Los Angeles wildfires: Returning Santa Ana winds threaten to expand deadly blazes

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Journalist and former first lady of California, Maria Shriver, warned "LA residents deserve better" than their current Democratic leadership.

Many people, including celebrities, have lost their homes in the Pacific Palisades area as wildfires continue to rage there and elsewhere in Los Angeles County, burning more than 27,000 acres, destroying over 10,000 structures and killing multiple people, according to local officials.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has faced condemnation for her trip to Ghana last week, which meant she was thousands of miles away from her city during the initial day of the destruction on Tuesday.

The mayor also faced a blistering critique from LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, who said as she spoke with Jake Tapper on CNN, that "Over the last 3 years, we have been clear that the fire department needs help", and emphasized how "understaffed, under-resourced, and underfunded the LAFD is." She claimed, "I rang the bell that these additional cuts could be very very devastating for our ability to provide public safety."

As mismanagement of the response to the fire has put California’s Democratic leaders in the spotlight, some of the party’s more well known donors have turned on them.

Shriver, the ex-wife of former California Governor and movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger, shared Crowley's remarks, declaring that California’s future "has to be different."

"LA cannot go forward with the status quo. LA is no longer what it was. It has to be different. It has to prioritize the safety of its citizens, police, fire, schools. LA residents deserve better. Chief Crowley is saying LA cannot sustain itself. It needs more help," Shriver wrote. "Chief Crowley says she rang the bell. The mayoral race presented a clear choice last time around. Moving forward, LA residents have to decide what’s important and what’s not. Right now what’s important is getting this fire under control, getting firefighters the support they need, getting our neighbors the support they need. Once that happens it’s time to rethink what is and imagine what can be."

Fox News'  Alexander Hall contributed to this report.

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Walgreens announced it is allowing emergency medical refills without authorization from a prescriber for people impacted by the Southern California wildfires.

"We are focused on the safety and well-being of our patients, customers and team members and have taken precautions to support areas impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires so we can provide the products and services the community needs," Walgreens said in a news release.

"We have positioned resources and are actively deploying them as needed," the company added. "For anyone who is unable to retrieve their medications, our pharmacists may dispense emergency medication refills for most medications without prescriber authorization during a declared emergency."

The company said its Patient Care Advocate teams are reaching out to Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy patients who live in the emergency area to discuss alternate delivery arrangements if needed.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie slammed California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other leaders for their lack of wildfire preparedness, calling the response an "enormous failure" as thousands of structures were destroyed and at least 24 people lost their lives across Los Angeles County.

Christie called out Newsom for refusing to take accountability for the crisis during "The Brian Kilmeade Show," accusing him, and local leaders, of mismanaging the state's response to the historic fires.

"It's an enormous failure, Brian, and an enormous disappointment for the people of California and now a tragedy for all those families that have been affected," Christie told Kilmeade on Monday. "And when you're the governor of a state and a natural disaster happens, there is no one more accountable than you. There can be no one who the public is relying upon more than you."

"You can't sit there and say, 'Jeez… I don't know. Let me find out.' You have to be on top of it right from the beginning," he continued. "These fires started. We knew they were coming. We knew they were expanding."

Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have faced fierce criticism since the fires began last week for their handling of the catastrophe, with many arguing they were not properly prepared as entire communities turned to ash.

"It's heartbreaking," Christie said. "The photo albums, the memories that you lose, the videos of our children. Those are things that can't be replaced. So what [the] government needs to do is to step up to the plate and be there to give them the cash they need to replace the things that are replaceable, and Governor Newsom has failed, and Mayor Bass, quite frankly, looks like she doesn't know what's going on either."

Fox News' Bailee Hill contributed to this report.

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order on Monday to clear the way for residents to rebuild the homes destroyed in the wildfires sweeping through Southern California and remove debris from impacted areas.

The mayor also updated the local emergency declaration to account for the devastation and to accelerate the city's recovery and rebuilding efforts."This unprecedented natural disaster warrants an unprecedented response that will expedite the rebuilding of homes, businesses and communities," Bass said. "This order is the first step in clearing away red tape and bureaucracy to organize around urgency, common sense and compassion. We will do everything we can to get Angelenos back home."

The order will establish task forces to develop a streamlined program for debris removal and mitigate risks from rain storms.

It would also clear the way to rebuild homes as they were by creating a one-stop-shop to quickly issue permits in all impacted areas, direct city departments to expedite all building permit reviews and inspections, bypass the California Environmental Quality Act discretionary review, allow rebuilding "like for like" and waive city discretionary review processes.

Bass' order would instruct the Department of Building and Safety to expedite approvals for 1,400 units of housing currently in the pipeline across the city.

Additionally, the order would direct all city departments to report back in a week with a list of additional relief needed from state and federal regulations and requirements, as well as state and federal funding needed for recovery efforts.

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A Los Angeles veterinarian and his family are now sleeping on the floor of the veterinary clinic after losing their home to the Palisades Fire sweeping through Southern California.

Henry Pasternak and his family, who have operated the Pasternak Veterinary Center in west Los Angeles for two decades, are continuing to care for animals that have been displaced and impacted by the fires.

"I didn't think I would ever lose my childhood home, all my childhood memories" his daughter, Ellie Rose Pasternak, told Fox 11. She said the family has been staying at the clinic for nearly a week since their house burned down.

"This is my whole entire childhood and most of my adulthood," she added.

The clinic remains open and is continuing to offer support to animals needing help.

