, Los Angeles, as new evacuation warnings left more homeowners in suspense.
A fierce battle against the flames was underway in Mandeville Canyon, home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities not far from the Pacific coast, where low-flying helicopters were dropping water as the fire moved down the slope. Firefighters on the ground used hoses in an attempt to repel the flames as thick smoke covered the chaparral-covered hillside.
ALTADENA, CA: Homes and vehicles burned in the Eaton Fire in Altadena on Friday, January 10, 2025.
(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
In a briefing, California fire agency CalFire chief of operations Christian Litz said the main focus Saturday would be the Palisades Fire burning in the canyon area, not far from the UCLA campus.
“We have to be aggressive there,” Litz said.
County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath noted that the area “had another night of unimaginable terror and misfortune, and even more Angelenos were evacuated due to the northeastward spread of the Palisades Fire.”
There were only light breezes, but the National Weather Service warned that strong Santa Ana winds — firefighters’ nemesis — could return soon. These winds have been blamed for turning wildfires into infernos that devastated entire neighborhoods in areas where there has been no significant rain in more than eight months.
The fire also threatened to overwhelm Interstate 405, a major traffic artery in the area, which could become a gateway to densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and the San Fernando Valley.
Search for bodies continues
As the fires spread, the grim work of searching through the devastation continued Saturday, with teams conducting systematic grid searches with sniffer dogs, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. A family assistance center was also being established in Pasadena, said Luna, who urged residents to respect curfews.
Luke Dexter crouches in the remains of his father’s residence on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, after it was destroyed by fire in Malibu, California.
(John Locher/Associated Press)
“We have people driving by and trying to get in just to look. Stay away,” he insisted. “We understand this is extremely stressful and absolutely challenging, but we appreciate the public’s cooperation as we work together to overcome this crisis.”
The fires have consumed about 145 square kilometers (56 square miles), an area larger than San Francisco. Tens of thousands of people remained under evacuation orders and new evacuations were ordered Friday night in an area that includes part of Interstate 405 after a resurgence on the east side of the Palisades Fire.
Since fires began breaking out around a densely populated area 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of downtown Los Angeles, they have burned more than 12,000 structures, a term that includes homes, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings and vehicles. The cause of the larger fires has not yet been identified.
The cause of the largest fires has not been determined and early estimates indicate they could be the costliest in the country’s history. A preliminary estimate from AccuWeather put the damage and economic losses so far between $135 billion and $150 billion.
Flashes of kindness amid devastationSo many volunteers showed up to help at the donation centers Saturday that some were turned away. That was the case at a YMCA in the Koreatown neighborhood. Late in the morning, cars with potential helpers were also turned away at the Santa Anita Park horse racing track, where donations of essential items were being accepted.
The Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon in Los Angeles on January 11, 2025.
(Jae C. Hong/AP)
People who lost their homes could be seen at the racetrack Friday sorting through piles of donated T-shirts, blankets and other household items. Altadena resident José Luis Godínez said three homes occupied by more than a dozen members of his family were destroyed.
Authorities warn against returning to burned homes Some residents have ventured back to see what can be salvaged after wildfires destroyed their homes, sifting through the rubble for souvenirs. But on Saturday, authorities urged them to stay away, warning that the ashes may contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.
“If you’re lifting those things, you’re breathing them,” said Chris Thomas, Unified Incident Command spokesman for the Palisades fire. “All of that is toxic.”
Residents will be allowed to return, with protective gear, after damage teams have assessed their properties, Thomas said.
Municipal leaders accused of skimping on funds to fight fires Political accusations have begun, as well as investigations. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million gallon (440 million liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants were dry. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said city officials failed her department by not providing enough funding to fight the fires. He also criticized the lack of water.
“When a firefighter comes to a hydrant, we expect there to be water,” he stated.
Smoke from wildfires rises over the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025.
(Etienne Laurent / Associated Press)
Progress in fighting the Eaton fire
For the first time, firefighters made progress Friday afternoon on the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena, which has razed more than 7,000 structures. Authorities indicated that most evacuation orders for the area had been lifted.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, facing a critical test of her performance as the city endures its biggest crisis in decades, said several smaller fires were also stopped.
The level of devastation is shocking even in a state that regularly faces massive wildfires.
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Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writers Gene Johnson in Seattle and Justin Pritchard in Los Angeles, and cameraman Manuel Valdes in Arcadia, California, contributed to this report.
