Los Angeles wildfires: Curfew imposed amid looting fears
Published January 10, 2025last updated January 10, 2025
What you need to know
- Los Angeles County officials have said the death toll has risen to 10
- Authorities impose curfews to protect homes in evacuated areas
- The two largest of five major blazes have destroyed thousands of buildings
- The LA fire chief said Palisades fire currently 8% contained
- US President Joe Biden decries looting, says incoming administration being kept in loop
This is a rundown of major events surrounding the wildfires in the southwestern US state of California on January 10, 2025.
Biden likens devastation to a 'war scene'
Outgoing US President Joe Biden said the situation in Los Angeles was much like something out of a warzone.
"It reminded me of more of a war scene, where you had certain targets that were bombarded," Biden said as he received a briefing on the fires in the Oval Office on Friday. "It's almost like it's a battle scene."
Addressing concerns about looting, Biden said the government had responded by providing more police officers and military personnel.
"There's clear evidence that there's looting. There's clear evidence that people are going into these survivors' communities... and looting," Biden said.
With only 10 days left in office, Biden also said that the incoming administration would be briefed on what they would need to do.
LA authorities impose overnight curfew amid looting concerns
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said that an overnight curfew had been imposed in impacted areas.
"You cannot be in these affected areas. If you are, you are subject to arrest," Luna told a press briefing.
Luna said the measures were being taken to protect the houses and structures of people who had been ordered to evacuate the areas under threat of the wildfires.
The curfew will be in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the Pacific Palisades and Eaton fire areas and come amid concerns of looting.
"This curfew will be strictly enforced and is being taken to enhance public safety, protect property and prevent any burglaries or looting in the area that the residents have evacuated."
Luna said anyone who broke the curfew could find themselves behind bars.
"I've given direction that if somebody is caught doing this, they are not going to get cited and released. They're going to get booked. We are not screwing around with this," he said.
Palisades fire 8% contained says LA fire chief
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley reported that there had been "favorable weather conditions overnight" and due to the firefighting efforts, the Palisades fire was now 8% contained.
Crowley was providing a situational report on overnight firefighting operations in a morning briefing.
The fire chief said the Palisades fires were burning in an area of 20,438 acres with 3,073 firefighting personnel working to tackle blazes.
Pacific Palisades is a wealthy, residential, coastal district near Santa Monica in LA, home to more than 20,000 people.
"Crews worked very, very hard overnight, strengthening our containment lines and addressing multiple spot fires in and around the Topanga Canyon area," she said.
Crowley said that wind gusts were expected to increase during the course of the day which would test containment lines and said evacuation orders would remain in place.
Crowley expressed her gratitude to the firefighting teams as they continued efforts into day four.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) said that 5,316 structures were believed to have been destroyed.
The LAFD said that one of its CL-415 Super Scooper water bombing aircraft had been struck by a civilian drone and had to be grounded for repairs.
California National Guard deployed to prevent looting
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said his team is beefing up security in the LA area to proactively stop anyone they see in an evacuation area.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced the deployment of California National Guards soldiers in Los Angeles.
"Taking advantage of evacuated communities is absolutely sick," he said in a tweet.
Around 20 people have been arrested in looting instances in the affected area since the first fires broke out on Tuesday, Luna said.
"When we have an evacuation order by law, if you remain in that area, you are guilty of a misdemeanor. If you commit certain crimes, it could jump up to a felony," Luna said.
"If you are in one of these areas and you do not belong there, you are going to be subject to arrest."
The city of Santa Monica, which is next to Pacific Palisades, has declared a curfew because of the lawlessness, officials said.
Biden promises 100% help with recovery
US President Joe Biden, who has declared a major disaster, has promised that the federal government would reimburse 100% of the recovery for the next 180 days.
The funding would pay for debris and hazard material removal, temporary shelters and the salaries of first responders.
"I told the governor, local officials, spare no expense to do what they need to do and contain these fires," Biden said after he met with senior advisers at the White House.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters on Thursday that California has made only a "few requests" so far for aid from the military to fight the fires, but he has taken steps to ensure troops are ready if needed.
"We stand ready to surge capability in as quickly as possible," Austin said during a press conference on a visit to Germany. "I've done some things to cause our troops to get in a three-point stance to make sure that ... if the whistle blows we are ready to move in and provide assistance."
Death roll rises to 10
The death toll from the California wildfires has risen to 10, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner.
"All cases are currently pending identification and legal next of kin notification," the coroner's office said in a statement.
Sheriff Robert Luna of Los Angeles County stated at an earlier press conference that he expects the number of fatalities to increase.
Meanwhile, more than 10,000 structures, many of them homes, have been burned in wildfires in the Los Angeles area, according to the officials.
More than 5,300 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the hilly coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, making this the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history.
What we know about the fires
The fires are located in a roughly 25-mile (40-kilometer) corridor north of downtown Los Angeles.
Dry desert winds are said to have fanned the flames of the wildfires.
To the west, the Pacific Palisades Fire is the largest of the blazes. It has destroyed some 5,300 structures across 19,000 acres (7,700 hectares) and firefighters have so far reported no containment.
A number of entertainment celebrities, including Billy Crystal, Mandy Moore and Paris Hilton, are among the thousands of people who have so far lost their homes to the Los Angeles wildfires.
Other stars such as Mark Hamill, James Woods and Mandy Moore have said they had to flee their homes.
The Eaton Fire near Pasadena began on Tuesday night and has burned more than 5,000 structures — a term embracing houses, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings and vehicles. Firefighters managed to start to contain the fire on Thursday.
Another blaze, the Kenneth Fire, started late on Thursday afternoon in the San Fernando Valley and moved into neighboring Ventura County. While it appeared to spread rapidly at first, the Ventura County fire department said its forward progress had been stopped.
Two other fires, smaller but still considered major, are blazing further north in the Hurst and Lidia areas. Several other small fires are burning around the city, including one in the hills above Hollywood.
rc/lo (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)