The family said the clinic has more space for additional animals that have been displaced in the fire. They are also accepting donations, including dog beds, toys and food.

"We've been taking in pets, they're allowed to board here," Ellie Rose Pasternak said. "We have some empty cages here and even have some runs in the back where the dogs can move around."

Firefighters in Ventura County have stopped forward progress on the Auto Fire, a small wildfire that broke out Monday night.

The Ventura County Fire Department's public information department made the announcement at 10:45 p.m. local time, approximately three hours after the fire ignited in a river bottom off North Ventura Boulevard. No structures were threatened by the flames.

The fire burned 55.7 acres, according to VCFD, and is 0% contained.

Crews from VCFD, Ventura City Fire, Oxnard Fire and Federal Fire Ventura County are at the scene extinguishing hotspots and working to increase containment.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

AP

The Los Angeles County Fire Department provided an update on the Eaton Fire Monday night, as the damage assessment is at 30% completion, stating that there were 15 civilian fatalities and more than 2,700 structures had been destroyed in the blaze.

More than 14,100 acres were burned in the fire, which the fire department said has 33% containment. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

In addition to the civilian fatalities, five firefighters were injured while attempting to put out the fire.

The fire department said 329 structures were damaged and nearly 39,500 are threatened.

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The Angeles National Forest located in Southern California has extended its closure to Sunday in response to wildfires sweeping through the area.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service said the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountain National Monument are temporarily closed for public safety and the protection of natural resources from midnight Tuesday through midnight Sunday.

Going into the forest or being on any National Forest System road or trail within the Angeles National Forest is prohibited during that time frame, with exceptions for government leaders or members of firefighting or rescue groups responding to the fires.

Violators could face fines of up to $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or up to six months of imprisonment or both.

AP

The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers both returned to their home courts on Monday for the first NBA games in the Los Angeles area since wildfires devastated the area and forced games to be postponed.

The Lakers hosted the San Antonio Spurs on Monday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles but were defeated in their return to their home court while the Clippers were victorious when they played host to the Miami Heat at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.

This comes after Saturday's games in Southern California were postponed in response to the fires.

The Lakers were initially scheduled to host the Spurs on Saturday in the first of two consecutive games between the two teams and the Clippers were supposed to host the Charlotte Hornets. The Lakers also had a game previously scheduled for Thursday against the Hornets pushed back.

JJ Redick, head coach of the Lakers, said he was grateful to return to the sidelines for the first time in nearly a week after he and his family lost their rental home in the Pacific Palisades and many of their belongings in the fires Tuesday.

"I think a group functions best when you draw strength from each other, and the way my players, my staff, the organization has supported, rallied around me, rallied around the city ... there's real strength in that," Redick told reporters. "That's the receiving of strength. Then it's our job to go give strength and give hope and give joy. Sports are a lot of things, and sports can certainly provide an escape and a distraction. Hopefully sports tonight can provide some joy as well."

Reddick added that he has been "overwhelmed with the amount of support and love and generosity that people have shown to me and my family, and really all families that have been affected by this."

Roughly 75 firefighters responded to a brush fire in Ventura, California, to put out the blaze, according to fire officials.

The Ventura County Fire Department is working with Ventura City Fire and Oxnard Fire on the brush fire in the river bottom off North Ventura Blvd in Ventura.

The fire, dubbed the Auto Fire, was at five acres in medium fuels with a moderate rate of spread shortly before 9 p.m. local time, as firefighters worked to stop forward movement.

A fire that erupted northeast of Los Angeles in Riverside County on Monday night is now 100% contained, according to the City of Riverside Fire Department.

The fire, dubbed the Jurupa Fire, was held to two acres in thick vegetation after it broke out in the Santa Ana River bottom near Jurupa Avenue and Van Buren Boulevard.

"Drift smoke will continue to be present in the adjacent region," RFD said on Facebook.

The evacuation warning for residents in the area has been lifted.

Actor Jay Leno spent time serving food to firefighters coming off the line of the Palisades Fire on Monday.

Los Angeles Fire Department Public Information Officer Erik Scott shared video of Leno placing food in to-go boxes for the personnel taking a break from the fighting the flames.

"We're grateful for his kindness & the support from our community during this challenging time," Scott wrote on X.

The Palisades Fire began last Tuesday morning and has burned 23,713 acres as of Monday evening, according to CAL FIRE. It is only 14% contained.

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Search dogs are helping to root through debris left by the wildfires in Southern California in efforts to locate survivors and human remains.

The dogs, who are rescues, were trained by the Search Dog Foundation in Ventura County and are searching the rubble of homes and businesses destroyed by the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire in the Los Angeles area along with their handlers, KTLA reported.

The Search Dog Foundation, based in Santa Paula, California, trains search-and-rescue dogs to find victims in disaster areas.

Many of the dogs in the program, including some used in the Los Angeles wildfire areas, were rescued from shelters after they were surrendered for having too much energy, which makes them valuable for search and rescue missions.

An Altadena resident walks past a sign in front of her home on January 13, 2025 warning looters they will be shot, which she put up due to concern of looters in the neighborhhood taking advantage of the situation following the Eaton Fire which caused widespread damage. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

A man accused of arson and a group of looters targeting homes in evacuation zones amid the wildfires raging in Los Angeles County have been charged, officials said Monday.

The charges were filed against a group of people accused of residential looting in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas, while arson charges were brought against a man in Azusa, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said during a news conference. 

