Hazardous Conditions and Water Warning in Los Angeles County into Next Week
The Palisades Fire is now 13% Contained and has scorched 23,713 Acres. Do not forget that the Palisades Fire is still actively burning in the fire area. All mandatory evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect as firefighters continue battling the destructive wildfires across Los Angeles County. In the Palisades Fire area, three people have been confirmed as being injured and there are eight fatalities according to CAL FIRE, as of January 12. The death toll is now 24 people who have died in both the Palisades and Eaton Fires.
Los Angeles County is under a Critical Fire Weather and Red Flag warning until Wednesday. Life-threatening winds and dangerously low humidity are forecast for much of Southern California – from Ventura to San Diego – creating a significant risk of rapid fire spread.
All mandatory evacuation areas are under a curfew from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and all evacuation areas have hard closures. The LAPD has stopped police escorts into mandatory evacuation zones, per West Los Angeles Senior Lead Officer Matthew Kirk. CD 11 City Council Member Traci Park emphasized that while city leaders are sympathetic to residents’ desire to return to their homes or at least check on their status, the areas are simply not safe. There are also active investigations and the search for possible victims of the fire.
According to officials, the Palisades evacuation zone has no power, no gas, and other dangers, including the still active fires, and the potential for a fire to break out any time, that make it much too dangerous to allow repopulation or for people to freely roam the area.
LAPD Chief McDonnell, when asked what level of readiness Angelenos should have in the coming days during the afternoon press conference on Sunday, responded that every resident of Los Angeles County should be ready to evacuate until Wednesday. To prepare a plan to be ready to evacuate, the county of Los Angeles has the Ready! Set! Go! website.
Residents in Pacific Palisades (ZIP code 90272) and adjacent areas in the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) service region north of San Vicente Boulevard, as well as the eastern portion of Malibu up to Carbon Canyon and Saddle Peak in Topanga, have been issued a “Do Not Drink” notice for their tap water. You can read the notice here or here. Residents have been warned that drinking, bathing, or otherwise using tap water is now dangerous and that bottled water must be used for drinking water and cooking.
Evacuated residents who needed medications that were left behind as they fled, people can go to evacuation centers to refill prescriptions without going back into the evacuation area. Alta Med and Kaiser are there to help anyone who needs that service.
According to the city of Malibu, 7,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed, and 426 homes confirmed destroyed in Malibu and Pacific Palisades. Damage assessments continue to determine how many homes are part of the estimated damaged structures. These are approximate numbers, subject to change.
Residents impacted by the Palisades Fire can visit http://recovery.lacounty.gov/palisades-fire to view preliminary maps showing damage assessments. The County will add damage assessments daily as they become available.
Santa Monica PD’s Lieutenant of the Office of the Chief of Police, Erika Alkulfi, confirmed the following at 7:15 p.m., Between January 7th and this morning (1/12), we arrested 39 individuals in the evacuation zones. Ten of those were arrested for burglary (three individuals in one incident on 18th Street, four individuals in the 200 Block of Euclid, and two individuals at 10th and Carlyle). Six had burglary tools. The rest were picked up for other violations, including curfew, drug possession, driving violations, outstanding warrants, parole and probation violations, etc. None of the arrestees are from Santa Monica.
Alkufi’s email stated, “This is a significant increase in the normal number of arrests we would have in the neighborhoods in the evacuation zones (North of Montana – NOMA and WILMONT) but considering the circumstances, our officers did an amazing job saturating the evacuation areas and tamping down criminal activity. Most of the burglary incidents involved multiple suspects at one location.”
The names and charges against four of the suspects were shared with us:
Love, Joshua Kaliel: Arrest date: 1/11/25
Arrested for: PC 459 Burglary, resisting arrest, possession of dirk/dagger
Arrested at 400 Block San Vicente in the breezeway in an apartment complex. He ran from our officers and was captured nearby. He had a dirk/dagger, a window-breaking tool, a mask, gloves, and narcotics.
Stokes, Gabriel Isaih: Arrest date: 1/9/25
Arrested for: Grand theft, possession of burglary tools, impersonation, narcotics possession
Officers received an ALPR hit of a stolen vehicle and found the subject in the driver’s seat of the parked car. He had multiple stolen ID cards and other documents, a ski mask, a black beanie, and burglary tools.
Dorantes, Miguel Angel: arrest date 1/9/25, PC459 burglary and Pacheco Mangana, Dominic: arrest date 1/9/25, PC 459 burglary
Dorantes and Pacheco Magana were in a panel van that ran a stop sign in the evacuation zone. Neither had any identification. During their investigation, officers discovered they were using fraudulent registration tabs, had recently removed the front license plate of the vehicle, were utilizing the FireWatch app and a police scanner app, and had ski masks, several tools, and large cargo bags in the vehicle.
