Wildfires Ravage Los Angeles County, Prompting Mass Evacuations

Wildfires fueled by strong Santa Ana winds are tearing through Los Angeles County, California, as of January 8, 2025, prompting widespread evacuations and hazardous air quality conditions. The Palisades Fire has scorched over 17,000 acres, the Eaton Fire has consumed 10,600 acres, and the Hurst Fire has spread across more than 800 acres, with containment efforts struggling to keep pace.

According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire), the Palisades and Eaton fires remain 0% contained, while the Hurst Fire is only 10% contained. The Woodley Fire, which burned 30 acres, was declared “under control” by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Meanwhile, the Lidia Fires expanded rapidly from 80 acres to over 300 acres late Wednesday, with 40% containment reported by early evening.

A new blaze, the Sunset Fire, erupted near the Hollywood Hills just before 6 p.m. local time, quickly growing to 50 acres by midnight with no containment. Evacuation orders have been issued for areas surrounding the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires, affecting communities including Pacific Palisades, Topanga, Malibu, Altadena, La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, and Glendale.

In the Hollywood Hills, evacuation orders impacted iconic landmarks such as the Dolby Theatre, home to the Oscars, and the Hollywood Bowl. The Hurst Fire evacuation zone includes Sylmar, Whitney Canyon Park, and Elsmere Canyon. Residents are urged to check CalFire’s interactive map for updated evacuation zones.

Power outages have compounded the crisis, with nearly 1.2 million customers without electricity across California on Wednesday. By Thursday morning, the number had decreased to approximately 390,000, with Los Angeles County accounting for 177,212 of those outages.

Air quality across Southern California has deteriorated to hazardous levels, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Sensors in Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Santa Monica have recorded “hazardous” to “very unhealthy” conditions, while areas like Long Beach, Redondo Beach, and Torrance are experiencing “unhealthy” air quality. The EPA advises residents to wear N95 respirators, limit outdoor activities, and use air purifiers indoors.