"These are the people who are seeking to exploit this tragedy for their own benefit," Hochman said. "These are people who have engaged in looting and arson. We've also investigated price gouging and will be investigating internet scams and the like."

Read the full article about Los Angeles crime by Louis Casiano

LA Mayor Karen Bass along with FBI, LAPD and Jewish community leaders at a press conference announcing the arrest of Jaime Tran for the attempted murder of two people outside separate synagogues. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Los Angeles Times Owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong is turning down the Bass.

Dr. Soon-Shiong called his paper’s endorsement of embattled Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass a "mistake" during an appearance on the "2 Way" podcast Monday.

The LA Times endorsed Bass during the 2022 mayor election. "At the LA Times we endorsed Karen Bass, I think right now that’s a mistake, and we admit that," Soon-Shiong said.

Read the full article about Patrick Soon-Shiong by David Spector

A mural of Altadena is seen on the side of a building. (Fox News Digital / Ashley Carnahan)

Broken shards of glass. Burnt paint cans. And melted tire rims. The Eaton Fire swept through Altadena, Calif., late Tuesday night, destroying thousands of structures and forcing thousands of residents to flee with only the bare necessities – leaving behind a blackened char just about everywhere in its wake.

As of Monday, the fire was only 33% contained and has burned more than 14,000 acres. Fox News Digital traveled to an evacuation zone in Altadena on Saturday to see the devastation from one of the largest wildfires in California's history.

Roadblocks and checkpoints were set up throughout multiple streets to prevent residents from returning to their homes as officials work to clear roads and fix downed power lines. Police car after police car drove through the blocked-off areas to monitor any unusual activity amid concerns of looting. Firetrucks from West Covina, Santa Fe Springs, Pasadena, Downey and Vandenberg were also seen driving up and down the evacuation area.

Read the full article about the Eaton Fire by Ashley Carnahan

Firefighters work to clear a firebreak on a hillside covered with retardant as the Palisades Fire, one of several simultaneous blazes that have ripped across Los Angeles County, burns in Mandeville Canyon, a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 12, 2025. (REUTERS/Ringo Chiu)

Democratic lawmakers are claiming the severity of the Los Angeles wildfires was a result of climate change, despite reports that the city's fire hydrants ran out of water and the fire department's budget was slashed just weeks before the Palisades fire destroyed thousands of homes and burned more than 15,000 acres.

Several fires broke out across the Southern California mountains in early January, quickly spreading to coastal residential areas and destroying more than 10,000 homes and structures.

As the fires gained national attention, Democratic lawmakers across the country began to claim it was climate change rather than state policies that caused the disastrous fire damage.

Read the full article about the SoCal wildfires by Aubrie Spady

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a speech at the State Department in Washington, U.S. January 13, 2025. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)

President Biden, Vice President Harris and Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas attended a briefing about the ongoing Southern California wildfires on Monday.

During the briefing, Biden said that the wildfires were" the worst in history," and added that firefighters were able to prevent the largest fires from moving into the area.

The federal government will cover the costs for 180 days, Biden said, which is expected to cost tens of billions of dollars. He has also activated 500 Marines to help California at this time.

The president also said that officials expect strong wind gusts that could be more fuel for fire. He did not take any questions from journalists at the briefing, but when Harris was asked if her Los Angeles home was OK, she appeared to mouth “so far.”

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell was also at the briefing and said that her agency will reimburse hotel costs for families. She noted that FEMA may deny some applications if adequate documentation is not provided.

Fox News' Sarah Tobianski contributed to this report.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks with supporters during a stop Thursday, July 4, 2024, at the Van Buren County Democratic Party Fourth of July reception in South Haven, Mich. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP)

Governor Newsom is proposing that California provides an additional $2.5 billion to fund emergency response efforts and "to jumpstart recovery efforts for Los Angeles," his office said on Monday.

"The funding will support recovery and cleanup, additional wildfire preparedness, and reopening schools shuttered by the fires," the statement added.

Newsom compared the move to the Marshall Plan, which helped Europe recover after World War II.

"California is organizing a Marshall Plan to help Los Angeles rebuild faster and stronger – including billions in new and accelerated state funding so we can move faster to deliver for the thousands who’ve lost their homes and livelihoods in these firestorms," Newsom said. "To the people of Los Angeles: We have your back."

A member of the National Guard secures a road after the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, US, on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (Benjamin Fanjoy/Bloomberg via Getty Images_

The White House announced on Monday that President Biden has approved more federal funding for Golden State officials amid the destructive wildfires.

"Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. made additional disaster assistance available to the State of California by authorizing an increase in the level of Federal funding for emergency work undertaken in the State of California as a result of wildfires and straight-line winds beginning on January 7, 2025, and continuing," the statement read.

"Under the President's order today, Federal funds for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance have been increased to 100 percent of the total eligible costs for a period of 180 days of the State’s choosing within the first 270 days from the start of the incident period."

An air tanker drops retardant while working to contain the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Police arrested three people following two drone incidents as authorities report numerous encounters with aerial operations, potentially hampering lifesaving measures as wildfires rage throughout Southern California.

As of Monday afternoon, charges had not been released. Two arrests stem from one drone incident, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.

"If you do not have business in the evacuation areas, do not go there," Luna said in a press conference on Monday. "You are infringing upon the work that our first responders need to attend to."

Read the full article about the California wildfires by Julia Bonavita and Michael Ruiz

Sandra Lee attends the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards New York on May 11, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for GLAAD)

Sandra Lee is in "total disbelief" to find her home in Malibu still standing after the Los Angeles fires.

