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January 14, 2025 | 08:36 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Los Angeles wildfires are still burning for a seventh straight day. Firefighters are racing to contain the fires on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, taking advantage of a lull in dangerous conditions before high winds are expected to fan the flames again, Reuters reported.
At least 24 people have died in what California Governor Gavin Newsom called the most devastating natural disaster in U.S. history, destroying thousands of homes and forcing 100,000 people to evacuate.
Here are the facts and figures after a week of devastating Los Angeles wildfires.
Los Angeles WildFires Facts
Six fires have devastated Los Angeles. As of Jan. 12, 2025, two of them were still uncontained. Many evacuation orders remain in effect.
- The Palisades Fire broke out Tuesday, Jan. 7, near Los Angeles. It has so far burned more than 50,000 acres, including homes and businesses in the Pacific Palisades and along the Pacific Coast Highway. The fire is 13 percent contained.
- The Eaton Fire also started on January 7 and has burned more than 14,100 hectares. It is currently 27 percent contained.
- The Hurst Fire also started on January 7 and has burned more than 799 hectares and is currently 89 percent contained.
- The Lidia Fire started on January 8 and has burned 395 hectares and is currently 100 percent contained.
- The Kenneth Fire started on January 9 and has burned 1,052 hectares. It is now fully contained.
- The Sunset Fire started on January 8 and was contained on January 9. It burned 43 hectares.
Twenty-four people have been found dead. About 150,000 people remain under evacuation orders, down from 180,000, while another 87,000 are under evacuation warnings.
Crews from California and nine other states and Mexico are actively battling the fires with 1,400 fire engines and 84 aircraft. They are concerned about strong Santa Ana winds that are expected to return this week.
What caused the Los Angeles wildfires?
Authorities are still investigating the specific cause, but a combination of extreme weather patterns over the past two years has created conditions that have fueled the current blazes.
Southern California experienced extremely wet weather from the winter of 2023 through the spring of 2024, allowing new vegetation to grow quickly. Then the area recently experienced a prolonged period of dry weather, creating conditions that allowed the fires to ignite on Tuesday, Jan. 7.
The growth of dry, young vegetation combined with stronger-than-usual Santa Ana winds — sometimes reaching 100 mph — caused the fires to spread faster than usual.
"These winds combined with low relative humidity and low fuel moisture will keep the fire threat throughout Los Angeles County high," Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a news conference.
He added that evacuated areas may not be reopened until the fire danger is lifted on Thursday.
What have the Los Angeles wildfires destroyed?
The flames have turned entire neighborhoods into smoldering ruins, leveling the homes of the rich and famous and everyday people alike, and leaving behind an apocalyptic landscape. Officials say at least 12,300 buildings have been damaged or destroyed.
Private forecaster AccuWeather estimates the damage and economic losses at $135 billion to $150 billion. The full extent of the damage will be known some time, however, as firefighters are still actively battling the blazes.
However, schools, all but a few in mandatory evacuation zones, will reopen Monday, after being closed to all 429,000 students in the Los Angeles Unified School District on Thursday and Friday, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho announced.
Newsom told NBC News that the wildfires are likely to be the worst natural disaster in U.S. history “in terms of the cost.”
To help speed the monumental rebuilding effort ahead, Newsom signed an executive order Sunday temporarily suspending environmental regulations for destroyed homes and businesses.
Active-duty military personnel are ready to support firefighting efforts, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said in a series of television interviews Sunday, adding that the agency has urged residents to begin applying for disaster assistance.
Editor’s Choice: List of Top 5 Costliest and Worst Wildfires in U.S. History
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