Californians advised to prioritize safety as extreme winds loom
Extreme winds threatened to feed the fires tearing through Los Angeles and surrounding areas, even as firefighters battled to contain the blazes that have killed at least 25 people and scorched more than 40,000 acres.
The National Weather Service issued the most extreme level of a red flag fire warning of a “particularly dangerous situation” in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
“The danger has not yet passed,” said the Los Angeles fire department chief, Kristin Crowley, during a Wednesday news conference. “So please prioritize your safety.”
The deadly Palisades fire in the western suburbs of Los Angeles – the largest of the four wildfires – was still only 19% contained on Wednesday morning, more than a week after it ignited, and has destroyed thousands of properties and killed residents. But the Eaton fire, the next largest fire, in the Altadena area in north-eastern LA county, is now 45% contained – up 10% from Tuesday – with 14,100 acres burned. Officials said the Eaton fire is expected to stay within its existing footprint.
Key events
Here’s the latest on the fires’ containment:
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As of Wednesday afternoon, the Eaton fire was 45% contained. Firefighters continue to reinforce containment lines around the blaze, which is expected to remain within its 14,117-acre boundary. A red flag warning will remain in effect through 6pm
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The Palisades fire was 19% contained and has so far burned 23,713 acres
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The Auto fire was 50% contained and forward progress remains stopped at 61 acres, while the Hurst fire was 97% contained
Officials form taskforce to combat crimes related to LA wildfires
The taskforce is composed of federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and local prosecutors, and will focus on arson, looting, fraud, illegal drone activity and related offenses, according to the United States attorney for the central district of California.
The United States attorney Martin Estrada said:
We will not permit victims to be re-victimized. Our community has suffered tremendously, and we are here to support them. The Joint Fire Crimes Task Force is committed to addressing crimes coming out of the fires, including any looting, arson, illegal drone flights and fraud. As the rebuilding process begins and donations and relief funds come in, we must ensure that those seeking to take advantage through criminal activity are held fully accountable.
Nearly 200 artworks by Hunter Biden have been destroyed in the wildfires ravaging Los Angeles, according to the New York Post.
The pieces were stored near the Pacific Palisades home of Hunter Biden’s attorney, Kevin Morris, who also financed a documentary on him and loaned him nearly $5m for a tax bill.
Morris’s five-bedroom, six-bathroom home remains one of the few intact properties in the affluent neighborhood. Last week, as the fires spread, Joe Biden mentioned that his son’s nearby Malibu residence appeared to have survived but added: “They’re not sure.”
Hunter Biden is a self-taught artist who turned to painting during his recovery from drug addiction.
Donald Trump’s nominee for energy secretary, Chris Wright, is facing criticism for disputing the ties between climate change and more frequent or severe wildfires, the Washington Post reports. It’s worth noting that this stance is contrary to scientific consensus.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Democrats, including the California senator Alex Padilla, challenged Wright over past comments, pointing to a LinkedIn post calling wildfire concerns “hype” and dismissing their connection to climate policies.
Padilla accused Wright of downplaying the real and deadly effects of wildfires.
Despite Democratic opposition, Senate Republicans, who hold a 53-47 majority, favored Wright’s nomination. Wright pledged to advocate for expanded fossil fuel production during the hearing.
Scientific studies, however, contradict Wright’s claims. Climate change has, in fact, contributed to the increased frequency and severity of wildfires, including those in Los Angeles.
Summary: key updates on the fires on Wednesday
As Los Angeles anxiously watches how several fires develop amid expected hurricane-force winds in the state, here is a roundup of the latest updates from officials:
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Critical fire weather conditions will continue through Wednesday evening. Gusts were hitting up to 35mph on the coast and valleys and 55mph in the mountains before dawn, the National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Hall said.
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The Los Angeles police department chief, Jim McDonnell, said of 38 people initially reported missing, 27 have been found safe. Of the 11 remaining, two have most likely died but have yet to be positively identified.
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LA’s county district attorney condemned people who have price-gouged on housing, saying some people had increased rents by 100 to 300%. Nathan Hochman said anyone caught price gouging will be prosecuted, adding: “Your name will get out there. Your company’s name will get out there. You will be publicly shamed.”
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The Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force is investigating looting, burglary, robbery, grand theft, impersonation of firefighters or law enforcement, curfew violations, and related crimes stemming from the Palisades fire, the Eaton fire, and other wildfires. To date more than 50 people have been arrested, and nine defendants have been charged and face maximum sentences ranging from six years to life in prison.