On Monday, Lee took to Instagram to share that her home is one of 10 in her neighborhood that wasn't affected by the Palisades Fire.

"I was able to go to Malibu late yesterday. It is with a heavy heart for my local community, yet the most shocked and grateful heart I share my home, Avalon- still stands," she said. 

Read the full article about Sandra Lee by Christina Dugan Ramirez

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks to the media as Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) look on at the U.S. Capitol on January 8, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

President-elect Donald Trump plans to visit Los Angeles amid the Southern California wildfires, Fox News can confirm.

The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which was told by sources that Trump could visit the Golden State as soon as next week, following his Jan. 20 inauguration. Officials told Fox that Trump feels personally connected to Southern California, having owned property there.

During his California trip, Trump plans to review the damage and consult with locals to discuss how to proceed with recovery.

Trump has slammed Californian officials, including Gov. Newsom, for their response to the crisis.

In a Jan. 8 Truth Social post, Trump wrote: "Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning..."

Newsom later denied the existence of the water restoration declaration Trump referenced.

"There is no such document as the water restoration declaration – that is pure fiction," his office said in an X post. "The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need."

Burned properties following the Palisades Fire at the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, U.S. January 13, 2025. (REUTERS/Mike Blake)

The devastating wildfires that have impacted Southern California over the last week could have insured losses topping $30 billion, according to a new analysis.

At least 24 people have been killed in the outbreak of wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area, while officials say that at least 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the blazes.

Financial analysts at Wells Fargo Securities released a report to clients on Sunday, which said that their "base case" for insured losses due to the wildfires was $30 billion, adding that the total losses could fall in a range between $20 billion and $40 billion.

Read the full article about the Los Angeles wildfires by Eric Revell

Tim Murphy, with the San Francisco Fire Dept., puts out hot spots in a burned property in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher)

California lawmakers, on Monday, postponed a special legislation session scheduled for Tuesday to "Trump-proof" the Gold State ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration, due to wildfires devastating the Los Angeles region.

A member of the California Assembly budget office told Fox News Digital the hearing was postponed because of the fires, adding that the chairman of the committee, Assembly Member Jesse Gabriel, is unable to attend the session because he represents areas devastated by the wild infernos.

When asked when the session would be rescheduled before Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20, the budget office said the new date is still "up in the air."

Read the full article about the SoCal wildfires by Greg Wehner

Members of the National Guard block a road on the border of Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades as the Palisades Fire has now consumed almost 24,000 acres (9,700 hectares), in Los Angeles, California, on January 13, 2025. (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

The Santa Monice Police Department (SMPD) arrested more than 40 people accused of law-breaking in the Palisades Fire evacuation zone.

According to the SMPD, 16 of the arrested were accused of burglary or in possession of burglary tools. The rest were arrested for other violations, the police department said, including curfew-breaking, drug possession, driving violations, outstanding warrants and parole and probation violations. None of the arrestees are from Santa Monica.

"This is a significant increase in the normal number of arrests in the neighborhoods in the evacuation zones (North of Montana – NOMA and WILMONT)," the press release said. "Our dedicated team of officers did a phenomenal job saturating the evacuation areas and tamping down criminal activity."

Chief Ramon Batista said in a statement that he was "grateful for the unwavering dedication and professionalism" of his team.

"Over the past seven days, while the fires in Palisades tested the resilience of many, each of them stood strong, ensuring that the city of Santa Monica remained safe and secure," the police chief said. " I am also grateful for the collaboration with our mutual aid partners who supported us on the front lines and the National Guard for helping us secure the evacuation zones and maintain entry and exit points to the closed areas.”

Fox News' Bill Melugin contributed to this report.

Wildfire survivors Yalda and Walter Seace appeared on "America Reports" on Monday to discuss the harrowing experience of having their home in Altadena, California, destroyed by the Eaton Fire.

Speaking to host Sandra Smith, Walter Seace described how it was "unreal" to see how fast the fire spread near their house.

"It was very unreal to see the winds blowing that firestorm down the hill," he recalled. "It happened so fast once it got going. Once those winds started, it was there was no stopping it."

Yalda Seace added that she even stopped her daughter from packing certain belongings because she did not fully realize that their home would be destroyed.

"My daughter, actually, when we were packing to put things away, kept handing me things, and I kept putting it back because I thought for sure I was going to go back to some semblance of a home, and it just wasn't the case," the mother said.

Overview of Oscar statues on display at "Meet the Oscars" at the Time Warner Center on February 25, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced on Monday that this year's Oscar nominations will be pushed back a week due to the Southern California wildfires.

The Academy will announce award nominations on Jan. 23. The date was previously moved from Jan. 17 to Jan. 19, and it is unclear if this will be the last time it will be moved.

“We are all devastated by the impact of the fires and the profound losses experienced by so many in our community,” AMPAS CEO Bill Kramer and AMPAS President Janet Yang said in a joint statement. “The Academy has always been a unifying force within the film industry, and we are committed to standing together in the face of hardship.”

Fox News Digital's Lauryn Overhultz and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks at a news conference to raise awareness for tenant rights, resources and investments ahead of the COVID rent debt repayment deadline on Aug. 1 at City Hall on Monday, July 31, 2023 in Los Angeles, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass previously told The New York Times in 2021 that she didn't plan to travel internationally when elected mayor of the city, as reported by the outlet on Sunday.