The damage estimate for the Palisades Fire is 150 billion.
The city of Santa Monica has warned that there is a hard closure on routes into the Pacific Palisades and that no one will be allowed entrance through the city into the area.
The only exceptions are in the city of Santa Monica, the Evacuation Warning between Montana Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard has been lifted and all areas of Santa Monica north of Montana Avenue to San Vicente Boulevard are now under an Evacuation Warning. Residents can repopulate this area but should still be prepared to leave if needed. Those who require additional time to evacuate should consider staying away. The other is in The previous evacuation order in the below described (map linked above) areas are downgraded to an evacuation warning. Residents may repopulate their homes with caution.
Area One (LOS-Q0779).
North of W Sunset Blvd up to and including Mount Saint Mary’s University. From North Bundy Drive to the San Diego Fwy.
Area Two (LOS-Q0762B).
The northern boundary is the Encino Reservoir. From Vanalden Ave East to Strawberry Field Park.
It has been announced that residents in the evacuation areas can pick up their mail in alternate post office locations:
If you receive mail in the Pacific Palisades area at the Pacific Palisades Post Office, you can pick up your mail here:
Rancho Park Post Office
11270 Exposition Blvd Floor 1
Los Angeles, CA 90064-9998
Mon – Fri: 9 am – 5 pm
Sat: 9 am – 4 pm
Starting on Sunday, January 12 through Monday, January 13, 2025
If you receive mail in the Topanga Canyon area at the Topanga Post Office Post Office, you can pick up your mail here:
Santa Monica Post Office
1653 7th Street
Santa Monica, CA 9041-9997
Mon – Fri: 9 am – 5 pm
Sat: 9 am – 3 pm
Starting on Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Californians who are unemployed due to the L.A. fires should apply for benefits right away, here. Governor Newsom has proclaimed a State of Emergency, which includes a waiver of the usual 1-week unpaid waiting period for fire victims. This means those who are eligible will receive their first benefit payment sooner
The City’s 10 BusinessSource Centers (BSCs) can provide free one-on-one consultation, business and employment support, and assistance with applying for forthcoming microenterprise grants and microloans. To find a complete list of BusinessSource Centers, use this Interactive Map.
Los Angeles Unified will reopen most schools and all offices on Monday, January 13. Conditions have improved for a majority of areas across the Los Angeles region and the District is confident it is safe for students and employees to return to campuses, according to a press release from LAUSD Superintendant Alberto M. Carvalho.
Some schools in the highest impact areas will remain closed due to mandatory evacuation orders. This includes Canyon Charter Elementary, Kenter Canyon Charter Elementary, Palisades Charter Elementary, Marquez Charter Elementary, Topanga Charter Elementary, Lanai Road Elementary, and Paul Revere Middle School. The schools will reopen as soon as the conditions allow, at which time, LAUSD will notify families.
LAUSD is also closely monitoring Roscomare Road Elementary and Community Magnet Charter which are currently in an evacuation warning zone.
LAUSD will be monitoring conditions throughout the evening and overnight. A 10:00 p.m. update will be posted at lausd.org. Should anything change, they will begin notifying families and employees of any changes by 5:30 a.m. on Monday. Open schools will be on a full inclement weather schedule which limits outdoor and athletics activities. Masks will also be available for students and employees.
All Santa Monica schools, with the exception of Roosevelt Elementary, still in the evacuation warning zone, will be open Monday, January 13, 2025. Schools will be operating on an inclement weather schedule.
Malibu schools will remain closed Monday, January 13, Tuesday, Jan. 14, and Wednesday, Jan. 15 due to ongoing safety concerns of the Palisades Fire and the need for campus assessment, cleaning, and road re-openings. Beverly Hills Unified School will reopen on Monday, January 13, but UCLA will extend remote instruction for undergraduate and graduate courses through Friday, January 17.
Firefighters from Mexico, Canada, Nevada, Oregon, Washington State, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, and New Mexico have already arrived or will arrive soon to assist Los Angeles County’s firefighting force.
Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday announced California’s historic deployment of resources to Southern California is being augmented with even more support in anticipation of another round of severe fire weather expected starting Monday through Wednesday. The assets will join the ongoing firefight and preposition at strategic locations throughout Southern California to be ready for any new fire starts.
Additional resources bring the total to more than 14,000 personnel as well as more than 1,700 fire engines, water tenders, aircraft, and bulldozers now in place or on the way.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Sunday that he has increased California National Guard personnel activated to support the response efforts to a total of about 2,500 service members – up 1,000 personnel from yesterday. CalGuard service members are fighting fires and ensuring the public safety of communities, joining the thousands of personnel deployed to combat the firestorm in Los Angeles.