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Eighty-two thousand people remain under evacuation warnings. The curfew is still in effect from 6am to 6pm.
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Two people have been arrested for arson, officials said, but not in connection to the Palisades or Eaton fires.
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More than 53,000 people have registered for Fema’s individual assistance program, according to the regional Fema administrator Robert Fenton Jr. Twelve million dollars have already been distributed.
Californians advised to prioritize safety as extreme winds loom
Extreme winds threatened to feed the fires tearing through Los Angeles and surrounding areas, even as firefighters battled to contain the blazes that have killed at least 25 people and scorched more than 40,000 acres.
The National Weather Service issued the most extreme level of a red flag fire warning of a “particularly dangerous situation” in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
“The danger has not yet passed,” said the Los Angeles fire department chief, Kristin Crowley, during a Wednesday news conference. “So please prioritize your safety.”
The deadly Palisades fire in the western suburbs of Los Angeles – the largest of the four wildfires – was still only 19% contained on Wednesday morning, more than a week after it ignited, and has destroyed thousands of properties and killed residents. But the Eaton fire, the next largest fire, in the Altadena area in north-eastern LA county, is now 45% contained – up 10% from Tuesday – with 14,100 acres burned. Officials said the Eaton fire is expected to stay within its existing footprint.
Dharna Noor
Climate activists disrupted the confirmation hearing for Donald Trump’s pick to head the energy department, the oil executive Chris Wright.
The protesters, convened by the youth-led non-profit the Sunrise Movement, chanted about the ongoing deadly fires in Los Angeles amid widespread evidence that fossil fuels exacerbate the climate crisis. “Big oil profits, LA burns,” one banner read.
One activist said senators were not asking Wright hard-hitting questions about global warming. He was quickly removed from the room.
An 18-year-old protester also shouted over Wright as he was speaking. “I want a future,” she said.
Other climate groups are also speaking out against Wright’s confirmation.
“Chris Wright has been an evangelist for drilling more and exporting more US-produced fossil fuels overseas,” said David Arkush, climate director at the non-profit Public Citizen.
“His confirmation will put Big Oil profits ahead of protecting American families.”
Environmentalists are additionally protesting other Trump picks, including the North Dakota governor, Doug Burgum, who was nominated for secretary of the interior and the former New York congressman Lee Zeldin.
“These men will choose items off the fossil fuel industry’s wishlist over the good of the American people every time,” said Allie Rosenbluth, a manager at the advocacy group Oil Change International.
The California insurance commissioner Ricardo Lara has expanded a one-year moratorium on insurance cancellations and non-renewals to include all the zip codes within the area burned by the massive Palisades and Eaton wildfires as well as four smaller fires.
The moratorium applies to all policies in the area, according to AP.
Lara also called on insurance companies to stop any pending cancellations or non-renewals that were set to take effect after the start of the wildfires.
The Navajo Scouts are helping fight fires in southern California, the Navajo Times reported on Wednesday.
The scouts, who are a Type 2 IA fire crew, have been deployed to the Eaton fire – which as of this morning is 45% contained, with 14,117 acres burned – to bolster LA fire crews.
Navajo Nation president Buu Nygren said in a social media post earlier this week:
Our Navajo Scouts, a dedicated team of 23 members, including a courageous female wildland firefighter, are highly trained and available to combat fires like these for ten months out of the year. They represent various communities across the Navajo Nation, united in their mission to help those in need.”
In better news, a southern California woman has found her wedding ring under the rubble of her Altadena home, which was burned in the Eaton fire.
“I thought it had melted into a blob of metal, but [a firefighter] found my wedding band intact,” Victoria DeSantis told local news outlet KTLA.
Cal Fire documented the moment on Instagram.
“It’s these small moments that bring hope to devastation, and we’re proud of our firefighters for all they are doing to help in LA County,” the post said.
Mayor Bass said she wished she could give a timeline regarding when people will have a roof over their heads again, but that she cannot.
53,000 people apply for Fema aid
The regional Fema administrator Robert Fenton Jr said that more than 53,000 people have registered for Fema’s individual assistance program.
Twelve million dollars have already been distributed.
Mayor Karen Bass reiterated the need to expedite the rebuilding process.
“We are one city. We stand together. The city and the county will do everything we can to expedite the rebuilding.”