Bass said in 2021 that should she win her election, "not only would I of course live here, but I also would not travel internationally — the only places I would go would be D.C., Sacramento, San Francisco and New York, in relation to L.A," the Times reported.

The mayor was traveling in Ghana as the fires ravaged Los Angeles last week, and upon her return, Bass ignored questions from reporters about her absence. 

Read the full article about Karen Bass by Hanna Panreck

A person arrested for impersonating a firefighter in the Palisades Fire evacuation area. (Eric Fox/ Fox First On Scene Photography)

Approximately 29 people have been arrested in Los Angeles so far in connection to criminal activity related to the ongoing wildfires, including a burglary suspect who allegedly attempted to disguise himself as a firefighter, officials said Sunday. 

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said 25 of those arrested were in the area of the Eaton Fire, while four others came from the Palisades Fire evacuated zone. 

"When I was out there in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman that looked like a firefighter. And I asked him if he was okay because he was sitting down. I didn't realize we had him in handcuffs," Luna recalled to reporters. "We are turning him over to LAPD because he was dressed like a fireman, and he was not. He just got caught burglarizing a home. So those are issues that our front line deputies and police officers are dealing with." 

Read the full article about LA burglaries by Danielle Wallace

Coco Gauff of the U.S. waves after defeating compatriot Sofia Kenin in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

American tennis star Coco Gauff sent a message to Los Angeles residents dealing with the devastating wildfires plaguing the area over the last week.

Gauff defeated Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of the Australian Open on Sunday. She then wrote some words of encouragement on the camera lens near the court.

"Stay strong LA," she wrote. "Thank you firefighters!"

Read the full article about Coco Gauff by Ryan Gaydos

A vehicle destroyed by the Palisades wildfire sits in a parking lot on January 13, 2025 in Malibu, California. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

In Los Angeles right now, it’s not just acrid smoke that’s in the air.

There’s fear, anxiety, and pain. When will they get these fires under control? What if the wind picks up? What if my neighborhood is next?

For those who have been evacuated: when can I go back? Why won’t they let me get my pet? Or my medicine?

Worst of all, for those who have lost their home, or in the small but tragically growing number of cases, their loved ones, utter despair. And a sense that the people in charge are not responding with the urgency, energy -- or frankly, empathy -- we expect.

And that brings us to the other emotion that’s so palpable in L.A. today: rage.

Read the full opinion piece about Los Angeles by Steve Hilton

Altadena Hardware Co. owner Rob Orlandini told "America's Newsroom” Monday that it's been “a rollercoaster” since the business was destroyed by the Eaton Fire. 

“Up and down – I'm in tears one moment because the community... has been so supportive of the store for so many years and that was something I noticed when my Dad bought the store in 2010,” Orlandini said. “It was a joy to serve the community.” 

The store says on its website that it has been serving Altadena for more than 80 years. 

“I think that is part of why we are so committed to come back,” Orlandini said. “I love Altadena. I grew up in Altadena. I went to grammar school all way the way through in Altadena, so we are not going anywhere and we are going to do everything in our power to get the store back up.” 

Firefighters operate as smoke and flames rise from the Sunset Fire in the hills overlooking the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan. 8. (Reuters/David Swanson)

John Carr, 65, of Pacific Palisades, saved his family's home, as well as two of his neighbors' homes, from being engulfed by wildfire flames last week.

Carr, a former pilot and current medical equipment manufacturer, was at work when he heard about the Sunset Fire near his neighborhood, so he headed home and began to prepare.

"The fire possibility in California has always been something that's been on my mind that was a possibility," Carr told Fox News Digital. "There are... some precautions I've taken in the past -- thought about what I would do if a fire came through."

His mother and father built the home in 1960.

When he saw the flames begin to reach his neighborhood at night, he "made the decision" that he "had a decent chance of fighting it off," he said.

"The heat got incredibly intense and melted the frames of the sliding doors on the house. I had to soak myself in water to take the heat," Carr explained.

After fighting off some flames nearing his own property using his garden hose, Carr then went to stop some blazes threatening his neighbors' homes on either side of his property using the same hose.

"Basically, it comes down to nipping it in the bud," Carr said.

There were no firefighters in his neighborhood at the time -- Carr suspects because they were occupied with fires in other areas.

"I prayed to God to give me strength and insight with what to do. ... I can't give it any other explanation. Somebody was maybe helping me up there. I don't know," he said.

Carr also described seeing some nearby McMansions that went up in "a huge wall of flames" and "intense heat" when the Santa Ana winds came through the area, saying the sight was nothing like he's ever experienced before.

"I was standing at one end of my house and it was like I was in a fire cyclone," he said.

Firefighters were able to contain the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills last week. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

In response to concerns that environmental protection efforts might delay reconstruction in the coastal area, environmental laws that could have posed obstacles to rebuilding structures destroyed by the Southern California wildfires will be temporarily suspended.

Houses along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway in California burned down in a monstrous fire that destroyed more than 10,000 homes and structures beginning on Jan. 7. 

"We’re afraid they won’t let us rebuild," said Teddy Leonard, owner of Reel Inn, a seafood restaurant serving on the Malibu coast since the 1980s that burned down in January. "It’s very scary."

California law currently requires that people looking to build undergo a lengthy environmental review process before receiving approval, but state officials say the process will not apply to victims of the recent fire seeking to rebuild their lost structures.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that a review be conducted to weigh any potential environmental effects before a building permit is approved. Another state law, the California Coastal Act, focuses on development as it relates to "the preservation of sensitive coastal and marine habitat and biodiversity."