Deployed CalGuard service members include Military Police Forces, the law enforcement branch of the CalGuard, stationed at traffic control points to ensure the safety of the surrounding community. Additional service members are supporting wildfire suppression operations, through the CalGuard’s Task Force Rattlesnake, additional hand crews training at Camp Roberts, and aviation resources. The increased deployment is expected to be complete by Monday.
Business Disaster Loans are now available – The Small Business Administration is now offering home disaster loans, business disaster loans, and economic injury disaster loans, which can be applied for at lending.sba.gov.
Wildfire Smoke Advisory:
Smoke from the fires has affected Los Angeles County, creating unhealthy air. If you are in or near affected areas, limit your time outdoors, avoid rigorous physical activity, keep windows and doors closed, run air purifiers, and minimize sources of indoor air pollution such as candles, incense, and more. Read more here.
The Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and Council District 1 has set up the Alpine Recreation Center as an Air Quality Relief Center to keep residents safe and healthy during this event.
Alpine Recreation Center
817 Yale Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213.485.5448
Donation Drop-Off Centers:
The City announced donation drop-off locations to support families, residents, and workers impacted by the L.A. wildfires. Donation items are requested based on reported community needs. The City continues to aggressively respond to the Palisades Fire and Hurst Fire while moving forward to rebuild and recover. For more information on the Donation Drop-Off Centers, click here.
Residents in the following zones are under mandatory evacuation orders and cannot return to their homes:
- DRY-U026-A, LOS-Q0406-A, LOS-Q0407, LOS-Q0751, LOS-Q0762, LOS-Q0762-A, LOS-Q0765, LOS-Q0767, LOS-Q0778-A, LOS-Q0780, LOS-Q0781-A, LOS-Q0782-A, LOS-Q0782-B, LOS-Q0798, LOS-Q0798-B, LOS-Q1115, LOS-Q1118, MAL-C111-A, MAL-C111-B, MAL-C112-B, MTN-U028, RMB-U030-B, RMB-U030-D, RMB-U030-E, RRC-U027, SAN-Q1395-B, SAN-Q1396-B, SDP-U029, SSM-U010-A, SSM-U010-B, TOP-U001 to TOP-U009.
The evacuation boundaries include:
- South: Pacific Coast Highway
- North: Encino Reservoir
- East: 405 Freeway
- West: Mandeville Canyon
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has also issued a curfew for all evacuation areas, effective from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Zones under evacuation warnings include:
- CAL-C405 to CAL-C415, DRY-U026-B, LOS-Q0764, LOS-Q0772, LOS-Q0783, LOS-Q0779, LOS-Q0800, LOS-Q1089, LOS-Q1119, LOS-Q1163, MAL-C112-A, MCR-U021-A, RMB-U030-C, SAN-Q1388-B, SAN-Q1395-A.
- Area 1: South of Sunset Blvd, north of Mulholland Dr, east of Bellagio Rd/Roscomare Rd, west of the 405 Freeway.
- Area 2: South of Mulholland Dr/Sepulveda Blvd, north of Ventura Blvd, east of the 405 Freeway, west of Louise Ave.
UCLA Housing has urged students to remain alert and prepared to evacuate if necessary. Bruins are advised to pack essentials and seek assistance through their building front desk if needed.
Shelters are open for displaced residents:
- Lanark Recreation Center, Canoga Park
- Calvary Community Church, Westlake Village
- Ritchie Valens Recreation Center, Pacoima (Relocated from El Camino Real Charter High School)
- Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena
- Stoner Recreation Center, Los Angeles
- Westwood Recreation Center, Los Angeles
- Additional shelters are at Pan Pacific Recreation Center, Pomona Fairplex, and Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Recreation Center.
Small animals:
- Locations include Agoura Animal Care Center, Baldwin Park Animal Care Center, and more.
Large animals:
- Facilities include Pomona Fairplex, Industry Hills Expo, and Hansen Dam Horse Park.
Several off-ramps along Westside highways remain closed per Caltrans District 7:
Interstate 405 (1-405)
• Getty Center Drive off-ramps in both directions are closed.
• Southbound Skirball Center Drive off-ramp closed.
• Southbound Sunset Blvd. off-ramp closed.
State Route 1 (Pacific Coast Highway/PCH)
• Southbound PCH closed at Sweetwater Canyon Drive.
• Northbound PCH closed at McClure Tunnel.
Interstate 10 (1-10)
• Westbound I-10 closed at Lincoln Blvd.
• Westbound 1-10 4th and 5th Street on-ramps closed.
State Route 27 (Topanga Canyon Blvd.)
• Fully closed between PCH and Mulholland Drive.
Officials have debunked false claims circulating on social media about wildfire clean-up job opportunities on Facebook. These stories are not true.
