Many of the large fires that started on January 7 were driven by strong Santa Ana winds, which reached speeds of more than 70 mph in some areas. The winds eased on January 9, but the National Weather Service warned that strong winds would return later that evening and that another round of strong winds could form on January 14.
California has deployed more than 1,400 firefighters to fight the blaze, Governor Gavin Newsom said. Oregon, Washington, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona have sent crews to assist.
AccuWeather has increased its estimate of damage and economic loss from the wildfires raging in California to $135 billion to $150 billion. Government officials have yet to release any damage estimates.
Thousands of structures were damaged or destroyed in the Pacific Palisades coastal community, making it the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history. Nearly 25 square miles were burned in the Pacific Palisades Fire.
According to statistics from the Wildfire Alliance - a partnership between the city's fire department and MySafe:LA - the amount of debris in this fire is more than the Sayre Fire in November 2008, which destroyed 604 structures in Sylmar, a northern suburb of the city.
Further inland, the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena has burned more than 4,000 structures, including homes, apartments or commercial buildings, and vehicles. The fire has also caused significant damage to five Altadena school buildings and burned more than 17 square miles. Workers at a senior center pushed dozens of residents in wheelchairs and hospital beds into the parking lot.
The Los Angeles Fire Department issued an evacuation order on the afternoon of January 9 as a new Kenneth Fire broke out near West Hills, a multifamily neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley, about 11 miles northwest of Pacific Palisades.
The Hurst Fire broke out on the night of January 7, forcing the evacuation of Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley. The fire has spread to an area of 2.6 square kilometers.
In the Hollywood Hills, the Sunset Fire broke out late on January 8 and spread near the Hollywood Bowl and other iconic landmarks. Firefighters contained the fire to less than 1 square mile and the evacuation order was lifted early on January 9.
In total, the fires have burned about 117 square kilometers, nearly the size of the city of San Francisco.
During a meeting with staff at the White House on January 9, President Joe Biden said he would provide federal resources and approve additional funding to help California fight the fires. The US president also noted that these were "the worst fires to ever hit Los Angeles."
The new funding will cover 100% of the costs for 180 days of hazardous material removal, temporary shelters, response team salaries and life-saving measures, he said.