Both laws were halted on Sunday for those who tragically lost their homes after Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to suspend the environmental review process.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday that “The best of America shines through even in the darkest moments” as communities are coming together to help each other during the Los Angeles wildfires. 

“Amidst the devastation, we are also seeing bright pockets of hope and community as neighbors help neighbors by donating food, clothes, coffee, hygiene products, diapers, formula and much more,” she said. “Volunteers are working around the clock to organize donations, old and new, and Americans across the country are coming together to help those in need.” 

“President Biden and Vice President Harris convened their team over the weekend to receive the latest updates on the firefighting and how federal resources are supporting the state and local efforts. Local, state and federal firefighters continue their fire suppression and containment efforts across Los Angeles,” she also said. “They are making progress. But to be clear, the situation remains extremely active, especially as winds pick up again.” 

“These firefighters and other emergency personnel are heroes. Many have lost their own homes and belongings and are working day and night to protect communities that remain at risk,” Jean-Pierre added. 

FIRST ON FOX VIDEO: Police and residents of Azusa, California, a small city in Los Angeles County, teamed up Friday to stop a suspected arsonist in his tracks as at least three large wildfires threaten the region and winds are expected to pick up again.

With increased officers on patrol amid the wildfire emergency, Azusa Police Department Capt. Robert Landeros said the first responding officer arrived quickly to the scene at Pioneer Park around 11:30 p.m. after neighbors confronted the homeless suspect, who was still there when the first officer arrived.

"This was intentional," Landeros told Fox News Digital Monday. "Some of the neighbors confronted him, stopped him from setting an additional fire in the park."

Video shows an Azusa officer handcuffing a man just steps away from a billowing brush fire, which authorities say county firefighters quickly extinguished.

Police have identified the suspect as 39-year-old Jose Carranza-Escobar, "a transient" whose last known address was also in Azusa. They said he admitted to starting the brush fire.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Monday that the region is "absolutely better prepared" for coming winds that may fuel the growth of wildfires. 

“The state, under the leadership of Governor Newsom, has set up a mobilization center... where we have resources staged that can come in to L.A. County to assist with a new fire start or the expansion of one of our existing fires. We also have numerous aircraft, local government aircraft, helicopters. We have water bombers. We have retardant fixed wing aircraft from the state and federal government. We have military aircraft. So we've not only augmented the ground resources, but also the air resources,” he said. 

“I think that we're very well prepared for the next event, but we're never sure that we're going to be able to catch the next fire and keep it small. They said 70 mile an hour winds. It's going to be very difficult to contain that fire. That's why we ask all residents in a brush prone area to be prepared to evacuate. If you get the evacuation order and start those preparations before the evacuation warning comes,” Marrone added. 

Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsay Horvath said “a particularly dangerous situation has been issued.  

“Strongest winds from Tuesday morning until, Wednesday. We strongly encourage caution and vigilance. This is the weather prediction that the National Weather Service had going into last week's event. So these conditions are significant. They are serious,” she added. 

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced Monday that “policies on the city level that will help with the rebuilding process” will be released later today. 

“As we continue to go through these next few days where the fires are still a serious threat, we also want to begin to help people put their lives back together and to prepare to rebuild our city,” she said at a press conference. 

“My top priority and the priority of everyone else, is to do everything we can to protect lives,” she also said. “As these winds approach L.A. city, firefighters and firefighters from across the county, state and nation, and even overseas are in a proactive and strategic posture to save lives.” 

Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Dominic Choi says his officers are "committed to holding anyone who is responsible for these fires accountable and to further protect the residents of Los Angeles, and the city.” 

“Identifying the cause of these fires is critically important to all of us,” he said. “In conjunction with our partners and led by ATF, we have created a Los Angeles Regional Wildfire Investigative Task Force and while their work is still in the early stages, we're committed to identifying the cause and origin of these fires.” 

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Monday that a total of 34 people have been arrested by his agency since the outbreak of the wildfires, including three relating to a pair of drone incidents. 

For days, law enforcement has been threatening the arrest of people violating curfews in evacuation areas. 

“We are arresting people who are not supposed to be there, who do not live there, who are in possession of narcotics. We've arrested several with guns,” Luna added. 

Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Dominic Choi also said Monday that his department has made 14 arrests so far.

Fire department officials in Los Angeles are warning the public Monday about the risk of wildfires, with County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone saying that “The anticipated winds, combined with low humidities and low fuel moisture, will keep the fire threat in all of Los Angeles County critical.” 

“We are not in the clear. I want to make sure of that. We are not in the clear as of yet, and we must not let our guard down,” added Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley. 

“As the increasing wind event is upon us as we speak, the Los Angeles City Fire Department has maximized our resource capabilities and response capabilities,” Crowley added. “All available LAFD resources have been staffed. I have strategically pre-positioned engine strike teams and task forces, which are dedicated to rapid response for any new fire that breaks out in the city.” 

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna announced Monday that 23 people have been reported missing during the wildfires. 

“We have 23 active missing persons reported, 17 in the Eaton Fire area, six in the Malibu area. All of them are adults. Thank God there's no juveniles,” he said. 

“If you believe you have somebody who's missing, make sure you report that to us as soon as possible,” Luna added. 

Eight homes belonging to members of the same California family – which were all within walking distance – have burned to the ground in Altadena as a result of the Eaton Fire. 

