California fires latest: More evacuations ordered; 11 killed
The Los Angeles area is waking up to a fifth day of wildfires after a massive flare-up of the Palisades fire forced more evacuations Friday night.
The Palisades and Eaton wildfires have killed at least 11 people and destroyed some 12,000 structures as of Friday. Evacuation orders have been lifted in some areas as firefighters make progress on the Kenneth, Hurst and Lidia fires.
Fire air planes and helicopters drop water over flames in Topanga Canyon during Palisades wildfire in Topanga, Los Angeles, California, United States on January 10, 2024. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Government officials haven't given a damage estimate yet, but an estimate from AccuWeather, a private firm that provides weather data, estimated the toll to be about $135 billion to $150 billion.
Here’s the latest:
Palisades Fire
Palisades fire forces new evacuations
A massive flare-up of the Palisades Fire erupted Friday night, forcing a new round of mandatory evacuations and shutting down major roads in the area. LiveNOW from FOX's Josh Breslow spoke with Ratna Dougherty, Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida to discuss the latest.
Acres burned: 21,596
The Palisades Fire was 8% contained as it burned for a fifth day Saturday.
There are more than 3,000 fire personnel battling the blaze. At least five people were killed.
Eaton Fire
Acres burned: 14,117
The deadly Eaton fire was only 3% contained as of Saturday morning. Officials say 5,000-7,000 structures are damaged or destroyed.
What caused the fire?
California insurance crisis: LA wildfires
California's insurance crisis is expected to get even worse after the devastating wildfires raging in the state, and experts say a decades-old law plays a significant role in why insurance companies have fled the state in recent years. LiveNOW's Mike Pache spoke about the insurance issues with property insurance attorney Chip Merlin, from Merlin Law Group.
The exact causes of the fires remain under investigation, but they were fueled by extreme gusts from the Santa Ana winds. Winds Forecasters warn they could pick back up later this weekend.
Officials have identified the origin of the Palisades blaze fire behind a home on Piedra Morada Drive, which sits above a densely wooded arroyo.
Fire chief says budget cuts impacted fire response
The Los Angeles Fire Department chief publicly pleaded for more funding and resources Friday and said budget cuts have impacted firefighters’ abilities to fight the deadly blazes.
"My message is the fire department needs to be properly funded," Chief Kristin Crowley said. "It’s not."
RELATED: How do you measure wildfire containment?
According to Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia, the city cut the LAFD's funding by $17.6 million in the 2025 fiscal year, which started on July 1, 2024. Compared to the city's other departments, the LAFD saw the second-largest cut.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the budget cuts did not impact the city’s response to the wildfires, but Crowley disagreed.
RELATED: LAFD: Kristin Crowley not getting fired over Fire Chief's comments on $17.6M budget cut
"Yes, it was cut and it did impact our ability to provide service," Crowley said. "Any budget cut is going to impact our ability to provide service."
Newsom calls for investigation
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has called for an investigation into issues with Los Angeles County's water supply after firefighters battling the Palisades Fire earlier this week struggled to get water from local fire hydrants.
RELATED: What caused LA fire hydrants to run out of water?
Firefighters struggled to put out the flames on Tuesday, with air resources grounded due to the high winds. However, firefighters on the ground also reported a lack of water pressure from local hydrants, with videos of firefighters using things like purses filled with water to put out flames.
More winds coming
Former fire capt. explains challenges of wildfires
Nick Perricelli, a retired CAL Fire Captain with 37 years of experience, now lives in Volusia County, Florida, but his former engine is currently battling wildfires in Los Angeles. He expressed a desire to be there, saying, "I know that we could have done something. But at the same time, with conditions like that, it’s hard to do anything other than life safety." FOX 25's Morgan Parrish joined LiveNOW from FOX with the latest.
Fire hazards will remain high through the weekend and into early next week as more Santa Ana winds are expected in the area.