Palisades fire spreads to upscale Mandeville Canyon after wind change

Los Angeles authorities have warned that weather conditions could worsen in the coming days, while firefighters continue to battle the spreading wildfires. Currently, fires in multiple locations including Palisades, Eaton, Hearst, and Kenneth are still raging across the Los Angeles area.

Among them, the Palisades fire is the most destructive in Los Angeles history, having spread another 400 hectares overnight due to a change in wind direction. A woman named Shirley Sykes posted on social media platform X that her 32-year-old son, Australian citizen Rory Sykes, tragically died due to a disruption in the water supply to her property.

California Fire Department official Todd Hopkins stated that while the Palisades fire is 11% contained, it has already burned over 8,900 hectares. He also pointed out that the Palisades fire has spread to the Mandeville Canyon community, an area home to celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger, not far from the Pacific coast. California Fire Department operations chief Christian Litz said that Mandeville Canyon is a major focus, with the fire threatening to spread to the upscale community of Brentwood.

Currently, 153,000 residents in the Los Angeles area have been placed under evacuation orders, and 57,000 buildings are at risk. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna stated that another 166,000 residents have been warned they may need to evacuate. Sheriff Luna also said that his department has deployed 40 search and rescue personnel to work with other agencies, including using cadaver dogs to search for victims' remains. Since Tuesday, six fires have occurred simultaneously in multiple communities in Los Angeles County, resulting in at least 11 deaths and at least 13 people missing. The death toll is expected to rise as firefighters are able to conduct door-to-door searches.

The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) stated that conditions in the Los Angeles area will improve over the weekend, with sustained wind speeds slowing to about 32 kilometers per hour. Officials estimate that gusts of wind will be between 56 and 80 kilometers per hour. National Weather Service meteorologist Allison Santorelli said that these reduced gusts should help firefighters, but conditions remain critical due to low humidity and dry vegetation. However, Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone stated that the Santa Ana winds still pose a threat to the Eaton fire and will continue through Wednesday. "These winds, coupled with low humidity and low fuel moisture, will keep the fire threat high in Los Angeles County," he said at a press conference today.

The Los Angeles Fire Department stated that its chief has not been fired, contrary to rumors. Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley held a press conference this week, condemning the city government for cutting millions of dollars in funding to the fire department. She also blamed the city government for causing a water supply disruption on Tuesday, when about 20% of the fire hydrants used to fight the Palisades fire ran dry. Her apparent discord with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has fueled speculation about her job security, leading to a union statement confirming that she has not been fired. The mayor has also sought to ease tensions. "I want to be clear: The fire chief and I are focused on putting out these fires and saving lives, and any differences we may have will be resolved privately," Ms. Bass said at a press conference. "But right now, our first and foremost obligation to the people of Los Angeles is to get through this crisis." Los Angeles Fire Department public information officer Erik Scott also stated on X that Ms. Crowley has not been fired and is fully in control of the agency.

Here is the latest update from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection: The Palisades fire is 11% contained (8% yesterday) with 9,170 hectares burned; the Eaton fire is 15% contained (3% yesterday) with 5,712 hectares burned; the Kenneth fire is 90% contained (35% yesterday) with 425 hectares burned; the Hearst fire is 76% contained (37% yesterday) with 323 hectares burned; and the Sunset and Lydia fires are 100% contained.