Multiple wildfires are spreading rapidly across Los Angeles and surrounding areas amid what officials describe as the most destructive windstorm in decades, with nearly 50,000 people ordered to evacuate.
The National Weather Service warned on Wednesday morning that “dangerous fire weather conditions” were ongoing in southern California, with the most extreme conditions expected during the morning hours. While winds are forecast to gradually weaken, critical fire weather conditions are expected to persist into Thursday.
Dr Ariel Cohen, Meteorologist in Charge at the National Weather Service in Los Angeles, called it “one of the most significant fire outbreaks in history,” with winds reaching 80-100mph (128-160kmph).
This is by far the craziest video from the fire in Los Angeles. This guy is filming huge walls of fire surrounding a house they're in, and there's another person and a dog. I have no idea why they didn't evacuate or what happened to them. Let's hope they're okay. #PalisadesFire pic.twitter.com/QYtsBSKvdl
— Sia Kordestani (@SiaKordestani) January 8, 2025
The Palisades fire has grown from 20 acres to over 2,900 acres since yesterday, while other major blazes include the Eaton fire (1,000 acres), Hurst fire (500 acres), and the newly reported Woodley fire (75 acres). The Tyler fire has also broken out in Riverside County.
More than 1,400 firefighters are battling the blazes, with the Palisades fire currently 0% contained. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass warned residents that conditions were expected to worsen and urged them to “heed local warnings, stay vigilant and stay safe.”
The severe winds have caused widespread power outages, with 175,015 customers without power as of 9:45am ET, down from over 300,000 earlier in the morning. High wind warnings remain in effect across much of Los Angeles County, with officials warning of potential damage to trees and power lines.
“I’m pleading with everyone, if you receive that evacuation order take it seriously, your life depends on it,” Cohen said, adding that no rain is currently forecast and strong winds are expected to continue.
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