“At this point, we are 17 members of my family in a hotel in Studio City. This is the second hotel that we have been in within the last five days,” Eshele Williams told “Fox & Friends.” 

Williams said at this moment, “The instability is the thing that is the most impactful” to her family. 

“Just to not have anywhere to go and to not know what is going to happen after a couple of days of either living in an Airbnb or a hotel, just trying to find some normalcy,” she continued. “As you are displaced from your home, of course you don’t have your things but when you don’t have a dwelling or anywhere to land and you have to think about what comes next, then that makes it really difficult.” 

An emergency vehicle drives through a neighborhood devastated by the Eaton Fire, Thursday, Jan. 9, in Altadena, Calif. (AP/John Locher)

Altadena resident Zaire Calvin is opening up about the loss of his sister Evelyn McClendon in the Eaton Fire, telling Fox11 Los Angeles that escaping the blaze was like being “in the scene of a volcano movie.” 

“We saw embers flying everywhere. Wind gushing at 90 miles per hour going left and right. It was like firebombs everywhere and it was just exploding and burning,” he told the station. 

Calvin packed up his family and fled the scene. His 59-year-old sister lived next door, according to Fox11 Los Angeles. 

“When we were leaving, I noticed that my sister’s car was still in front of the house,” Calvin said. “The next day, I come back, her car is still sitting there so I had to go back to figure out if she was still there.” 

“My cousin, brave as he is, said ‘I’ll go and see what is going on.’ He took a shovel, climbed over the debris and started moving stuff around,” Calvin continued. “And from there he saw like a hip bone and that is when he knew that she was there.”  

Robert Lara, a resident of Altadena, Calif., whose home was destroyed by the Eaton Fire, told “America’s Newsroom” Monday that "I still find myself lost” about a week later. 

“Mentally, this is so much to attempt to process. I mean, we had everything, it’s all gone and now trying to deal with the whole insurance part of it, we have no knowledge of any of this stuff,” said Lara, whose mother and uncle also had their homes burn to the ground in the wildfire. “We are still trying to digest the trauma... this is just devastating. We are still lost, I haven’t been able to sleep.” 

Lara said the greatest need for his community at this time is answers. 

“I feel like there are just so many things that have no answers to them. We are destroyed and we have to make so many decisions,” he said.  

“Where are we going to be staying for all of this? What is going to happen – are we ever going to be able to come back to our community? Everybody is just so confused and lost,” Lara added. 

The Altadena resident also said his family is “very united” and “now it makes you see at the end of it all, all we have is the memories that we have created as a family because the material stuff is gone.” 

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told “America’s Newsroom” Monday that the damage caused by the wildfires impacting Los Angeles County is “truly catastrophic.” 

“I mean, I was there Thursday and Friday and got to assess the impact. It is truly catastrophic. And my heart goes out to everybody that has been impacted. And I have heard these stories, you know, time and again about the soul of these communities that now is going to have to rebuild,” she said. 

“FEMA is committed to helping everybody, and we're very grateful for the bipartisan support of the supplemental, which gave us the funding we need to continue to support everybody that's been impacted,” Criswell continued. 

“The people of California that have now lost everything to the people from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, to the 179 different disaster declarations that we did last year alone,” she added. “We need this bipartisan support to continue to support all of those families who have had so much trauma in their lives.” 

Criswell also announced that "we've already got over 24,000 people that have registered" for assistance programs relating to the California wildfires, "and we know that number is going to continue to go up."

The Malibu home that late actor Ryan O'Neal once shared with Farrah Fawcett has burned down in the Palisades Fire, his daughter Tatum O'Neal revealed. 

“It’s the saddest ever so sad I could cry. My father’s house is gone Malibu gone,” Tatum O’Neal wrote on Threads. 

"Love Story" and "Peyton Place" star Ryan O'Neal was Fawcett's life partner from 1979 to 1997. They reconnected in 2001 before she died in 2009. 

A family in the Pacific Palisades told “FOX & Friends” Monday that they used their own pump, hose and pool water to protect their home from the flames. 

“Both Andrew and I were in the Boy Scout program and their motto is ‘Be Prepared,’ so part of that process of being prepared was to get together with our neighbors and establish some protocols and also just to help people understand what they need to do,” Dean Grinsfelder said, mentioning his son. 

“We made the choice to buy a gas-powered water pump that worked with our pool to basically serve as like a fire hose. And then we bought a large 100-gallon water barrel so we had fresh water and we had a couple of electric mountain bikes so that would help us get out if we needed to... that was the idea,” he added. 

Video taken by Andrew Grinsfelder showed water being sprayed around his home. 

“We are the fortunate ones, we believe that our neighborhood, our little community – it’s an HOA – survived. We had one house lost due to fires but amazingly, it is intact and most of everything around us has burned,” Dean Grinsfelder told “FOX & Friends.” 

A map showing which homes have been damaged by the Palisades Fire. (LA County)

New interactive maps are revealing the scale of destruction caused by the Palisades and Eaton Fires. 

The maps, posted on the Los Angeles County government website, show which homes have been damaged or destroyed by the fires. 

Homes that are marked red have suffered more than 50% damage, while properties that are marked orange suffered 26 to 50% damage in the blazes. 

Homes that are yellow, green or black have suffered minimal to no damage. 

More than 12,00 homes and businesses have been burned in the wildfires, with damage assessments still ongoing in affected areas. 

Last week, Cal Fire reported the Palisades and Eaton Fires to be among the top five most destructive in California history. 

