This week, Los Angeles was hit by the most devastating series of wildfires in its history, destroying tens of thousands of acres.
Hurricane-like winds have caused the fires to spread unpredictably, complicating firefighting efforts. The military and Canada have stepped in to try and contain the fires.
Here’s everything you need to know about the fires that have put Los Angeles and surrounding areas on high alert:
When and where did the fires start?
The first fire was the Palisades Fire, which began around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and has since become the largest. Cal Fire, the state fire agency, reported that as of early Thursday, the fire had scorched more than 17,000 acres. The beach cities of Santa Monica and Malibu were largely destroyed.
The Eaton Fire started around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and is the second largest, at 10,000 acres. It has destroyed the neighborhood of Altadena, just north of Pasadena.
The Hurst Fire started at 10:20 p.m. Tuesday in Sylmar, located in the San Fernando Valley. It has consumed about 500 acres.
The Lidia Fire began at around 2:07 p.m. Wednesday and is the northernmost and most remote blaze. It swelled to roughly 350 acres by Thursday, but fire officials reported that it was 40% contained.
The Sunset Fire began at around 6:04 p.m. Wednesday in the Hollywood Hills. It spread dangerously close to Hollywood Boulevard, but firefighters made progress overnight, shrinking it from a peak of 50 acres down to 42.3, according to a firefighter speaking with the Los Angeles Times.
How big and destructive is the fire?
The fire is the most destructive in Los Angeles history. At least five people have been killed and a combined 27,900 acres burned, with both numbers likely to increase.
More than 2,000 structures have been burned, while more than 130,000 people have been put under evacuation orders.
How is this fire different than previous ones?
The fire has been so destructive due to unique wind patterns — officials said that the Santa Ana winds were much more erratic and unpredictable than previously, according to the Los Angeles Times. The winds help to spread burning embers, which can travel for miles before landing and igniting structures.
“Normally, under a sustained Santa Ana condition, we have fires that are long and narrow,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone told the outlet. “However, with these erratic winds and this PDS, or particularly dangerous situation, the winds were constantly changing.”
The winds were also much stronger than usual. From Tuesday to Wednesday, winds reaching up to 80 mph were commonplace, with one gust reaching 100 mph in Altadena.
The fires come during an extended dry season — the area has been largely devoid of rainfall for nearly eight months.
Are the blazes slowing down?
Most of the fires have not been contained and are set to get worse. While decreased winds over Wednesday night reduced the spread and allowed for aircraft to fly crucial firefighting missions, strong winds are set to resume by Thursday afternoon and continue into Friday. Winds of up to 70 mph are expected.
However, progress has been made with the Sunset and Lidia fires.
Overnight, firefighters made some progress against the Sunset Fire threatening Hollywood. Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, one firefighter called it a “miracle that no homes burned here.” A concentrated effort of firefighters and firefighting vehicles has shrunk the blaze for the time being. Helicopters dropping water came in roughly seven-minute intervals.
How is the government responding?
The government’s response has faced heavy scrutiny, particularly the local and state response. Firefighters discovered a chronic shortage of water in fire hydrants, leaving them unable to battle the fires. Current and former officials blamed old water infrastructure and mismanagement.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced the brunt of the criticism. She was in Ghana when the fires began, celebrating the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama. On her way back, she was cornered by a reporter, to whom she offered no answers.
“Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning? Do you regret cutting the fire department budget by millions of dollars, Madame Mayor?” Sky News reporter David Blevins asked to no response.
City figures reveal that Bass instituted sweeping budget cuts for the fire department in the city’s fiscal 2025 budget. Her original proposal advocated cutting the fire department’s budget by $23 million, with the final cut being $17.6 million.
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden ordered the Defense Department to deploy firefighting personnel to assist in the firefighting efforts.
“I have directed the [DOD] to rapidly provide additional firefighting personnel and capabilities to the region being impacted by the Southern California wildfires. We also continue to work closely with the National Guard,” Biden said in a social media post, adding that 10 Navy helicopters had been deployed.
Biden canceled a visit to Italy to help direct the response, a trip intended to be the last foreign visit of his presidency.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), who has also faced criticism over the fires, said he deployed more than 7,500 firefighters to help contain the wildfires.
“More than 7,500 firefighting personnel are on the ground working with local and federal partners to respond to California’s ongoing historic wildfires, Newsom said. “Southern California residents — please remain vigilant tonight. Listen to local officials and be ready to evacuate if you’re near impacted areas.”
How will residents recoup their losses?
State Farm announced in March 2024 that it would cancel 72,000 property policies in California, 30,000 of which were home insurance policies, the Los Angeles Times reported. The cancellations went into effect over the summer. The company’s reasoning was that California law forbade the raising of premiums in order to match the increased risks from wildfires, meaning the company risked “financial failure.”
Around 1,600 homes in Pacific Palisades were victims of State Farm’s policy cancellations. Other insurance companies that covered homes in the area also canceled residents’ policies.
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Annie Barbour, a coordinator for United Policyholders, told the Los Angeles Times that there’s “no clear path” to recovery for those without insurance.
Support from FEMA “won’t be enough to bring back your house,” she said. “Hopefully you can piece together some resources and see where that takes you.”