A firefighter sets up a hose while fighting the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon on Saturday, Jan. 11, in Los Angeles. (AP/Eric Thayer)

The Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire – the two largest of the three currently burning in Los Angeles County Monday – remain largely uncontained, according to the latest statistics from Cal Fire. 

Both fires started Tuesday last week and have so far burned nearly 40,000 combined acres. 

The Palisades Fire, which has scorched more than 23,000 acres of Los Angeles County around the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, is currently at 13% containment. Eight deaths are being attributed to that fire. 

The Eaton Fire, which is centered around Pasadena, has caused 16 deaths, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner says.  

As of Monday morning, the Eaton Fire has burned around 14,000 acres and is 27% contained, Cal Fire reported. 

The other ongoing wildfire in Los Angeles County – the Hurst Fire located near Sylmar – has burned 799 acres but is at 89% containment. 

The causes of the three wildfires are under investigation. 

Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick recounts that he and his family lost their house in the deadly Palisades wildfire during an NBA basketball news conference at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, Calif., on Friday, Jan. 10. (AP/Damian Dovarganes)

The NBA announced that home games for both the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers would resume on Monday, after both teams had games originally scheduled for Saturday postponed due to the wildfires sweeping through Southern California.

The Lakers will host the San Antonio Spurs on Monday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles while the Clippers will host the Miami Heat at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, south of the Palisades fire.

The Clippers said at practice Sunday that the league had given the green light for Monday's game. The Spurs said they were told that Monday's matchup with the Lakers would be played as scheduled.

Saturday's games in Southern California, in which the Lakers were initially scheduled to host the Spurs in the first of two consecutive games between the two teams and the Clippers' home game against the Charlotte Hornets, were postponed in response to the fires. The Lakers also had a game previously scheduled for Thursday against the Hornets pushed back.

The Los Angeles wildfires have caused devastating losses of homes and lives — and survivors may also face hidden, although still potentially very dangerous, health effects.

Wildfire smoke contains a "complex mixture" of fine particles that can pose hazards after just short-term exposure, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Known as PM2.5, or particulate matter, these microscopic particles and droplets are 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter.

"Your nose and mouth are entry points into your body," Dr. Gustavo Ferrer, a Florida pulmonologist with extensive experience in respiratory health and air quality-related illnesses, told Fox News Digital.

"The smoke you are breathing gets caught inside your sinuses, and if you’re exposed a lot, some of that will start to irritate the lining and lead to inflammation," he warned.

"These are signs that the pollution may be overwhelming the body’s natural defenses."

Firefighters work to put out flames in the Mandeville Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on Jan. 11, as the Palisades Fire continues to burn. (Agustin Paullier/AFP via Getty Images)

Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso is pledging $5 million to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation in the wake of deadly wildfires and "budget deficits" that left the department "under-resourced."

Caruso, who is a real estate developer, said the money can be used at the discretion of the LAFD Foundation so the department can continue its "heroic work" as wildfires remain active in the Los Angeles area.

"The devastation to our city and community is unthinkable. The colossal efforts of our Los Angeles Fire Department cannot be overstated, and lives, homes, and businesses have been saved thanks to their unwavering commitment to fighting a good fight. But this fight is far from over," Caruso wrote on X. "Due to budget deficits in the Los Angeles Fire Department, which left them under-resourced, the inconceivable has become reality."

He has also asked for those with the means to donate to help him reach his goal of $20 million overall for the foundation.

"This funding will ensure essential equipment reaches our emergency responders, including structure fire helmets, personal protective equipment, bulldozers, and multi-functional fast response vehicles that are utilized in both firefighting and medical triage," Caruso wrote.

He said the donations will not only send "critical support to the front lines," but it will protect the LA area from "further catastrophe and hopefully prevent another one in the future."

Caruso added that the outpouring of support amid the devastating fires, which have killed at least 24 people and destroyed more than 12,000 structures, gives him hope.

"My family and I are so grateful for all this city has given us and we will always stand shoulder to shoulder with fellow Angelenos," he wrote.

Khaled Fouad, left, and Mimi Laine, right, embrace as they inspect a family member's property that was destroyed by the Eaton Fire on Jan. 9 in Altadena, Calif. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The Eaton Fire has potentially damaged or destroyed 7,081 structures since it began last Tuesday, the Angeles National Forest said Sunday in an end-of-day update on the still active wildfire.

The fire, which kicked off in the Altadena/Pasadena area Tuesday night, has burned 14,117 acres, claimed at least 11 lives and left five firefighters injured over the past six days, according to the report. It is only 27% contained as of early Monday morning.

"Aerial imagery overlays show approximately 7,081 structures may have been damaged or destroyed," the report said.

Damage inspection reports, which are only 24% complete, confirm the fire destroyed 1,422 structures and left 212 damaged.

A car drives past homes and vehicles destroyed by the Palisades Fire at the Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates on Sunday, Jan. 12, in Los Angeles. (AP/Noah Berger)

Gov. Gavin Newsom said fire crews are prepositioning around Southern California ahead of another potential wind event as wildfires continue in the state.

The Democrat governor, who has been the target of much criticism since deadly wildfires ravaged Los Angeles County within the past week, posted a video from Mandeville Canyon in Los Angeles on Sunday where firefighters have been preparing to battle potential flare ups.

The Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires are still active in Los Angeles County, and meteorologists anticipate dangerous Santa Ana winds to return from Monday to Wednesday.